Sheriff Says Susan Lorincz Was No “Perfect Neighbor” After Doc Release

by

Not everyone in Susan Lorincz’s community saw her as a model citizen.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following the case of Ajike Owens closely, and the recent documentary, The Perfect Neighbor, is really sparking conversation. Sheriff Billy Woods, who led the investigation into AJ’s tragic death, actually gave the filmmakers a nod for their work, but he couldn’t help but point out the irony of the title given the circumstances. It’s a powerful reminder that things aren’t always as they seem, and appearances can be deceiving.

He told Ashleigh Banfield in an interview on NewsNation’s Banfield that aired October 22nd, “I think they handled things well.” He added, however, that [Lorincz] was “far from a perfect neighbor.”

The Netflix documentary examines the events that resulted in Lorincz, age 61, fatally shooting Owens, following several encounters with her and her four children. The film primarily uses existing footage – like police body camera recordings, doorbell cameras, and security camera footage – which, according to the filmmaker, adds to its authenticity.

With body cameras and video recordings, there’s no room for misrepresenting what happened. You’re able to see exactly what my deputies encounter day-to-day, in its most unfiltered form.

Some people have suggested that race might have been a motive, noting the different ethnicities of Lorincz and the Owens family. However, Woods stated that race played no role in the crime.

He acknowledged there’s a strong chance Lorincz held racist views, but firmly stated he doesn’t believe the actions were motivated by racism.

Phyllis Wills, a longtime neighbor, previously mentioned that Lorincz—who received a 25-year prison sentence for manslaughter in November 2024—had gotten into disputes with other families in the neighborhood, including hers.

I’ve lived in this neighborhood for a while now, and honestly, everyone has had problems with this woman when it comes to our kids. Just a few days after what happened, I told NBC News that it was a constant issue. Whenever our children even stepped onto the little bit of grass near her property, she’d yell awful things at them – I’m talking incredibly offensive language, including slurs and just hateful words. And it wasn’t just yelling; she would actually wave guns at them, which was terrifying for everyone.

For more on the chilling story documented in The Perfect Neighbor, read on…

Ajike Owens, 35, lived in Ocala, Florida, with her four children: Isaac, Israel, Africa, and Titus. When she passed away, her children ranged in age from 3 to 12 years old.

Ajike, my daughter, was a wonderful mother to her four children – full of life and always putting them first,” Pam Dias, Owens’ mother, shared with CNN in October 2025. “She did everything for them, from being a dedicated sports mom to working tirelessly to ensure they had a good future.

Owens worked as a manager at McDonald’s. As shown in the Netflix documentary The Perfect Neighbor, a neighbor shared that Owens made significant sacrifices, like paying for private school and extracurriculars such as dance and gymnastics, so other children could participate.

Susan Louise Lorincz lived across the street from Owens in Ocala.

In body camera footage from the documentary The Perfect Neighbor, the 61-year-old woman stated she worked from home and lived by herself.

I was deeply affected by the testimony Ellen Lorincz gave during her sister’s trial in 2024. She bravely shared that their family struggled with mental health for a long time, and revealed the heartbreaking truth that their father had been physically, emotionally, and sexually abusive to all of them. It was incredibly difficult to hear, but I believe it was important context for understanding everything.

Crystal Maksou, a friend, shared that Lorincz was a dedicated worker, but also a kind person who regularly sang at church and spent years cooking and baking for those around him.

Asked if Lorincz was “violent or aggressive,” Maksou’s answer was no. 

Maksou explained to the court that this behavior was completely unlike the woman he knew. He described her as someone who was always generous and said he had learned a lot about kindness from their friendship.

Following the death of Owens, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods stated in a press conference that his office had received between six and eight reports concerning interactions between the victim and Lorincz.

As detailed in the book The Perfect Neighbor, police officers encountered Owens during a visit to Lorincz’s home on Southwest 107th Lane, following an allegation that Owens had thrown a yard sign at Lorincz.

Owens explained to the deputies that Lorincz seemed to intentionally hit her with the sign, describing it as “basically like ramming the sign in my face.” When Lorincz went to retrieve it, Owens said she grabbed the sign and threw it, admitting, “I did toss it, I’m not gonna lie.”

Several neighbors told deputies that Owens didn’t throw the sign at Lorincz. One neighbor, according to video footage, stated that Lorincz frequently harasses children, often trying to record them and making rude comments.

Lorincz, a renter on the block like Owens, explained to a deputy that everyone has the right to peacefully enjoy their property, and that the children were disturbing that right by screaming and running around.

After Owens passed away, detectives questioned Lorincz about whether anyone might have video evidence of him using a racial slur.

She said she didn’t know anything about it, and if she had accidentally mentioned it, she apologized. She explained that it might have just slipped her mind.

On the night of June 2, 2023, Lorincz shot and killed Owens by firing one bullet through her front door, striking her in the chest. She was taken to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Earlier that night, Lorincz had called 911, reporting that some children were on her property, making noise, and that she felt unsafe.

Lorincz explained to the dispatcher that the other person’s mother would likely claim she was threatened, saying, ‘She’ll probably go outside, meet the officer, and say I threatened her children,’ but insisted that wasn’t the case.

According to body camera footage from the documentary The Perfect Neighbor, witnesses told deputies they heard Owens knocking on Lorincz’s door. One witness, a young boy, reported hearing a woman scream, “Why did you take my son’s tablet?”

Another boy told the deputies he saw roller skates flying toward Izzy, Owen’s son, and that Izzy had been holding a tablet which the woman then took. He said Lorincz then came outside with an umbrella and began swinging it while yelling at them. After that, Izzy told someone to ‘Go get Mom.’

Owens then headed across the street and, by all accounts, starting knocking on Lorincz’s door.

One witness told deputies, “Literally two knocks.”

Lorincz was arrested and taken into police custody. According to interview footage from the documentary The Perfect Neighbor, she told detectives on June 3rd that approximately ten minutes had passed between her 911 call and when Owens arrived at her home.

Lorincz said the woman began pounding so forcefully that everything shook. He told her she needed to leave, but she responded by threatening to kill him.

She said she was terrified the police wouldn’t come, and in a moment of panic, thought the other person was going to kill her. She doesn’t recall consciously deciding to pick up the gun, only remembering firing it.

 

According to interview footage, detectives told Lorincz that she called 911 again to report someone banging on her door just two minutes after her first, five-minute call ended at 8:59 p.m.

According to a detective, she arrived on the scene within two minutes and recounted the events: “You shot the gun, and then immediately got your phone and called for help.”

Lorincz stated that the event felt significantly longer to her. She also maintained she didn’t plan it beforehand, explaining she was extremely frightened at the time.

Left alone with a notepad and pen to potentially pass on a message to Owens’ children, Lorincz wrote a statement, which a detective read in court: “I am deeply sorry for your loss. I didn’t intend to kill your mother. I was afraid she was going to kill me, and I shot her because I was scared.”

She was arrested shortly after the incident and faces charges including manslaughter with a firearm, negligence, battery, and two counts of assault.

Lorincz entered a plea of not guilty, which brought attention to Florida’s “stand your ground” law. This law allows people to use deadly force if they genuinely believe it’s needed to protect themselves from immediate danger of death or serious injury.

Lorincz was found guilty of manslaughter on August 16, 2024, and on November 25, she received a 25-year prison sentence.

Judge Robert Hodges stated in court that the shooting was not justified. He explained that Ms. Lorincz was located behind a locked door at the time of the incident.

According to the Florida Department of Corrections, Lorincz is incarcerated at Homestead Correctional Institution in Florida City and is scheduled to be released on April 8, 2048.

Oh my god, hearing Lorincz speak… it just broke my heart. She kept saying how sorry she was for taking AJ’s life, but she swore she never meant to kill her. It was just…so much sadness in her voice. She kept going on about how AJ wasn’t just a person who died, but a mother, a daughter, a sister… and how much her family must be hurting. It was awful, just awful to think about. I can’t even imagine their pain, and hearing Lorincz acknowledge that… it was devastating.

She insists she genuinely feared for her life that night. In a September 2025 interview with WCJB while incarcerated, she explained, “I didn’t even see the shot fired. I was just completely terrified, shaking and crying. It was a horrible experience.”

Asked if she was capable of manslaughter, she said no.

Lorincz expressed deep distress about the situation, saying it was devastating and something they never imagined would occur. They added that they were heartbroken and wished they could have prevented it.

In court during the sentencing, Lorincz’s mother, Dias Owens, shared her grief, saying she was heartbroken not just by her daughter’s death, but by the loss of all the plans and dreams they had shared. She described struggling to accept the reality that her daughter was gone, buried and no longer breathing.

Acknowledging the many family events Owens would be absent from, Dias stated, “The grief and hardship we’ve experienced didn’t stop with Susan’s conviction for manslaughter, and it won’t end today with her sentencing. This pain will stay with us forever.”

Dias has been caring for her grandchildren since her daughter’s death.

The children have been through a lot – losing their mother at such a young age is something no child should experience,” Dias shared with CNN in October 2025. “But despite everything, they’ve demonstrated incredible strength and a remarkable ability to bounce back.

Dias explained that she could see the positive qualities her daughter had taught others. “Her compassion, affection, and beliefs live on in them, and they’ll always carry a part of her with them,”

Read More

2025-10-23 21:48