A Florida woman convicted to leaving her boyfriend to die in a suitcase will spend the rest of her life in prison.
Before issuing the sentence on Monday, Judge Michael Kraynick rejected a defense request for a new trial based on various issues including the denial of court-appointed counsel, disruptive behavior in the courtroom, and alleged misconduct by the prosecution, according to a report by WESH.
In October, Sarah Boone was found guilty of second-degree murder in the 2020 death of Jorge Torres Jr., as noted by CrimeOnline. Boone claimed that Torres had voluntarily gotten into the suitcase as part of a playful activity, but she admitted to not letting him out out of fear that he would harm her.
Boone further stated that she unintentionally forgot about Torres being inside the suitcase and eventually drifted off to sleep, a statement contradicted by videos discovered on her phone by investigators. These videos depicted Boone ridiculing and tormenting Torres while he begged for assistance.
Testimony during the trial indicated Boone’s relationship with Torres was plagued by violence, with police testifying they had been called to the scene multiple times in the year prior to Torres’s death.
Eight attorneys withdrew from Boone’s case before it ever went trial, citing Boone’s general behavior and her behavior toward them. Jesse Owens, who represented her during trial, was hired after he answered an ad posted on social media for a new attorney.
“Looking for a prosperous challenge? Ready for your close-up on nat’l television? Are you zealous with a side of keen,” the ad read.
Torres’s mother, daugther, and sisters provided victim impact statements at the sentencing hearing on Monday, WKMG reported.
Torres’s mother said his death has “been hard on my family,” while his daughter Ava told the court that “evilness” took her father away.
“I pray that you see his face when you see him at night,” she told Boone.
Boone also testified, offering an apology of sorts.
“I hope that everyone can forgive me, the Torres family most of all,” she said.
