A Marion County woman convicted of fatally shooting her neighbor now says she plans to countersue the victim’s family after they filed a wrongful death lawsuit against her, according to new court filings.
According to Fox 13, Susan Lorincz, who is serving a 25-year prison sentence for the 2023 killing of her neighbor Ajike “A.J.” Owens in Ocala, wrote a letter declaring her intent to sue Owens’ mother and children for “slander, libel and defamation of character.”
“Ajike and her children were tresspassing (sic),” Lorincz wrote, claiming there were multiple “no tresspassing (sic) signs” posted on her property. She also alleged that Owens’ children made up stories in their depositions and accused them of playing “Ding Dong Ditch,” knocking on her door and running away.
Lorincz’s letter was filed in response to a wrongful death lawsuit from Owens’ family earlier this year. The convicted shooter has also filed an appeal seeking to overturn her conviction.
Deputies with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office responded to Lorincz’s home around 9 p.m. on June 2, 2023, after a report of trespassing. When they arrived, they found Owens suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. She was taken to a hospital, where she later died.
Investigators determined Lorincz fired a single shot through her closed front door, striking Owens. The confrontation reportedly stemmed from an earlier dispute in which Lorincz allegedly threw roller skates at neighborhood children.
Lorincz told deputies she feared for her life, claiming Owens was banging on her door and yelling.
The high-profile case recently gained renewed attention after being featured in the Netflix documentary “The Perfect Neighbor.”
