Locked door in shooting of Ajike Owens a focus of testimony in Susan Lorincz manslaughter trial

(NEW YORK) — The state rested its case on Wednesday afternoon after the second day of testimony in the trial of Susan Lorincz — the Florida woman who is charged in the fatal shooting of her neighbor Ajike “AJ” Owens through a closed door.

The defense began presenting their witnesses on Wednesday afternoon, which could include two of Owens’ sons, Isaac, 13, and Israel, 10, who witnessed his mother’s shooting.

Owens family attorney Anthony Thomas told ABC News on Wednesday that while prosecutors decided not to call the boys to testify, it is unclear if the defense will ask them to take the stand.

Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias, spoke out in a press conference on Wednesday morning and said that she wishes her grandkids “did not have to testify, but if this is what it takes to get justice, and this is what we have to do.”

“[Lorincz] did kill my daughter; that in itself, is hurtful. But also the fact that one of [my grandchildren] could have been injured or killed as well is beyond any emotion or feeling that can truly be expressed,” Dias added. “She has no regards for any form of human life, certainly not my family.”

According to a June 6, 2023, statement from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), Lorincz shot Owens, a Black mother of four, through a closed door in the presence of her now 10-year-old son after she went to speak with Lorincz about a dispute over Owens’ children playing near her home. Lorincz called 911 after fatally shooting Owens and admitted to the shooting.

Lorincz, who is white, was arrested on June 6, 2023, and charged with first-degree felony manslaughter for fatally shooting Owens on June 2, 2023, in Ocala, Florida. She pleaded not guilty on July 10, 2023, and was held on a $150,000 bond. If convicted, Lorincz faces up to 30 years in prison, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

A host of neighbors, including two children, sheriff’s deputies, a 911 dispatcher, crime scene investigators and forensics experts were among those who were called to testify by the prosecution.

A focus of the state’s argument over the past two days was on the first 911 call that Lorincz made to report “trespassing” on June 2, 2023 — minutes before she ended up shooting Owens. According to witnesses, including the sheriff’s deputies who responded to the shooting, law enforcement was already on their way to Lorincz’s home when the shooting occurred because she had called 911 to report three children — one Latino and two Black — were “trespassing” on her property.

Troy Gann, a 911 operator, said on Tuesday that he received a call from Lorincz, who reported children “badgering her” and “trespassing” on her property. Sheriff’s deputies were then dispatched to her home.

Michael Stringer, a patrol deputy with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, testified on Tuesday that after receiving a call about trespassing at Lorincz’s home, he and a deputy trainee were dispatched “immediately” to her home, which was 10-15 minutes away, but said that while he was headed to Lorincz’s home, the call was upgraded to a shooting.

He described seeing the victim (Owens) lying on the ground and described detaining Lorincz, who was inside her home at the time of their arrival. Asked if he observed any weapons on Owens or near Owens, he said, “no.”

During opening arguments on Tuesday, the defense argued that Lorincz was acting in self-defense because she feared for her life, while prosecutors stressed that Owens was “unarmed” and fatally shot through a “locked” door.

“The death of AJ Owens is a tragedy. There is no doubt about that, but what the evidence will show is that in her mind, in her soul, in her core, Susan Lorincz felt she had no choice,” public defender Morris Carranza said. “It was either Susan or AJ. Susan chose to defend herself.”

The defense claimed that Owens told Lorincz that she was going to “kill” her, while prosecutors told jurors in opening remarks that they would hear from witnesses who were present during the confrontation who will deny this claim.

Amid the defense’s claim that Owens was trying to “break” down Lorincz’s front door, the state called Lorincz’s former landlord Charles Gabbard to the stand on Tuesday.

Gabbard testified that prior to the shooting he had repaired a jam on Lorincz’s front door. He said that her door was “structurally sound” after he repaired it, despite some cosmetic damage. He said that the door was sturdy and had a chain, a deadbolt and a lock.

During cross-examination, Gabbard said that Lorincz did not tell him how the door was damaged but that “it was clear that someone slammed” the door. He said that after repairing it, he was planning to replace Lorincz’s door at some point. Asked by Lorincz’s attorney Carranza if the crack in the door was “substantial,” Gabbard said, “Yes.”

On Wednesday the jury was shown the previously released interrogation video of Lorincz’s detention, where she made the claim that Owens was trying to “break” into her home, and much of the testimony and cross examination focused on Lorincz shooting Owens through a locked door, with questions about the sturdiness of the door.

Judge Robert W. Hodges of Florida’s 5th Judicial Circuit, who is presiding over the case, said on Monday that the trial is expected to be over by Friday.

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