Jury selection is underway in the trial of Sarah Boone, a Winter Park woman facing second-degree murder charges for the 2020 death of her boyfriend, Jorge Torres Jr., who suffocated after being zipped inside a suitcase. As reported by WFTV, the case, which has seen multiple delays, including a recent postponement due to Hurricane Milton, was set to begin last week but is now moving forward after the storm's interference.
Boone had rejected a plea deal for manslaughter with a 15-year sentence. She could face a minimum of 22½ years if convicted of the charge. Despite her initial claim that Torres' death was an accident during a drunken game, her defense plans to argue that she suffered from battered spouse syndrome, a strategy shared by James Owens, Boone's ninth lawyer, in court records reported by the Orlando Sentinel. This defense strategy echoes a previous case where Marcia Thompson of West Palm Beach was acquitted of first-degree murder charges in July after similarly claiming she acted in self-defense due to abuse.
Boone's trial, delayed at least 16 times, has drawn attention because of the alleged crime and the frequent changes in his legal team. Circuit Judge Michael Kraynick noted that Boone's hostile behavior toward his previous attorneys had complicated and prolonged the case. Boone, now 47, initially claimed the incident was a tragic accident after a night of drinking.
