A Florida woman recently convicted of manslaughter is set to learn her fate in court after shooting a Black neighbor through her front door during a dispute over noisy children. Susan Lorincz, aged 60, was found guilty in August of fatally shooting 35-year-old Ajike “A.J.” Owens with a single shot from her .380-caliber handgun back in June 2023. Lorincz could face up to 30 years in prison due to the use of a firearm in the incident.
The shooting stemmed from ongoing tensions between the two neighbors regarding the behavior of Owens’ children playing in a shared grassy area near their homes in Ocala, situated approximately 80 miles (130 kilometers) northwest of Orlando. Prosecutors reported that Owens went to Lorincz’s residence after her children said Lorincz had hurled roller skates and an umbrella at them, allegations that Lorincz disputed. Witnesses during the trial indicated that Owens, a mother of four, was pounding on Lorincz’s door and shouting, which compelled Lorincz to claim she acted in self-defense when she shot her neighbor.
In a recorded interview with detectives, Lorincz expressed fear for her safety and described a three-year history of feeling harassed in the neighborhood. “I thought I was in imminent danger,” she stated.
However, the jury rejected her assertion of self-defense. Following the conviction, Owens’ family has advocated for the maximum possible prison sentence for Lorincz, represented by an all-white jury. “While the pain of losing Ajike, we are hopeful that justice will prevail and that the court will give Susan Lorincz the maximum penalty for her actions,” Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias, stated in an email before the sentencing. She added that Ajike’s memory would endure through her children, and they will continue pursuing justice.
On the other hand, Lorincz’s defense attorney, Assistant Public Defender Amanda Sizemore, is advocating for a lighter sentence, proposing a duration less than the minimum of 11.5 years under state guidelines for her crime. Sizemore cited various factors for considering a reduced sentence, including a documented mental disorder and claims that Owens was the initial aggressor, facing “extreme duress” during their interaction.
The Black community in Ocala expressed outrage when it took several weeks for prosecutors to charge Lorincz with manslaughter, which is a lesser charge compared to second-degree murder that carries the potential for life imprisonment. According to census data, the Black population of Marion County, where Ocala is located, is only about 12%.