5 key details about Ajike Owens' case as Netflix drops The Perfect Neighbor

The Perfect Neighbor returns attention to the June 2, 2023, shooting of Ajike AJ Owens in Ocala, Florida. The case began with a door knock after a dispute involving children and ended with a fatal shot fired through a closed door. Police responses to earlier calls, the debate over self-defense, and a later conviction all sit inside the timeline the film revisits.

The Perfect Neighbor opens in limited theaters on October 10, then streams on Netflix on October 17. The documentary uses bodycam and neighborhood footage to map the night and the prior encounters that reportedly set the stage.

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Case background for The Perfect Neighbor

On June 2, 2023, around 9:00 pm, Owens went to her 58-year-old neighbor, Susan Lorincz’s door after a dispute that involved her children, according to deputies. Owens was shot through the closed door and later died at a hospital. Early reports described thrown objects at the kids before the confrontation, and a claim of self-defense by Lorincz.

Scene from The Perfect Neighbor (Image via YouTube/@Netflix)

The sheriff’s office said Lorincz had previously complained about the children and that deputies had fielded calls about the neighbors in the past.

The case drew national attention. Questions formed around Florida’s stand your ground law require investigators to assess justification before filing certain charges. Public pressure grew in the days after the shooting as interviews continued and video and digital evidence were gathered.

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5 key details about The Perfect Neighbor

1) A long history of calls and alleged slurs

Deputies have responded multiple times since 2021 to disputes about the same homes. Neighbors said Susan Lorincz often complained about the children playing outside. Family representatives also alleged the use of racial slurs.

AP News reported that protesters gathered at the courthouse in the days after the shooting and that the family’s attorney accused the neighbor of using slurs. At the same time, the sheriff’s office said race had not been confirmed as a factor, according to AP News.

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2) What witnesses and deputies reported on June 2, 2023

Accounts from that night described an object thrown at the children, reportedly a pair of skates, and an argument that moved to the Lorincz’s doorway. Owens knocked, the door stayed closed, and a single round was fired through it.

A child yelled for help, and CPR was attempted by a neighbor until first responders arrived. CNN noted that the sheriff said there was loud banging at the door and threats alleged by the Lorincz, while witnesses said Owens was outside when she was hit, according to CNN.

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3) Arrest and charges

After interviews with the children and neighbors, and a review of video and phone data, deputies arrested Susan Lorincz on June 7. Charges included manslaughter with a firearm, culpable negligence, battery, and two counts of assault.

Scene from The Perfect Neighbor (Image via YouTube/@Netflix)

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4) Verdict and sentence

A jury found Lorincz guilty of manslaughter in August 2024. On November 25, 2024, the judge imposed a 25-year prison term. The New York Times reported that the panel was all white and that the sentence followed victim impact statements from Owens’ family, according to The New York Times.

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5) What The Perfect Neighbor shows and what remains contested

The documentary reportedly leans on bodycam footage and recorded calls to map the timeline. It presents claims from both sides, including the shooter’s self-defense statements and the family’s account of a closed door and a single shot.

Points in dispute include whether the threat met the legal standard for deadly force and what role the prior feud played. The court outcome stands, yet the debates that followed the shooting continue in public forums.

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Directed by Geeta Gandbhir, the 97-minute documentary The Perfect Neighbor premiered at Sundance in January. It is out now in select theatres and will be released on Netflix on October 17. The film blends bodycam footage, neighbor accounts, and court milestones to trace the case from the knock at the door to the final judgment.

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