Current:Home > MarketsFlorida woman who fatally shot neighbor called victim's children the "n-word" and "Black slave," arrest report says -TrueNorth Capital Hub
Florida woman who fatally shot neighbor called victim's children the "n-word" and "Black slave," arrest report says
View
Date:2025-04-14 03:00:27
A white Florida woman charged with shooting and killing her Black neighbor told detectives that she called the victim's children by racist slurs in the months leading up to the slaying, according to an arrest report released Thursday.
Susan Louise Lorincz, 58, 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.
The report from the Marion County Sheriff's Office came out shortly before Lorincz made her initial appearance in court Thursday by video. She has been charged with the first-degree felony of manslaughter with a firearm, as well as culpable negligence, battery and two counts of assault Sheriff Billy Woods said in a statement.
Lorincz appeared wearing a dark protective vest, answered the judge's questions about her finances and her attorney, an assistant public defender appointed by the judge, entered a written plea of not guilty.
On Friday, a judge set Lorincz's bond at $150,000 for the manslaughter charge and $1,000 for each of the remaining charges, for a total of $154,000, CBS affiliate WKMG-TV reported.
Ajike Owens, a 35-year-old Black mother of four, was killed this week in Ocala, about 83 miles north of Orlando. Owens' mother, Pamela Dias, has said she will now raise her four young grandchildren.
Supporters of Owens' family gathered Thursday evening for a vigil outside the Ocala church where the slain woman's funeral is scheduled for Monday.
In a statement to investigators after the shooting, Lorincz was quoted 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.
"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.
According to the sheriff's timeline, Lorincz called the department at 8:54 p.m. on the night of the shooting to say kids were threatening her and trespassing. She 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.
Many details about the case remain unclear, such as the owner of a red T-shirt that says, "She Slays This Means War" - which was found at the scene, according to the report.
While deputies were on their way, more calls came in to 911 about shots heard in the same area. At 9:04 p.m., one of Owens' children called 911 to say his mother had been shot, according to the timeline. Lorincz also called again, saying she had shot a woman through her front door. Deputies arrived about three minutes later to find Owens lying on the ground. She was pronounced dead at a hospital a half hour later.
Lorincz claimed "that Owens banged on the door so hard everything started shaking and she thought the door was going to come off," and that she panicked and said to herself "'Oh my god, she's really going to kill me this time.'" That's when Lorincz fired a single round from her .380-caliber handgun, the report says, noting that Lorincz also had a second handgun in the home.
"Lorincz advised that she purchased the firearm for protection after an altercation with the victim," it says.
Police and Owens' family have confirmed that her 10-year-old son, the one who was struck with the roller skate, was standing beside her at the time.
Owens' mother, Pamela Dias, told "CBS Mornings" Thursday that her grandson feels guilty he couldn't save his mother.
"His words were, 'Grandma, Grandma, I couldn't save her,'" Dias said at a recent press conference.
"I still can't believe this happened," Dias added. "When does a person get shot for knocking on a door?"
During a news conference Wednesday afternoon, the victim's family, friends and community leaders joined civil rights attorney Ben Crump - who became well-known representing Trayvon Martin's family - in thanking the sheriff for making the arrest and calling for justice for Owens.
"This is not a difficult case," Crump said. He called on the state attorney's office to "zealously prosecute" the shooter.
Crump, along with Owens's mother and multiple neighbors noted during the news conference that the "feud" the sheriff spoke of was between Lorincz and neighborhood children. Neighbors said Lorincz frequently called the children vile names when they played in the grassy area outside her home.
Authorities had delayed her arrest for several days while looking into a possible "stand your ground" claim. Detectives have since said that Lorincz's actions are not justifiable under Florida law.
The sheriff has said that since January 2021, deputies responded to at least a half-dozen complaints between Owens and Lorincz in Ocala.
Dias told "CBS Mornings" she is now organizing an online fundraiser to cover the cost of her daughter's funeral and to help support her four children. Dias wrote on the fundraiser that Owens worked as a manager in the hospitality industry and was a "Team Mom" for her children's football and cheerleading teams.
Dias said she will now raise Owens' children.
"I have to be strong. I have no choice, I just do, to raise these children," she said. "To give them a future that their mother would have wanted to."
- In:
- Murder
- Florida
veryGood! (86)
Related
- Why we love Bear Pond Books, a ski town bookstore with a French bulldog 'Staff Pup'
- Joseph Quinn still cringes over his 'stupid' interaction with Taylor Swift
- Vanna White pays tribute to look-alike daughter Gigi Santo Pietro with birthday throwback
- JoJo Siwa Curses Out Fans After Getting Booed at NYC Pride
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!
- Ann Wilson announces cancer diagnosis, postpones Heart tour
- New Sherri Papini documentary will showcase infamous kidnapping hoax 'in her own words'
- Suki Waterhouse Details Very Intense First Meeting with Robert Pattinson
- Jamie Foxx reps say actor was hit in face by a glass at birthday dinner, needed stitches
- Court orders white nationalists to pay $2M more for Charlottesville Unite the Right violence
Ranking
- Macy's says employee who allegedly hid $150 million in expenses had no major 'impact'
- Hallmark's Shantel VanSanten and Victor Webster May Have the Oddest Divorce Settlement Yet
- Rainbow Family still searching for Northern California meeting site for '10,000 hippies'
- Senator wants Washington Commanders to pay tribute to an old logo that offends many Indigenous
- Residents worried after ceiling cracks appear following reroofing works at Jalan Tenaga HDB blocks
- 2 children among 5 killed in small plane crash after New York baseball tournament
- Man accused of stabbing Salman Rushdie rejects plea deal involving terrorism charge
- Oklahoma St RB Ollie Gordon II, who won Doak Walker Award last season, arrested for suspicion of DUI
Recommendation
Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
2 adults dead, child critically injured in Maryland apartment fire
Court orders white nationalists to pay $2M more for Charlottesville Unite the Right violence
GOP US Rep. Spartz, of Indiana, charged with bringing gun through airport security, officials say
Could Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft reunite? Maybe in Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2026 class
Oklahoma police officer shot after responding to report of armed man
Judge sides with 16 states, putting on pause Biden’s delay of consideration of gas export projects
Mistrial declared in Karen Read trial for murder of boyfriend John O'Keefe