From: jcs
On February 24, 2020, 42-year-old Sarah Boone called 911 to report that her boyfriend, George Torres Jr., also 42, was dead in a suitcase [00:00:15]. She explained to the dispatcher that they had been playing hide-and-seek the previous night, and she put him in a suitcase [00:00:28]. Sarah claimed she fell asleep and woke up to find him dead, stating she did not know what happened [00:00:35].
Discovery of Incriminating Videos
Sarah Boone was initially unaware that she had recorded two videos on her phone the night George Torres Jr. died [00:02:06]. These videos, which ultimately served as crucial evidence, contradicted her claims of an accidental death [00:02:03].
The first video, timestamped at 11:12 PM, shows Sarah laughing at George while he is zipped inside the suitcase [00:02:10]. In this video, George is not laughing; he is audibly asking to be let out and repeatedly states that he cannot breathe [00:02:16]. The second video, recorded 11 minutes later, depicts the same situation, but the suitcase has been flipped over and moved to a different area of the apartment [00:02:21].
Sarah’s Intoxication
In both videos, Sarah Boone is described as “unmistakably and heavily intoxicated” [00:02:30]. This state of intoxication may explain why she did not delete the incriminating videos from her phone [00:02:33].
Interrogation and Video Reveal
During the police interrogation, Sarah initially maintained her story, stating that she and George were having a good time, drinking a bottle of wine, doing a puzzle, and decided to play hide-and-seek [00:03:26]. She claimed George willingly got into the suitcase, and she zipped it up jokingly before falling asleep [00:05:20].
The interrogator then introduced the discovered video evidence, showing Sarah a picture and then playing the videos [00:17:38]. Sarah’s demeanor immediately changed. Upon seeing the videos, she claimed she did not remember them [00:18:12]. When a video of George saying “I can’t breathe” played, she responded, “I don’t want to watch that please” [00:19:34].
Explanations and Contradictions
As the video continued, showing George in the suitcase, Sarah admitted she flipped the suitcase over [00:20:08]. Despite the evidence, she insisted her intention was not to leave him in there or for him to die [00:21:24]. She attempted to explain George’s pleas by stating, “that’s how we are with each other” [00:23:37].
When confronted about why she didn’t let him out when he begged to, Sarah struggled to respond, initially saying, “I had no idea it was going to end like that” [00:25:59]. She later claimed, “I’m blaming it on the wine” [00:28:46], and that the interaction was “fooling around and being stupid” [00:28:08]. She also claimed she would “never drink alcohol again” [00:26:55].
Sarah denied intentionally causing George’s death, despite being shown videos of her screaming expletives at him and flipping the bag [00:30:30]. She also made references to previous domestic violence incidents where George had choked her, stating the video was him feeling “what it feels like when you’re choking me” [00:30:34].
Charges and Legal Proceedings
The overwhelming video evidence, combined with her inconsistent statements, led to Sarah Boone’s arrest [00:35:01]. She was taken to Orange County Jail and charged with second-degree murder, held without bond [00:36:05]. As of the transcript’s recording, she has been in jail since late February 2020 and is working with her seventh attorney, with previous attorneys citing “irreconcilable differences” [00:36:21]. These legal proceedings continue to unfold.