A white Florida woman has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for manslaughter after she fatally shot her black neighbor during a long-running dispute.
Susan Lorincz, 60, was convicted in August of killing 35-year-old Ajik “AJ” Owens after a confrontation outside Lorincz’s Ocala home in June 2023 . The two women got into an argument over Owens’ children playing near the Lorinz home.
The feud between neighbors has been going on for some time. Owens was banging on Lorinz’s door when she fired a shot into the door, according to testimony.
Lorinz claimed she acted in self-defense and said she feared for her life and had been harassed by Owens for years. However, the jury did not accept this argument.
Although Lorinz faced up to 30 years in prison, Circuit Judge Robert Hodges gave her a slightly reduced sentence, taking into account her troubled childhood and mental health issues. “In this case the shooting was completely unnecessary,” Judge Hodges said. “I find that the shooting was motivated more by anger than by fear.”
In a statement to the court, Lorinz expressed regret for the tragedy, saying: “I wish I could go back and change things so she would still be here. I never intended to kill anyone.”
Owens’ family, who fought for the maximum sentence for Lorinz, shared their grief over the loss with Owens’ mother, Pamela Diaz, who said: “We carry pain that will never go away. “
Lorinz’s attorneys argued for a lenient sentence, citing her mental health condition and claiming Owens was the abuser. However, the judge highlighted the lasting impact this would have on Owens’ children, who will grow up without their mother.
