A Florida woman has been placed on suicide watch following the shooting death of her neighbor, identified as mother of four, Ajike Owens.
Susan Lorincz, 58, appeared in court on Wednesday wearing a ‘suicide dress’, to face manslaughter, culpable negligence, battery and two counts of assault. Lorcinz asked for a public defender, while the prosecution asked for a high amount of bail, given the gravity of the alleged crimes.
The state, according to ABC 20, has yet to file the proper paperwork for a request for a bail increase. The presiding judge has scheduled another hearing for next week, giving the state time to file a pretrial motion.
For now, Lorincz remains behind bars without bail at Marion County Jail.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Lorincz is accused of killing Owens by shooting through her front door in Marion County earlier this month. Police say the victim’s 9-year-old son was standing next to her when she was shot, after knocking on Lorincz’s door to confront her that she had threatened her children.
The arrest comes after community members urged authorities to charge Lorincz. Benjamin Crump, the family’s attorney, alleged that Lorincz uttered racial slurs toward the children before Owens went to the woman’s apartment. Owens and his children are black and Lorincz is white.
“Lorincz admitted to using the n-word towards children out of anger in the past and also to calling children other derogatory terms,” the affidavit read.
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said investigators took the time to carefully review the facts to determine if Lorincz acted in self-defense and was justified in using force under the law of the “Hold On” state.
Investigators ultimately determined that Lorincz had no valid reason to shoot Owens.
“And we have a bigger picture, a complete picture. And my detectives wanted to make sure we closed all the loopholes, so she wouldn’t have the defense to use the ‘Hang on Hold’ law, and it’s not ‘Hold On On’, Woods told Fox. 35.
“Let me get this straight – it wasn’t ‘hold on’. It was an unwarranted shooting.
Prosecutors charged Lorincz with assault and battery against the children after she allegedly threw skates at them and punched one of them. The state also alleges that Lorincz swung an umbrella at two of the children when they went to his door.
Lorincz told police Owens was trying to break down her door, but neighbor Lauren Smith told The Associated Press that Owens did not have a weapon and did not engage in an altercation with the shooter. Other neighbors described the accused as a hostile person who often harassed neighborhood children and made false police reports.
Lorincz “was angry the whole time the kids were playing there,” Smith told the AP. “She said nasty things to them.
Daily Beast reports that Lorincz told police she had ongoing issues with Owens’ sons for about two years. These issues stemmed from their reported disregard for his peace and privacy.
Lorincz reportedly said children frequently played near her apartment, broke in and threatened to end her life, she told police.
Smith said after the shooting, one of Owens’ sons shouted “They shot my mom, they shot my mom,” according to the AP. Smith ran across the street and began chest compressions on Owens.
If convicted, Lorincz faces up to 30 years in prison on the manslaughter count alone.
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[Feature Photo: Police escort Susan Lorincz after her arrest/Marion County Sheriff’s Office]