OCALA, Fla. — It has been exactly one week since the shooting death of a Black woman and mother of four after an ongoing feud ended with gunshots.
In the days to follow, Susan Louise Lorincz, 58, of Ocala (about 70 miles northwest of Orlando) has been arrested and granted bond that would allow her to be released from jail. She is charged with manslaughter and other crimes for the death of 34-year-old Ajike "AJ" Owens, who was shot through Lorincz's front door.
This timeline reflects the details in order of how information was revealed by officials.
Timeline
Friday, June 9, 2023
A judge granted a $154,000 bond for Lorincz in the fatal shooting of her neighbor following a yearslong feud.
A condition of her bond ordered by Circuit Court Judge Robert Hodges is for Lorincz to wear an ankle monitor and to stay away from the family of Owens.
A family member of Owens said they will continue to push for the woman to face a more serious charge of second-degree murder.
An arrest report released by the Marion County Sheriff's Office said Lorincz told deputies she had a headache the day of the shooting and children were outside running and yelling near her apartment and also playing basketball. That's when Lorincz threw a pair of roller skates at them, hitting one of them on their feet, records say.
Thursday, June 8, 2023
Susan Louise Lorincz, 58, was charged with manslaughter with a firearm, culpable negligence, battery and two counts of assault in the death of Ajike Owens, Sheriff Billy Woods said in a statement. Lorincz pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In a video posted on Facebook late Tuesday night, the sheriff said this was not a stand-your-ground case but "simply a killing."
Lorincz did not attend the first court hearing on Wednesday, since she was undergoing medical testing, the sheriff's office also added.
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Lorincz was taken into custody, however, charges were not yet announced.
The family of Owens joined civil rights attorney Ben Crump Wednesday afternoon at New St. John Missionary Baptist Church in thanking the sheriff for making the arrest. Owens' friends and community leaders were also present.
Pamela Dias, the mother of Owens, said her two grandsons who are 12 and 9 years old are dealing with feelings of guilt because they were there when their mother was shot.
Lorincz told investigators she had ongoing problems with children in the neighborhood disrespecting her, including Owens' kids.
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
Dozens of protesters joined together outside the Marion County Judicial Center demanding the arrest of the Lorincz.
While protesters called for justice outside, the chief prosecutor, State Attorney William Gladson, met with them and begged for patience while the investigation continues.
Now four days after the deadly shooting, a stuffed teddy bear and bouquets marked the area where Owens was shot. Protesters outside the home chanted, "No justice, no peace" and "A.J. A.J. A.J." They also carried signs that said, "Say her name Ajike Owens" and "It's about us."
A neighbor who lived across the street from Lorincz told authorities the woman was "angry all the time." Lauren Smith, 40, said there wasn't an altercation and Owens did not have a weapon.
"She was angry all the time that the children were playing out there," Smith said. "She would say nasty things to them. Just nasty." Smith, who is white, described the neighborhood as family-friendly.
Smith said she heard Owens' son yell, "They shot my mama, they shot my mama," before she ran over to the woman and performed chest compressions until first responders arrived.
Monday, June 5, 2023
During a news conference Monday, the sheriff revealed the shooting was a culmination of what authorities said was a 2 1/2-year feud.
Prior to the shooting, Woods said Owens' children had been playing in a field near the shooter's apartment. It was when Owens confronted the woman at her apartment that an argument ensued and the woman shot Owens through the front door, according to deputies.
Since January 2021, Woods said Marion County deputies have responded to the complex at least six times in connection with the feuding between Owens and the Lorincz.
As of Monday, the woman had not been arrested or identified as the shooter. This was largely due to Florida's "stand your ground" law. Woods said detectives were working with the State Attorney's Office and had to investigate the possibility of self-defense claims before moving forward with criminal charges.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said in a statement that the shooter had been yelling racial slurs at the kids before the confrontation between Owens and Lorincz took place. The Marion County Sheriff's Office has not confirmed whether racial slurs were yelled out or not.
Friday, June 2, 2023
Owens was fatally shot Friday, June 2, after going to the Ocala apartment of her neighbor, Lorincz, who yelled at her children that were playing nearby earlier in the day, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said in a news conference this week. Her 9-year-old son stood next to her as the shooting occurred.
Deputies responded to a trespassing call at the apartment Friday night and found Owens suffering from gunshot wounds. She was taken to a nearby hospital where she later died.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.