The Perfect Neighbor is at the top of the Netflix movie charts, with the new documentary detailing the shocking murder of Ajike “AJ” Owens. One moment in particular has sparked questions: the claim that killer Susan Lorincz is a doctor. Waring: some may find this content distressing.
While there are many new true crime documentaries to stream this month, The Perfect Neighbor is a tough but important watch. Told primarily via police body camera footage captured over the course of two years, it begins by showcasing a tight-knit community in Ocala, Florida.
It’s a street where children would play freely, and everyone shared a genuine bond with one another – everyone except for Susan Lorincz. As the Netflix documentary shows, Lorincz grew increasingly combative with her neighbors, using racist slurs against the surrounding families.
Her perpetual calls to the police over menial matters led to officers initially siding with the rest of the street. All of this culminated in a tragic incident on June 2, 2023, when Lorincz shot Owens through her door, leading to the mother-of-four’s death.
Is Susan Lorincz really a doctor?
In one of the police cam videos, Susan refers to herself as “Dr. Lorincz,” but there is no evidence to suggest that she is or ever has worked as a doctor. In order to use this title, you generally need to have earned a doctorate degree such as a Ph.D. or an MD.
She makes this claim while speaking to officers she had called, alleging that she had been arguing with a child from the neighborhood, who she responded to by saying, “Listen, my name is Dr. Lorincz. Don’t tell me to shut up.”
In a separate clip, the 61-year-old – who is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence at the Homestead Correctional Institution in South Florida – tells officers, “I work from home,” sparking further confusion about her occupation.
At the time of her sentencing in 2024, the Ocala Gazette reported that Lorincz’s friend Crystal Jewel-Maksou testified during the trial, stating that the pair met while worshiping at Ocala Farm Ministries.
Jewel-Maksou said Lorincz was “always working,” she “baked for us and cooked for us for many years,” and sang at church.
According to EW, Shannon Lynn Harris, a pastor at Lorincz’s Anthony United Methodist Church, also stated that she helped members of the congregation with insurance issues as “Susan worked in the insurance industry.”
All of this suggests Lorincz most likely lied to the police about her doctor status, although this is yet to be confirmed. For now, Lorincz is locked up and her projected release date is set for April 8, 2048, when she will be 83 years old, but she may be released sooner depending on behavior.
Missing detail about the iPad revealed
In The Perfect Neighbor, an iPad is mentioned to the police in the runup to Lorincz shooting Ajike “AJ” Owens through her own front door, but a GoFundMe from Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias, provides clarity on the situation.
The documentary sees Owens’ child explaining to police that he went to Lorincz’s to reclaim the tablet. This led to Owens going over to her house, at which point Lorincz fatally shot her. It was still unclear exactly what had happened with the iPad, but this is revealed in the GoFundMe.
“Ajike’s children were playing in a field next to an Ocala apartment complex when an unidentified 58-year-old white woman reportedly began yelling at them and calling them racial slurs,” Dias wrote.
“The children left but accidentally left an iPad behind, which the woman took. When one of the children went to her residence to retrieve it, she threw it, hitting the boy and cracking the screen.
“After Ajike’s children informed her of what happened, she walked across the street with her kids to speak with the woman. She knocked on the door, and at that point, the woman allegedly shot through the door, hitting Ajike, who later died from her injuries.”
At the time, Dias said the woman had not yet been identified, but we now know it to be Lorincz. The GoFundMe page is still open and has raised nearly $475,000 at the time of writing – you can head here if you’d like to donate.
As stated by the page, the funds will be used to support funeral and memorial expenses for AJ, for AJ’s children’s education expenses, and to contribute to housing and all other living expenses for the family.
The family has also partnered with activists and national advocacy groups to fight Stand Your Ground laws, the defense Lorincz attempted to use.
The Stand Your Ground law is a self-defense statute that allows individuals to use deadly force if they believe it’s necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm. Essentially, it removes any legal duty to retreat before using such force.
Statistics revealed at the end of the true crime documentary state, “Stand Your Ground laws have been linked to an 8% to 11% increase in homicide rates, or roughly 700 additional deaths each year.
“Research has found huge racial disparities, with white Americans much more likely to find success with self-defense claims particularly when they kill Black people.”
Dias commented on the issue, writing, “In 2023, we witnessed the shooting of Ralph Yarl and the killing of Kaylin Gillis as instances where the Stand Your Ground doctrine has emboldened individuals to use unnecessary violent force in the name of self-defense.
“This is yet another instance where the law could potentially come into play and erode justice. AJ’s family has partnered with activists and national advocacy groups to effect change on a national scale.”
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