White Florida woman who fatally shot Black neighbor through door sentenced to 25 years

A white Florida woman who fatally shot a Black neighbor through a closed door was sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison.

In August, a jury found Susan Lorincz guilty of manslaughter with a weapon in the shooting death of Ajike "AJ" Shantrell Owens.

Owens had gone to Lorincz's home to confront her about her behavior toward Owens' children. Lorincz fired the shot from inside her home; it went through the locked front door and struck Owens in the chest.

Owens' family had asked the judge to impose the maximum sentence of 30 years. Guidelines had called for a prison term of between 11.5 years and 30 years. "We believe that standing on the right side of history requires holding those who commit racial violence fully accountable for their actions," the family said earlier this month.

The defense had asked the judge for a sentence below the minimum. In a legal filing, the defense said such a "downward departure" is appropriate because Lorincz "requires specialized treatment for a mental disorder that is unrelated to substance abuse or addiction, or for a physical disability" and is "amenable to treatment."

The defense also argued that "(The) victim was an initiator, willing participant, aggressor, or provoker of the incident" and that Lorincz "acted under extreme duress or under the domination of another person."

During the sentencing hearing Monday, Lorincz told the court she was scared of Owens that night. She denied using racial slurs.

Owens' mother, Pamela Dias, said in emotional testimony that she is consumed by grief and "a mere shell of the person I once was."

"Our pain and suffering will last a lifetime," she said.

Background of the case in death of AJ Owens

Owens was shot once in the right side of her chest with a .380-caliber handgun while standing outside Lorincz's locked front door the night of June 2, 2023. The victim leaves behind four children, ages 4 to 13.

Owens was knocking on the front door, hoping to speak with Lorincz, 60.

Lorincz earlier had scolded Owens' children for making too much noise and playing in what Lorincz described as an unauthorized area of their neighborhood.

Lorincz has been accused of using racial slurs when addressing the children, but she has denied the accusation.

Lorincz said she was acting in self-defense. She was not arrested immediately after the shooting. The Marion County Sheriff's Office investigated, and then took her into custody on June 7.

Those supporting the victim's family wanted prosecutors to charge Lorincz with second-degree murder. There were rallies and protests after the shooting, demanding prosecutors upgrade the charge.

But the State Attorney's Office said manslaughter was the appropriate charge. Several other charges, including battery, ultimately were not pursued by the state.