Over one year after killing her neighbor, a Black single mother of four, a white woman in Florida was given a 25-year prison sentence on Monday, November 25.

A jury convicted 60-year-old Ocala resident Susan Lorincz for the June 2, 2023, killing of her neighbor, Ajike “AJ” Owens, outside her home, according to The New York Times. The incident prompted national outrage over racism and gun violence, as Owens reportedly went to Lorincz’s home to be confronted about the woman’s behavior towards her children, who were playing outside Lorincz’s residence. In response, Lorincz fatally shot from inside her home, the bullet traveling through the woman’s locked front door and into Owens’ chest. Owens was 35.

Lorincz claimed to an all-white jury that she was acting in self-defense against Owens, who didn’t have a weapon on her at the time of the murder. During an afternoon hearing, Circuit Judge Robert Hodges called the shooting “totally unnecessary,” expressing that Lorincz had sufficient time to contact authorities and there was no genuine threat that Owens would try to enter her home. “The shooting, I find, was based more in anger than in fear,” Judge Hodges continued.

According to state sentence recommendations, Lorincz was called to be imprisoned for 11.5 to 30 years, with the state and Owens’ family requesting the maximum penalty on Monday. During a week-long trial in August, the defense attempted to prove that Lorincz killed Owens because she was afraid for her life, an excuse that the jury disbelieved during their half-hour deliberation. 

Although being found guilty of manslaughter, Lorincz sought support from Florida’s ‘Stand Your Ground’ law, which permits the use of lethal force in public without an individual being required to recoil if they believe their life is in danger. The law was used in the self-defense portion of the Trayvon Martin case, resulting in the 2013 acquittal of his killer, George Zimmerman.

“Ajike was a beloved mother, daughter, and friend whose life was tragically cut short,” Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias, said in a statement. “As we approach this sentencing, we are hopeful the court will respect the jury's decision and impose a sentence that reflects the gravity of this crime. While no outcome can bring back our Ajike, we are grateful for the continued support that has fortified us in our search for justice.”