Florida Woman Convicted of Firing Through Front Door and Killing Black Neighbor Claims Victim Was the Aggressor, Wants Judge to Give Her a Lighter Sentence Than Minimum 11 Years

A Florida woman convicted of fatally shooting her Black neighbor through her front door last year has filed a motion seeking a light sentence, claiming she opened fire under extreme duress and that the victim was the aggressor in the incident. Susan Louise Lorincz, 60, was convicted in August of manslaughter by use of a firearm in the death of her neighbor, 35-year-old Ajike “A.J.” Owens on June 2, 2023. Susan Lorincz, 58, was arrested and charged in connection with the shooting death of 35-year-old Ajike Owens. Lorincz shot Owens after Owens came to her apartment to confront her about an argument Lorincz had with Owens’ children where Lorincz allegedly called them racial slurs. (Left photo: Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Right photo: Owens’ family photo) Police said Owens had done nothing more than knock on Lorincz’s door when a single bullet struck her from inside, leaving the mother of four mortally wounded on the front porch. Following the verdict, the public defender, Amanda Sizemore, filed a motion asking Fifth Judicial Circuit Judge Robert W. Hodges to consider a downward departure from the minimum sentence of 11½ years, arguing that Lorincz was under significant stress at the time, and that the...