A white woman from Florida has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for manslaughter after she fatally shot her Black neighbor through her front door. The shooting occurred during an ongoing dispute over the neighbor’s noisy children.
Susan Lorincz, 60, was found guilty in August for the murder of Ajike “A.J.” Owens, 35. She used her .380-caliber handgun to fire a single shot, resulting in Owens’ death in June 2023. The maximum sentence for her crime was 30 years in prison. However, Circuit Judge Robert Hodges decided to impose a slightly reduced term, taking into consideration Lorincz’s history of childhood abuse and mental health issues.
“The shooting in this case was entirely unnecessary,” Hodges stated during an afternoon hearing. “I believe that the shooting was motivated by anger rather than fear.”
The shooting occurred as the result of an ongoing dispute between the two neighbors regarding Owens’ children playing in a grassy area near their homes in Ocala, which is approximately 80 miles (130 kilometers) northwest of Orlando.
During a recorded interview, Lorincz expressed her genuine fear for her life. She further revealed that she had endured relentless harassment throughout her three-year residency in the neighborhood. Nonetheless, the jurors, who carefully considered the evidence presented during the trial, did not perceive the shooting as an act of self-defense.
Lorincz expressed her remorse to the judge and extended her apologies to Owens’ family. She acknowledged feeling an overwhelming sense of fear towards Owens on the night of the incident.
Lorincz expressed deep remorse, saying, “I really wish I could turn back time and make things right so she would still be alive. I never had any intention of causing harm to anyone.”
Owens’ family advocated for the harshest prison sentence possible following Lorincz’s conviction by an all-white jury. Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias, expressed in court on Monday that she is now solely responsible for caring for her daughter’s four children, who have been profoundly affected by the tragedy.
“We are filled with an enduring pain that will never fade,” Dias expressed. “Our hearts bear a permanent void that can never be repaired. Susan has shattered our family.”
Lorincz’s lawyer, Assistant Public Defender Amanda Sizemore, appealed for a less severe punishment, a term below the minimum 11.5 years in prison recommended for her offense according to state guidelines. Sizemore argued in court documents that there were multiple factors warranting a reduced sentence, including a mental disorder and assertions that Owens was the instigator and acting under significant pressure during the altercation.
According to Hodges, Ms. Lorincz has caused a significant harm by depriving them of their mother for their entire lives.
Protests erupted within the Black community in Ocala as the prosecutors’ delay in charging Lorincz with manslaughter, a lesser offense compared to second-degree murder, caused outrage. Second-degree murder carries the possibility of a life sentence in prison. Census data reveals that Marion County, encompassing Ocala, has a Black population of approximately 12%.
