Photo: Netflix
The tragic shooting of 35-year-old Ajike “AJ” Owens by her neighbor, Susan Lorincz, in Ocala, Florida is the focus of Netflix's new true-crime documentary, per E! News.
The Perfect Neighbor tells the story of the feud between Owens and Lorincz that ended in the deadly shooting, through police body cam footage, 911 calls, and surveillance video.
On June 2, 2023, Owens, a mother of four, was fatally shot through a closed front door by Lorincz, then 59.
“I came outside and her son was literally gasping for air, telling me that his mother had been shot by the lady across the street,” neighbor Phyllis Wills said.
Lorincz had made several complaints about neighborhood children to the Marion County Sheriff's Office in the year leading up to the shooting. In one encounter captured on body camera footage, Lorincz described herself as “the perfect neighbor,” though deputies noted repeated conflicts with local kids.
On the night of the shooting, Lorincz called 911, claiming children were “trespassing” and that she feared for her life. Minutes later, Owens approached Lorincz’s door after her children said their neighbor had taken a tablet. Witnesses reported hearing two knocks before Lorincz fired a single shot, striking Owens in the chest.
Lorincz told detectives she “panicked,” insisting, “I never meant to kill her. I was terrified.” Prosecutors argued the shooting was unjustified, noting Lorincz fired through a locked door.
The Perfect Neighbor director Geeta Gandbhir said she used only real-time footage in the film to present “an undeniable story,” avoiding narration or commentary.
In August 2024, Lorincz was convicted of manslaughter. She was sentenced to 25 years in prison that November.
“The shooting was completely unnecessary,” Judge Robert Hodges said in court.
Lorincz is serving her sentence at Homestead Correctional Institution, with release scheduled for 2048.
The Perfect Neighbor is now streaming on Netflix.
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