Susan Lorincz, a 60-year-old Florida woman, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for fatally shooting her Black neighbor, Ajike “AJ” Owens, a 35-year-old mother of four. The incident, which took place in June 2023, involved Lorincz firing a gun through her locked door, killing Owens during a dispute.
On Monday, November 25, at a sentencing hearing in Ocala, Florida, Judge Robert Hodges described the crime as “completely unnecessary.” He explained that Lorincz was in a secure position behind a locked door and had already called law enforcement, who were on their way. “She was in a relatively safe position,” the judge noted. Instead of waiting for the police, Lorincz retrieved a gun and chose to confront Owens through the door.
“There was no indication that she did not understand what she was doing, [or] that shooting a person was against the law,” the judge said, emphasizing the premeditated nature of Lorincz’s actions.
The confrontation began when neighborhood children, including Owens’ own kids, had a disagreement with Lorincz. According to the 911 call, Lorincz claimed she felt “threatened” and described the children as “yelling and being obnoxious.” During the dispute, Lorincz threw a roller skate, which escalated tensions. When Owens knocked on Lorincz’s door to confront her about the skates, Lorincz fired a shot, killing Owens in front of her 10-year-old son.
During the trial, Lorincz expressed regret, saying, “I am so sorry I took AJ’s life. I never intended to kill her.” However, the Owens family and many observers argued that her actions were deliberate and avoidable. Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias, spoke in court about the devastating impact of her daughter’s death, saying, “Our hopes, dreams, and the future we often spoke of died the night Susan Lorincz killed my daughter.”
Lorincz’s defense cited Florida’s Stand Your Ground law, which permits the use of deadly force if a person feels an imminent threat and is lawfully present. However, the court rejected this defense, as the evidence showed Lorincz was not in immediate danger and had other options to de-escalate the situation.
