A Florida woman faces sentencing for fatally shooting neighbor Ajike Owens through a locked door

Susan Lorincz, the Florida woman convicted of first-degree manslaughter with a firearm in August, is scheduled to be sentenced Monday for fatally shooting her neighbor Ajike “AJ” Owens through a locked door in an incident on June 2, 2023 in Ocala.

She faces up to 30 years in prison.

Lorincz, a white man, shot and killed Owens, a black mother of four, in the presence of her now 10-year-old son after Owens spoke to Lorincz following an argument about Owens’ children playing near Lorincz’s home, they say in a June 6, 2023 statement from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).

After a jury found Lorincz guilty on Aug. 16, Judge Robert Hodges said Lorincz would be held in the Marion County Jail without bail until her sentencing.

Ahead of Lorincz’s sentencing hearing, Owens’ family shared with ABC News on Wednesday a statement released through their attorney that called on the judge to sentence the Florida woman to the “maximum sentence permitted by law.”

Owens’ family said that while the guilty verdict was an “important step,” they were still seeking “justice.”

“While no verdict can ever restore the lives that were taken from us, the court’s decision will send a strong message about the value of Ajike’s life and the importance of justice for victims of senseless violence,” the family said. “We hope that the presiding judge will respect the jury’s decision and render a verdict that reflects the seriousness of this crime.”

Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias, who previously told ABC News that the guilty verdict brought a “sense of peace” to the family, said in a statement Wednesday that Lorincz’s sentencing was an opportunity for the family to “find closure “.

“Although the pain of losing Ajike will never go away, we hope that justice will prevail and that the court will give Susan Lorincz the maximum sentence for her actions,” Dias said. “Ajike’s legacy will live on in her children and we will continue to fight for justice, love and peace on her behalf.”

A family spokesperson told ABC News they plan to be in court Monday to attend Lorincz’s sentencing hearing.

Lorincz’s attorney, Amanda Sizemore, declined to comment when contacted by ABC News.

Lorincz pleaded not guilty and during the trial her defense team argued that she should be found not guilty because she acted in self-defense because she feared for her life. Meanwhile, prosecutors argued that Lorincz should be found guilty of fatally shooting an “unarmed” Owens through a “locked” door.