Florida woman faces sentencing for fatally shooting neighbor Ajike Owens through a locked door

Susan Lorincz, the Florida woman found guilty of first-degree manslaughter with a firearm in August, will be sentenced Monday for shooting her neighbor, Ajike “AJ” Owens, through a locked door in an incident that occurred. on June 2, 2023 in Ocala.

She faces up to 30 years in prison.

Lorincz, who is white, shot Owens, a black mother of four, in the presence of her now 10-year-old son after Owens went to speak with Lorincz following a dispute over Owens’ children playing near Lorincz ‘ home, according to a June. 6, 2023, Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) statement.

After a jury found Lorincz guilty on Aug. 16, Judge Robert Hodges said Lorincz would be held in the Marion County Jail without bond pending her sentencing.

Ahead of Lorincz’s sentencing, Owens’ family shared a statement with ABC News on Wednesday, which they released through their attorney, urging the judge to sentence the Florida woman to “the maximum penalty under the law.”

Owens’ family said that while the guilty verdict was an “important step”, they are still seeking “justice”.

“While no sentence can ever restore the life taken from us, the court’s decision will send a strong message about the value of Ajike’s life and the importance of justice for victims of senseless violence,” the family said. “We hope that the presiding judge will respect the jury’s decision and hand down a sentence that reflects the seriousness of this crime.”

Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias, who previously told ABC News that the guilty verdict brings a “sense of peace” to the family, said in a statement Wednesday that Lorincz’s sentencing is an opportunity for the family to “find closure.”

“Although the pain of losing Ajike will never go away, we hope that justice will prevail and that the court will give Susan Lorincz the maximum punishment for her actions,” Dias said. “Ajike’s legacy will live on in her children and we will continue to fight for justice, love and peace in her name.”

A family spokesman told ABC News they plan to be in court on Monday to attend Lorincz’s sentencing.

Lorincz’s attorney Amanda Sizemore declined to comment in response to a request from ABC News.

Lorincz pleaded not guilty, and during the trial her defense team argued that she should be found not guilty because she acted in self-defense because she feared for her life. Meanwhile, prosecutors argued that Lorincz should be found guilty because she fatally shot an “armed” Owens through a “locked” door.