Shivangi Sinha
In June 2023, police arrested Susan Lorincz at her home in Ocala, Florida, and a few days later, she was formally charged with manslaughter. She had shot her neighbor, Ajike Owens, through the front door of her house, claiming that she acted in self-defense. Over several months, Susan had lodged numerous complaints about the neighborhood children, stating that tensions had escalated on the day of the incident. Netflix’s ‘The Perfect Neighbor’ explores the case in detail and examines why Susan’s self-defense argument ultimately did not hold up in court.
Susan Lorincz Called 911 Herself After Shooting Ajike Owens
Susan Louise Lorincz had lived in Marion County, Florida, for many years. She moved to the Quail Run neighborhood in Ocala around 2020, where her presence reportedly created tension. Records indicate that she previously worked in the insurance sector with United Healthcare, but after leaving her job, she applied for disability benefits. Beginning in 2021, she made multiple 911 calls complaining about neighborhood children playing loudly and disturbing her. She claimed they frequently trespassed on her property and allegedly shouted at them, with some reports alleging she used racial slurs toward certain children.
At 8:53 pm on June 2, 2023, Susan called 911, reporting that some neighborhood children had allegedly trespassed onto her property and that she felt threatened and stressed. She was assured that assistance was on the way. Just two minutes later, at 9:01 pm, she placed a second call, stating that she had fired a gun through her door. Susan claimed that a woman, the mother of the children who had been playing outside, had threatened her, made her feel unsafe, and that she fired the shot impulsively. When police arrived, they discovered that the person shot was Ajike Owens, a mother of four who lived in the neighborhood.
The police detained Susan and took her to the station, where she claimed that the situation had escalated. She said that due to a history of alleged abuse, she feared for her life and had fired the shot. She stated that she had previously warned the children not to play on her property and had even broken one of the children’s tablets. According to her, Ajike’s son said he would call his mother, and Susan told him to go ahead. She said she had locked herself inside her home, but Ajike allegedly banged on the door repeatedly and threatened to kill her, which led Susan to fire the gun. No charges were filed that day, though a different narrative soon came to light.
Susan Lorincz Had Allegedly Thrown Roller Skates at the Kids Before the Shooting
According to court records and statements from neighbors, Ajike Owens’ children had been playing on Susan Lorincz’s property when she came out and shouted at them, an incident similar to previous disputes. Reports indicate that she picked up a pair of roller skates and threw them at the children, allegedly injuring one child’s foot, and then swung an umbrella at them. The children then went to call Ajike, who then reportedly knocked on the door, and neighbors heard a gunshot shortly afterwards. Given that only a few minutes had passed between Susan reporting the disturbance and firing the shot, the police did not accept her claim of self-defense. On June 7, she was charged with manslaughter with a firearm, culpable negligence, battery, and two counts of assault.’
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Susan Lorincz is Behind Bars in a Florida Prison Today
At Susan’s trial in August 2024, there was extensive discussion about Florida’s stand-your-ground laws. Earlier, Susan had been asked whether she had researched the laws before firing the shot, and she denied it. However, she later admitted that she had read about the laws on Facebook after the incident. Prosecutors argued that she had acted deliberately and with full awareness of her actions. Susan’s sister also testified, claiming that both of them had allegedly endured abuse and that their families allegedly had a history of mental health issues and addiction.
A defense expert contended that Susan suffered from PTSD and, under high-stress circumstances, had not fully engaged her faculties when she fired the shot. The jury rejected Susan’s claim of self-defense and found her guilty on all charges. In November 2024, she was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Speaking in court for the first time that day, she expressed that she had never intended to take Ajike Owens’ life and wished she could undo her actions. Susan, now 61, is incarcerated at the Homestead Correctional Institution FDC in Homestead, Florida. Her projected release date is 2048, leaving her with many years ahead in prison.
