'I never intended to kill her'. This new Netflix documentary will have the whole world talking.

A new Netflix documentary is set to get the whole world talking.

Netflix film The Perfect Neighbor centres on a fatal suburban dispute in Ocala, Florida.

The movie, directed by Emmy winner Geeta Gandbhir, meticulously details the 2023 killing of Ajike 'AJ' Owens, a Black woman, who was shot by her white neighbour, Susan Lorincz.

"The Perfect Neighbor is a deeply personal project, created to transform grief into purpose and honour the lasting legacy of Ajike Owens and her family," Gandbhir said, adding she was "thrilled the film will be available on Netflix, offering audiences worldwide the chance to experience this urgent and powerful story."

The shooting was the deadly conclusion to an escalating series of arguments between the two women, which Lorincz claimed was sparked by Owens' children playing near Lorincz's home.

Watch the trailer. Post continues after video.

Instead of formatting the film around traditional interviews or narration, the documentary takes an immersive, ground-level approach, constructing its narrative almost entirely from other materials, including police body camera recordings, 911 audio calls and official evidence.

This narrative structure provides a searing examination of Owens' shooting, shedding light on the broader themes of racial tension, the role of law enforcement in community conflicts and the dangerous implications of Florida's 'Stand Your Ground' self-defence laws.

After doing the festival circuit, including winning a directing award at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, the documentary garnered widespread praise. And now it's available for streaming on Netflix on October 17, 2025, after a brief limited showing in select theatres across the US.

Believe me, this film is well worth watching! Before you dive in, this is the case that started it.

The true story portrayed in Netflix's The Perfect Neighbor.

The killing of Ajike 'AJ' Owens in Ocala, Florida, on June 2, 2023, tragically highlighted ongoing racial tensions in the US and Florida's problematic 'Stand Your Ground' laws.

Owens, a 35-year-old Black mother of four, was fatally shot by her white neighbour, 60-year-old Susan Lorincz, after a prolonged and escalating feud.

The conflict began with Owens' children playing in a field near Lorincz's home. The day of the incident, the dispute reached a breaking point when Lorincz allegedly threw a roller skate and swung an umbrella at the children.

Upon learning what happened, Owens, accompanied by her 10-year-old son, went to Lorincz's door to address the situation.

Image: Twitter/BenCrump.

Lorincz, who had a history of harassing the children and using racial slurs against them, did not open the door. Instead, she fired a single shot from a .380-caliber handgun through her closed front door, striking Owens in the upper chest.

Owens was unarmed and died shortly thereafter. Her young son witnessed the traumatic shooting.

Lorincz claimed she was acting in 'self-defence', asserting that she feared Owens was trying to break down the door and claimed that Owens had "previously attacked her."

The case immediately drew national attention because Lorincz invoked Florida's 'Stand Your Ground' defense: this law states that individuals have the right to use deadly force to protect themselves against an intruder in their home.

Critics, including civil rights advocates and gun safety groups like Moms Demand Action, argued that these laws are often weaponised and embolden individuals to act on unjustified fear and racial bias, particularly when the victim is Black and the shooter is white.

The initial delay in Lorincz's arrest was directly attributed to law enforcement having to navigate the complexities of this law, which grants a person immunity if they reasonably believe they are in imminent danger.

The multi-day delay in arresting Lorincz, despite her shooting an unarmed mother through a closed door, provoked widespread outrage, with many civil rights leaders suggesting the hesitancy stemmed from systemic biases in how law enforcement treats Black victims versus white shooters.

The incident mobilised the Black community in Ocala and drew the support of national figures, including civil rights attorney Ben Crump and civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton, leading to protests that demanded justice and accountability.

After public pressure and a thorough investigation, Lorincz was arrested — albeit five days after the actual shooting — and charged with manslaughter with a firearm.

Image: Netflix.

The decision by prosecutors to charge Lorincz with manslaughter instead of second-degree murder charge drew ire from protesters. The decision was defended by citing "insufficient evidence" of "hatred, spite, ill will or evil intent", but this was criticised by the family's attorneys as a failure to fully recognise the racially charged nature of the feud.

In August 2024, a jury found Lorincz guilty of manslaughter. Judge Hodges rejected Lorincz's claim of self-defence under the 'Stand Your Ground' law, noting that Owens was behind a locked door and police were already on the way.

"The shooting was based more on anger than fear," Judge Hodges stated. He added that Owens had requested Lorincz to come outside, which suggested she had no intention of breaking into her home.

Lorincz was subsequently sentenced on November 2024 to 25 years in state prison.

"I'm so sorry that I took AJ's life. I never intended to kill her," Lorincz said in a statement to the court.

"I so wish I could go back and change things so that she was still here."

The case fuelled demands for legislative change, with Owens' family launching a fund specifically aimed at fighting for the reevaluation of such laws.

At the trial, Pamela Dias, Owens's mother, told the courthouse about the family's ongoing grief.

"There is not a day, not an hour, that I do not mourn for my daughter. But I also mourn for my grandchildren, I weep for them," she said.

"I see the pain in their eyes, even when they seem like they're happy. I recognise it because I carry that same pain."

Feature image: Netflix.