On Friday, Susan Lorincz, a 60-year-old white woman from Florida, was convicted of manslaughter by an all-white jury in connection to the fatal shooting of her black neighbor, Ajike “AJ” Owens. The verdict comes after two and a half hours of deliberation regarding the events that took place on June 2, 2023.
Owens’ family members began sobbing in the courtroom gallery as Lorincz was escorted out by deputies following the announcement of her conviction. State Attorney William Gladson addressed the impact of Owens’ death, stating, “The defendant’s choices have left four young children without their mother, a loss that will be felt for the rest of their lives.
Throughout the trial, the jury was presented with evidence indicating that Lorincz fired her .380-caliber handgun through her door, striking Owens due to her frustration with the victim’s children playing in a grassy area near their homes. Prosecutors claimed Lorincz had been complaining about the children for nearly the entire three years she lived there.
In defense of Lorincz, her attorneys argued that she fired her weapon out of self-defense after Owens, who was significantly larger and younger than Lorincz at 290 pounds and 35 years old, allegedly began banging on her door aggressively. Lorincz’s legal team maintained that her actions were justified under Florida’s “stand your ground” law, which permits the use of deadly force in cases of self-defense.
The feud between Owens and Lorincz had been ongoing for some time prior to the fatal shooting. In one 911 call, Lorincz expressed her frustration with the children’s behavior, saying, “I’m just sick of these children.” Prosecutor Rich Buxman argued that this evidence showed Lorincz was not in fear but instead acted out of anger when she shot Owens.
Although Lorincz did not testify at trial, a recording of her taped police interview played for the jury. In it, she claimed she never intended to hurt Owens. The case gained controversy last year when it took law enforcement officers two weeks to charge Lorincz and when she was eventually charged, it was with the lesser count of manslaughter rather than second-degree murder — a charge that could have resulted in life imprisonment.
Lorincz now faces up to 30 years behind bars for her conviction. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
