The murder trial of a Florida woman accused of locking her boyfriend in a suitcase, leading to his suffocation, is set to begin next week.
At a pre-trial hearing on Wednesday, 46-year-old Sarah Boone requested permission to have her hair and makeup professionally done during the trial, but the judge denied her request.
The trial will begin almost four years after the death of 42-year-old Jorge Torres, which reportedly occurred during a drunken game of hide-and-seek.
According to Boone, she and Torres agreed to have him zipped inside a blue suitcase, with Boone claiming she left two of his fingers sticking out.
However, she later found him unresponsive after unzipping the suitcase, stating she was “very confused, very hazy” from the drinking that night, as per police records.
Boone expressed shock over the number of people at the crime scene, adding she was concerned about her son and her dogs.
During Wednesday’s hearing, her attorney, James Owens, sought to suppress key evidence, including interrogation footage, arguing Boone was coerced into speaking with police and was not properly read her Miranda rights.
Owens also claimed Boone was suffering from battered spouse syndrome, citing Torres’ history of domestic violence, including a 2018 battery charge. The judge is expected to decide on the suppression of the interrogation video by the end of Thursday.
Boone’s trial is scheduled to begin on October 7. If convicted of second-degree murder, she could face life in prison.