Manslaughter trial starts in shooting death of Florida neighbor

Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Jury selection began Monday in the manslaughter trial of a White woman in Florida accused of shooting through her closed front door and killing her Black neighbor in 2023.

Susan Lorincz, 60, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree manslaughter, battery, crimes against a person and two counts of simple assault in Ocala, which is is 80 miles north of Orlando. She is facing up to 30 years in prison if convicted, according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office.

Ajike Owens, 35, was shot on June 2, 2023, during an argument. She was a single mother with four children .

Anthony Thomas, the attorney representing the family of Owens, told ABC News in a statement that two of her children will be called by prosecutors to testify during the trial.

"This is an unimaginably painful experience for them, as they continue to grapple with the deep emotional wounds caused by losing their mother in such a violent way. And witnessing her murder. Izzy stood right beside her as that bullet penetrated his mother's body," Thomas said.

He added that Isaac, 13, and Izzy, 10, are "determined to testify" on their mother's behalf, "despite their grief."

"They do this out of profound love and respect for her, knowing that their voices are crucial in the pursuit of justice," Thomas said. "They understand the gravity of this moment and want to ensure that their mother's death is not in vain."

Owens' family has called on prosecutors to upgrade the manslaughter charge to second-degree murder. State Attorney William "Bill" Gladson said there was insufficient evidence to prove a murder charge in court.

At about 9 p.m., she allegedly shot Owens through a closed door in the presence of her now 10-year-old son after the mother went to speak with Lorincz about a dispute over Owens' children playing near her home.

During her interview with detectives, she said she was acting in self-defense when she shot Owens.

"She was saying 'I'm going to kill you,'" Lorincz claimed in the video.

"No one that we've interviewed so far has made any statements about her saying that she wanted to kill you," one of the detectives told Lorincz.

Body camera footage showed seven incidents between Feb. 25, 2022, and April 25, 2023, in which Lorincz called sheriff's deputies to complain about neighborhood children, including Owens' ones, playing near her home.

Lorincz told deputies she purchased two handguns but used to be afraid of guns.

Owens' mother, Pamela Dias, is seeking closure.

"The children have always been anxious and questioned whether Susan was still locked up, had she been released?" Dias told Central Florida Public Media. "So I think at this point they will have a sense of relief."

Lorincz is being held on a $150,000 bond.