OCALA, Fla. – A woman accused of shooting and killing a mother in front of her kids last week appeared before a judge Thursday.
Susan Louise Lorincz, 58, who is white, was charged with manslaughter with a firearm, culpable negligence, battery and two counts of assault in the death of Ajike Owens, a Black mother of four, Sheriff Billy Woods said in a statement.
Click video player above to watch first appearance
Sheriff Woods said Owens, 35, was shot on Friday moments after going to Lorincz’s apartment, who had yelled at Owens’ children as they played in a nearby lot.
According to the report, Lorincz admitted to detectives that she called the children “the n-word.” One child told deputies that the night of the shooting, Lorincz “came out of her house and gave the children the middle finger” and also said this: “Get away from my house, you Black slave,” according to the report.
In a statement to investigators after the shooting of Owens, Lorincz was quoted as saying she had problems for two years with children in the neighborhood not “respecting” her — including the victim’s children, who range in age from 3 to 12 years old.
According to the sheriff’s report, Lorincz had previously placed “No trespassing” signs in the grassy areas, despite those being shared areas and not part of her rental. Lorincz said in court she doesn’t own the property.
“Lorincz advised that the children of (Owens) have told her in the past they would kill her,” the report said.
The day of the shooting, Lorincz told investigators she had a headache and that “neighbors were outside screaming and yelling, kids were running around” in a grassy area separating two apartment quadruplex buildings, including hers.
That night, while a few children were playing basketball, Lorincz came outside to throw a pair of roller skates at them, hitting one on the feet, according to the report. When Owens then knocked on her door, Lorinz claims that Owens threatened to kill her.
On Thursday, Prosecutors told the judge they planned to file a pre-trial detention motion in the case. Another hearing was set for July 11. Lorincz is being held on no-bond and is represented by a public defender.