An Ocala woman who is accused of fatally shooting her neighbor through a front door pleaded not guilty on Tuesday.
Susan Louise Lorincz, 58, was arrested on June 7 in connection with the shooting death of her neighbor, 35-year-old Ajike “AJ” Owens.
On June 2, at approximately 9 p.m., Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the 1600 block of SW 107th Lane in Ocala. Upon arrival, deputies located Owens in front of Lorincz’s apartment.
Owens had sustained a gunshot wound, and deputies rendered aid until Marion County Fire Rescue arrived on scene. Owens was then transported to HCA Florida Ocala Hospital where she succumbed to her fatal injuries.
During an investigation into the fatal shooting, MCSO Major Crimes detectives interviewed multiple witnesses, including the victim’s children. In addition, detectives gathered forensic evidence, digital evidence, and surveillance footage that was obtained from various sources, and they also reviewed the details of “six to eight” prior incidents and calls for service involving both Lorincz and the victim.
According to MCSO, the evidence that was gathered during the investigation showed that Lorincz had become angry at the victim’s children over a period of time because they were playing in a field close to her home.
Shortly before the fatal shooting occurred, Lorincz engaged in an argument with the victim’s children, and a neighbor overheard Lorincz “yelling at them.” During this argument, MCSO stated that Lorincz threw a roller skate at the victim’s 9-year-old son, though it was later determined that the skate did not strike the child.
After this incident, the victim’s 9-year-old son and his 12-year-old brother both approached Lorincz’s apartment to speak with her. When Lorincz opened her front door, she swung at the children with an umbrella, according to MCSO.
The two children returned home and told the victim what had happened. The victim then approached Lorincz’s home, knocked on the front door multiple times, and demanded that Lorincz come outside. MCSO stated that Lorincz proceeded to fire one shot through the door, which struck the victim in her upper chest. At the time of the fatal shooting, the victim’s 9-year-old son was standing nearby.
During an interview with detectives, Lorincz claimed that she had acted in self-defense. She stated that the victim had been “trying to break down her door” prior to the gunshot being fired. She further claimed that the victim had “come after her” in the past and had previously attacked her, according to MCSO.
On June 26, State Attorney William Gladson announced that Lorincz has been charged with one count of manslaughter and one count of assault in connection with the fatal shooting, and she is facing up to 30 years in prison if convicted on both charges.
Prior to the filing of charges against Lorincz, Gladson stated that his office carefully examined the viability of second-degree murder and manslaughter with a firearm charges, both of which are first-degree felonies.
“In order to prove the crime of second-degree murder, the State must prove beyond and to the exclusion of every reasonable doubt, the existence of a depraved mind toward the victim at the time of the killing,” stated Gladson.
Gladson elaborated that “depraved mind” requires evidence of “hatred, spite, ill will or evil intent toward the victim at the time of the killing.” He added that there is “insufficient evidence (in this case) to prove this specific and required element of second-degree murder.”
Lorincz is currently being held at Marion County Jail on $154,000 bond. She is scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m. on November 1 for a pre-trial conference, and jury selection for her trial is set for 8:30 a.m. on November 13.