Sarah Boone, a woman from Florida, was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of second-degree murder for zipping up her boyfriend, Jorge Torres Jr., in a suitcase and leaving him to die. The incident occurred after the couple had been drinking, and Boone claimed Torres got inside the suitcase as part of a game of hide-and-seek. The following morning, she discovered he had died while still inside the suitcase and called 911.
Boone’s attorney argued that she acted under extreme duress due to Torres’ alleged physical and mental abuse towards her. Boone testified that she and Torres were joking when she zipped him up in the suitcase, and they were filming the interaction. In the video shown during the trial, Torres could be heard saying he couldn’t breathe, while Boone laughed and responded with taunts.
Boone claimed that she feared Torres would hurt her if he got out of the suitcase due to past threats. She hit his hand with a baseball bat to prevent him from escaping. Torres had bruises and contusions on his hand and head during the autopsy.
Following the sentencing, the victim’s family expressed their pain and requested justice for Torres. Boone has the opportunity to file an appeal within 30 days. Her attorney previously stated that they were disappointed in the verdict but respected the jury’s decision.
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