Florida woman who fatally shot neighbor appears in court, sheriff releases details of racist threats

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Susan Lorincz, a white Flordia woman who is accused of shooting and killing her Black neighbor, made her first court appearance from jail on Thursday. (June 8)

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A protester, holds a poster of Ajike Owens at the Marion County Courthouse, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Ocala, demanding the arrest of a woman who shot and killed Owens, a 35-year-old mother of four, last Friday night, June 2. Authorities came under intense pressure Tuesday to bring charges against a white woman who killed Owens, a Black neighbor, on her front doorstep, as they navigated Florida’s divisive stand your ground law that provides considerable leeway to the suspect in making a claim of self defense. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

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This Jan. 14, 2023, photo released by attorney Anthony D. Thomas, shows Owens, a 35-year-old mother of four from Ocala, Fla. The Marion County sheriff said Owens was shot and killed Friday, June 2, 2023, moments after going to the apartment of her neighbor, who had yelled at Owens’ children as they played in a nearby lot. (Anthony D. Thomas via AP)

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This image taken from video provided by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office shows Susan Lorincz, center, after her arrest in Ocala, Fla., Tuesday, June 6, 2023. Lorincz is accused of fatally shooting her neighbor, Ajike Owens, a Black mother of four. (Marion County Sheriff’s Office via AP)

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This booking image provided by the Marion County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office shows Susan Louise Lorincz, 58, charged with shooting and killing her Black neighbor. Lorincz, who made her initial appearance in court by video, Thursday, June 8, 2023, has been charged with the first-degree felony of manslaughter with a firearm, as well as culpable negligence, battery and two counts of assault. (Marion County Sheriff’s Office via AP)

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Attendees pray during a press conference with attorney Ben Crump regarding the shooting of Ajike Owens,, Wednesday afternoon, June 7, 2023, at the New St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Ocala, Fla. Susan Louise Lorincz, 58, who is accused of fatally shooting Owens last week in the violent culmination of what the sheriff described as a 2 and a half year feud was arrested Tuesday, June 6, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said. (Doug Engle/Ocala Star-Banner via AP)

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Attorney Ben Crump, center, shouts “Justice for A.J.!” while flanked by Pamela Dias, left, mother of Ajike “AJ” Owens and attorney Anthony Thomas, right, during a press conference Wednesday afternoon, June 7, 2023 at the New St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Ocala, Fla. Susan Louise Lorincz, 58, who is accused of fatally shooting Owens last week in the violent culmination of what the sheriff described as a 2 and a half year feud was arrested Tuesday, June 6, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said. (Doug Engle/Ocala Star-Banner via AP)

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Attorney Ben Crump embracing Pamela Dias, the mother of the Florida neighbor shooting victim Ajike Owens, Wednesday, June 7, 2023, at a news conference in Ocala Fla. Susan Louise Lorincz, 58, who is accused of fatally shooting Owens last week in the violent culmination of what the sheriff described as a 2 and a half year feud was arrested Tuesday, June 6, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said. (AP Photo/Curt Anderson)

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Pamela Dias, the mother of Ajike Owens, is hugged by a close friend during a press conference, Wednesday afternoon, June 7, 2023 at the New St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Ocala, Fla. Susan Louise Lorincz, 58, who is accused of fatally shooting Owens last week in the violent culmination of what the sheriff described as a 2 and a half year feud was arrested Tuesday, June 6, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said. (Doug Engle/Ocala Star-Banner via AP)

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Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump, center, waves to members of the community walking out holding the hand of Pamela Dias, the mother of Ajike “AJ” Owens, following a press conference, Wednesday afternoon, June 7, 2023 at the New St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Ocala, Fla. Susan Louise Lorincz, 58, who is accused of fatally shooting Owens last week in the violent culmination of what the sheriff described as a 2 and a half year feud was arrested Tuesday, June 6, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said. (Doug Engle/Ocala Star-Banner via AP)

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Attorney Ben Crump speaks while while holding the hand of Pamela Dias, the mother of Ajike “AJ” Owens, during a press conference, Wednesday afternoon, June 7, 2023 at the New St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Ocala, Fla. Susan Louise Lorincz, 58, who is accused of fatally shooting Owens last week in the violent culmination of what the sheriff described as a 2 and a half year feud was arrested Tuesday, June 6, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said. (Doug Engle/Ocala Star-Banner via AP)

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Attendees cry during a press conference with attorney Ben Crump regarding the shooting of Ajike Owens,, Wednesday afternoon, June 7, 2023, at the New St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Ocala, Fla. Susan Louise Lorincz, 58, who is accused of fatally shooting Owens last week in the violent culmination of what the sheriff described as a 2 and a half year feud was arrested Tuesday, June 6, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said. (Doug Engle/Ocala Star-Banner via AP)

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A small memorial is seen outside an apartment, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Ocala, Fla., where Ajike Owens, a 35-year-old mother of four was killed in a Friday night, June 2, shooting that Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said was the culmination of a 2½-year feud between neighbors. Authorities came under intense pressure Tuesday to bring charges against a white woman who killed Owens, a Black neighbor on her front doorstep, as they navigated Florida’s divisive stand your ground law that provides considerable leeway to the suspect in making a claim of self defense. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

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Protesters gather in the lobby of the Marion County Courthouse, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Ocala, demanding the arrest of a woman who shot and killed Ajike Owens, a 35-year-old mother of four, last Friday night, June 2. Authorities came under intense pressure Tuesday to bring charges against a white woman who killed Owens, a Black neighbor, on her front doorstep, as they navigated Florida’s divisive stand your ground law that provides considerable leeway to the suspect in making a claim of self defense. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

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State Attorney William Gladson, left, speaks to a group of protesters and the media outside his office at the Marion County Courthouse, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Ocala, as protesters demand the arrest of a woman who shot and killed Ajike Owens, a 35-year-old mother of four, last Friday night, June 2. Authorities came under intense pressure Tuesday to bring charges against a white woman who killed Owens, a Black neighbor, on her front doorstep, as they navigated Florida’s divisive stand your ground law that provides considerable leeway to the suspect in making a claim of self defense. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

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A protester, right, confronts a Marion County sheriff deputy at the Marion County Courthouse, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Ocala, demanding the arrest of a woman who shot and killed Ajike Owens, a 35-year-old mother of four, last Friday night, June 2. Authorities came under intense pressure Tuesday to bring charges against a white woman who killed Owens, a Black neighbor, on her front doorstep, as they navigated Florida’s divisive stand your ground law that provides considerable leeway to the suspect in making a claim of self defense. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

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A patched bullet hole, upper right, is seen on a door, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, where Ajike Owens, a 35-year-old mother of four, was shot and killed the week before, moments after going to the apartment of her neighbor who had yelled at Owens’ children as they played in a nearby lot, in Ocala, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

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In this frame grab from video broadcast by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Billy Woods speaks at a news conference, in Ocala, Fla., Monday, June 5, 2023. Officials say a neighborhood feud over playing children has ended in a Florida mother’s fatal shooting. (Courtesy of Marion County Sheriff’s Office via AP)

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Protesters confront Marion County sheriff deputy’s at the Marion County Courthouse, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Ocala, Fla. Authorities came under intense pressure to bring charges against a white woman who killed Ajike Owens, a 35-year-old mother of four, a Black neighbor, on her front doorstep, as they navigated Florida’s divisive stand your ground law that provides considerable leeway to the suspect in making a claim of self defense. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

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Protesters gather in outside the state attorney’s office at the Marion County Courthouse, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Ocala, demanding the arrest of a woman who shot and killed Ajike Owens, a 35-year-old mother of four, last Friday night, June 2. Authorities came under intense pressure Tuesday to bring charges against a white woman who killed Owens, a Black neighbor, on her front doorstep, as they navigated Florida’s divisive stand your ground law that provides considerable leeway to the suspect in making a claim of self defense. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

By CURT ANDERSON

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — 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. A bond hearing will be scheduled in the coming days.

Ajike Owens, a 35-year-old Black mother of four, was killed this week in Ocala, about 83 miles (133 kilometers) 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.

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.

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Associated Press writer Freida Frisaro contributed from Fort Lauderdale.