White Florida woman sentenced to 25 years in prison for shooting Black neighbor in lengthy dispute

After killing her Black neighbor following a protracted argument, a white lady from Florida was found guilty of manslaughter and given a 25-year prison sentence. Susan Lorincz, 60, was found guilty in August of killing Ajike “A.J.” Owens, 35, in June 2023 after a fight outside of Lorincz’s Ocala home. The two ladies got into a fight because Owens’ kids were playing close to Lorincz’s house. The neighbors had been at odds with one another for a while.

Lorincz denied throwing objects at her children, but Owens, a mother of four, had gone to her house to confront her about it. Testimony states that Lorincz fired a single shot through Lorincz’s door while she was beating on it. Lorincz stated that she had been tormented by Owens for years and that she acted in self-defense because she feared for her life. The jury, however, rejected this assertion.

Circuit Judge Robert Hodges gave Lorincz a slightly reduced sentence, considering her difficult childhood and mental health conditions, even though she was facing a maximum penalty of 30 years in jail. Judge Hodges declared, “The shooting was completely unnecessary in this case.” “The shooting, I find, was based more in anger than in fear.”
Lorincz apologized for the tragedy in a statement to the court, saying, “I wish I could go back and change things so she was still here.” I had no intention of killing anyone.

Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias, expressed her sorrow over the loss, saying, “We’re hurting with a pain that will never, never go away.” Owens’ family lobbied for Lorincz to receive the maximum penalty. Citing her mental state and asserting that Owens was the aggressor, Lorincz’s attorney advocated for a lower sentence. The judge did, however, highlight the long-term effects on Owens’ children, who would soon be without their mother.

Our committed staff of seasoned journalists and enthusiastic writers at TOI World Desk works diligently to sort through the enormous tapestry of world events in order to provide you with the most recent information and a range of viewpoints every single day. By providing our readers with a nuanced perspective of international politics, we aim to keep you informed about the constantly changing globe with an unrelenting commitment to accuracy, depth, and timeliness. Come along with us as we travel across nations to discover the tales that have shaped our globalized society.