On Monday, a white Florida lady was given a 25-year prison sentence for the “completely unnecessary” shooting that killed her Black neighbor through a barred door.
Susan Louise Lorincz, 60, caused “significant harm” to the victim and her family, according to Marion County Circuit Court Judge Robert Hodges.
According to the court, “I find that the shooting was completely unnecessary,” Ms. Lorincz was behind the door in this instance. The door was secured.
Residents claimed that Lorincz had a history of using racist epithets and bullying children. Three months ago, he was found guilty of manslaughter for the murder of Ajike AJ Owens last year.
She might have spent up to 30 years behind bars. Her defense attorney, however, informed the court that she had a mental illness and was under tremendous pressure during the fatal altercation, so she should receive less time than the required minimum of 11.5 years.
The court stated that he was unable to see how he could grant the defense’s request to release her on probation.
“She s a victim of child sex abuse was a significant mitigating factor, and she has no criminal record, which is also a significant factor,” the judge stated. “However, we also have a tremendous harm inflicted upon this family and the victim’s family.”
On June 2, 2023, in Ocala, some 70 miles north of Walt Disney World, Owens knocked on Lorincz’s door shortly after Lorincz had argued with the victim’s kids who were playing close by.
Owens, a mother of four, was standing on the opposite side of a locked door when Lorincz shot her once with a.380-caliber revolver, according to authorities.
According to the victim’s mother, Pamela Dias, the murder has affected every part of her life.
The court heard Dias’ statement, “I stand before you not only grieving the loss of my daughter, but also the loss of our hopes, dreams, and the future that we often spoke of.”
The thought of my daughter, my darling girl, laying six feet underground, breathless and lifeless, is still difficult for me to process and deal with.
When their mother was murdered, Owens’ four children ranged in age from three to twelve.
She will not be there for their first love, first breakup, engagement, marriage, children, prom, graduations, baptisms, or any other significant event that a parent and child share together, Dias stated.
Even after Susan was convicted guilty of manslaughter, our misery continued. Today’s sentencing won’t be the end of our misery. We shall always be in anguish and sorrow.
After only two and a half hours of deliberation, the all-white, six-member jury convicted Lorincz guilty of manslaughter.
Lorincz claimed she regrets firing the gun when appearing in court on Monday while wearing a yellow jail jumpsuit.
“I really apologize. She informed the judge, “I never meant to kill her.” “I’m just so depressed. I consider the loss of your family, as not only did a mother pass away, but also a daughter and a sister.
According to testimony from Lorincz’s pastor and two of her friends, the shooting was completely inconsistent with Lorincz’s personality. According to her sister’s testimony, their father horribly abused them both physically and sexually.
The psychologist for the defense team claimed Monday that Lorincz’s PTSD caused her to make a fatally poor decision when Owens knocked on her door.
Jenny Castillo, a psychologist, stated in court that she believes her life is in danger, which will significantly impede her ability to understand the criminality of her actions or to change her behavior.
She believes that Ms. Owens will take advantage of her and that the bolted, locked door will not hold. She talks of trembling. She talks of being overpowered by terror, and there isn’t any thought given at that time.
The Owens family protested that Lorincz wasn’t arrested right away following the incident.
According to Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods, his detectives required that time to thoroughly assess Lorincz’s assertion that she was reasonably afraid when she fired.
Although he supports Florida’s stand-your-ground statute, the sheriff stated that he felt it did not apply in this case.
In situations where there is a legitimate fear of impending death or serious bodily harm, Florida law permits the use of lethal force.
When the sheriff announced Lorincz’s arrest, he added, “This is a prime example of when it was not justified.” It was just a murder.
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