Florida woman shows no emotion as she is found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for shooting neighbor through front door

A Florida woman faces up to 30 years behind bars after being convicted of fatally shooting her neighbor over an ongoing issue over children playing in the yard.

An all-white jury in Ocala, Florida, found 60-year-old white defendant Susan Lorincz guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the June 2023 death of her black neighbor, Ajike “AJ” Owens.

A Florida jury has found a 60-year-old white woman guilty of involuntary manslaughter with a firearm for fatally shooting an unarmed black mother during an ongoing dispute over children playing near her home. pic.twitter.com/7NnmMlCcTE

— Sunflowers (@mia_mikela) August 17, 2024

Lorincz claimed that Owens' four children had been harassing her and she was “angry” that they had been playing outside between the two houses. The jury was told how Lorincz struck Owens, 35, through his locked door when he fired his .380-caliber handgun. Although defense attorneys argued it was self-defense because Owens had come knocking on her door, prosecutor Rich Buxman told jurors the evidence showed Lorincz “wasn't afraid, she was angry” when she pulled the trigger .

“It's not a crime to knock on someone's door. It's not a crime to yell,” he said during closing arguments. “There was no imminent danger when he fired that weapon.”

Fla. mother of four shot by neighbor after alleged altercation over children playing https://t.co/0S0CcZxe6Q road @americanwire_

— Bo Snerdley (@BoSnerdley) June 7, 2023

“The defendant's choices have left four young children without their mother, a loss that will be felt for the rest of their lives,” State's Attorney William Gladson said in a statement after the sentencing. “While today's verdict cannot bring AJ back, we hope it brings some justice and peace to his family and friends.”

Lorincz was escorted away by deputies after the verdict was read, and the victim's family members could be heard crying in the courtroom.

“Family members of the victim broke down in tears after Lorincz left the courtroom with deputies. He showed no reaction or emotion when the verdict was announced,” CBS News reported.

“Circuit Judge Robert W. Hodges did not immediately set a sentencing date, but ordered a background report on Lorincz,” the outlet added.

“It's a good step in the right direction,” said Anthony Thomas, an attorney for the Owens family. “The jury has done its job today. Now it's up to Judge Hodges to do his job by giving the best sentence he can, which is the maximum sentence.”

“We got some justice for Ajike. My heart is a little lighter,” Owens' mother Pamela Dias told reporters. “This has been a long journey to get to this stage, to reach this verdict. I find some peace with this verdict.”

Senior Staff Writer
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida, where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.

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