Sarah Boone, convicted of murdering her boyfriend by suffocating him in a suitcase, will be sentenced Monday in Orange County.
On Oct. 25, a jury took about an hour and a half deliberating in the murder trial of Sarah Boone, also referred to as the suitcase murder trial.
Boone was found guilty of leaving her boyfriend to die, zipped up inside a suitcase for about 11 hours inside their Winter Park home on the night of Feb. 23, 2020.
The medical examiner testified that Jorge Torres Jr. died from suffocation. His family declined to comment after the verdict.
Boone's defense attorney described Sarah Boone as shocked and disappointed.
"Just shock. She's shocked, you know. She felt like, you know, she had a defense, as you know. So she is just in shock," said James Thomas, Boone's defense attorney.
During the trial, Boone took the stand in her own defense, describing how her 103-pound boyfriend got in the suitcase in a game of hide-and-seek.
"I zipped him up we thought it was funny. We're joking about how he was small enough to fit inside the suitcase," Boone said.
Boone also told the jury how Torres threatened her, and the defense introduced photos of how Torres had injured her during their three-and-a-half-year relationship.
A psychologist took the stand to back up the battered spouse syndrome defense.
However, the state's expert witness said Boone's behavior was not indicative of battered spouse syndrome.
In the end, the prosecution said the guilty verdict brought some closure for the Torres family.
"After four and a half years and the numerous delays, I think they were finally happy to see this case go to trial and put this one in the books," said Dave Cacciatore Jr., assistant state attorney.
Boone requested a new trial, claiming she was wrongfully denied a court-appointed attorney.
She also said the emotional outbursts in court by the victim's family should have caused a mistrial.
Sentencing is set for 1:30 p.m. on Monday at the Orange County Courthouse.
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