Ajike Owens’ Killer, Susan Lorincz, Wants To Sue Owens’ Children For Slander, Libel And Defamation

If there is one thing the tragic killing of Ajike “AJ” Owens, a Black mother of four from Ocala, Florida, has taught us — especially since the release of Netflix’s documentary film The Perfect Neighbor — it’s that Owens’ killer, Susan Lorincz, deserves every last millisecond of the 25-year prison sentence she has received.

The woman doesn’t appear to be sorry for what she’s done for any reason other than the consequences she’s paying, as evidenced by her now wanting to sue Owens’ children.

Newsweek reported that Lorincz, who was convicted of manslaughter after shooting Owens through a closed and deadbolted door,  wishes to sue the victim’s children for slander, libel, and defamation of character, according to a counterclaim filed in response to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias. The suit was filed in June against Lorincz and the man who owned and operated the quadplex where the now 61-year-old resided, and it seeks damages in excess of $50,000 on behalf of Owens’ estate.  

Actually, Lorincz’s counter suit also names the quadplex owner as a defendant.

From Newsweek:

Lorincz said in a response filed in September that she wants to countersue Dias, three of Owens’ children and the man who owned and operated the quadplex where Lorincz resided for damages that exceed $50,000. She has yet to formally file a countersuit, according to court records. 

Lorincz said Owens and her children were trespassing despite multiple “No Trespassing” signs on the property. Lorincz also alleged that Owens did “scream, threaten to beat me multiple times while trespassing.” 

An attorney for Owens’ estate said sheriff’s deputies concluded that there was no evidence to support Lorincz’s claims. 

Lorincz said she did not file erroneous allegations at any time. She alleged that Owens’ children had lied to her and stated that Lorincz had hit Israel Owens with a roller skate. She said Israel recanted that statement while speaking to prosecutors. 

“Ms. Owens did not knock politely and speak reasonably on June 2, 2023. She pounded and screamed profanities like a lunatic,” Lorincz claimed in her filing.

OK — Owens didn’t shoot through a locked door and kill a mother right in front of her son, though.

For the record, the ages of Owens’ children, at the time of the shooting, ranged from 3 to 12, meaning the oldest child named in Lorinzc’s filing couldn’t be older than 15 today — and these are young children who just lost their mother two years ago. Lorinzc is still singing the same tune she’s been singing since the night of the shooting, one that makes her out to be the true victim, and everyone else involved, including the woman she shot and killed, to be the victimizers.

This case wasn’t about whether or not she threw roller skates at a child, or the manner in which Owens approached her door in response; it’s about her actions and the devastation she caused.

The documentary, which consisted almost entirely of police bodycam footage and video of officers interrogating Lorincz, shows exactly what was reported about the case at the time: that she, according to the arrest report, stated that she told deputies she purchased two handguns after a previous confrontation with Owens, and that she admitted to “possibly” researching stand your ground and self-defense laws before the shooting, as if she was planning to kill someone in “self-defense.”

Reports at the time also showed, as did the documentary, that several residents in the neighborhood reported that Lorincz feuded with virtually all of the children in the area, as well as their parents, which, for me, is what made it so infuriating that Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods repeatedly characterized the shooting as the tragic result of an ongoing “feud” between Owens and Lorincz, saying he wishes they both made better choices.

This was not a “both sides” situation. Framing it that way only serves the purpose of shielding a white woman with the perception of innocence and docility that white women have historically benefited from. It’s that energy that likely had Lorincz thinking she would get away with Owens’ killing in the first place.

According to court records, a deposition of Dias is scheduled for Jan. 21. Lorincz has not yet officially filed a counterclaim.

SEE ALSO:

Ajike ‘AJ’ Owens’ Mother Reacts To Netflix Doc Detailing Daughter’s Murder, And It’s Heartbreaking

AJ Owens Shooting: Behind ‘The Perfect Neighbor’ Doc And What It Reveals