OCALA, Fla. – The woman accused in the high-profile shooting death of an Ocala mother was in a courtroom Wednesday as a judge set a new trial date for her case.
Susan Lorincz is charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of Ajike Owens on June 2.
Lorincz was scheduled to go to trial Nov. 13, but the judge rescheduled the case for June 24.
The decision came after Assistant Public Defender Amanda Sizemore asked for more time to schedule depositions.
Attorney Michael Thomas, who represents the Owens family, said the delay was an agreement between the defense and prosecutors.
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“We’re disappointed that we’re not able to get justice for AJ on the 13th, however we are understandable in a sense that the court has to make sure that all the witnesses are prepared,” Thomas said.
Lorincz is accused of shooting Owens through a locked metal door and killed her after the mother went to confront her neighbor. Owens wanted to talk to Lorincz about her treatment of children who were playing in an open field near the accused killer’s home.
Owens’ mother was at Wednesday’s hearing and was in the same room as Lorincz for the first time.
“I had to be face-to-face with the person who changed our lives forever,” Pamela Dias said. “I needed to see her. I needed for her to see me.”
Dias told News 6 that her grandchildren are still struggling with the loss of their mother.
“Just the other night, my granddaughter went to sleep crying herself, literally, with tears in her eyes calling for her mother,” Dias said. “There’s no words to describe it, but devastation. It’s heartbreaking.”
Lorincz faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison if convicted of manslaughter.
With the trial rescheduled for June 24, a pre-trial hearing was also scheduled for June 5.
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