Is The Perfect Neighbor a True Story? Netflix Viewers Shocked After Learning What Really Happened to AJ Owens

It starts like any other true-crime thriller on Netflix. You press play on The Perfect Neighbour, expecting a dramatised story of suburban tension. But as the horrifying details unfold, a chilling realisation dawns: this is not fiction.

The film is a raw, unfiltered account of the real-life killing of Ajike 'AJ' Owens, a 35-year-old mother of four, leaving viewers shocked to discover the tragic story behind the title.

What Sparked The Deadly Confrontation?

The fatal encounter that ended AJ Owens's life was not a sudden act. It was the culmination of a years-long neighbourhood feud in Ocala, Florida, steeped in racial animosity. Since January 2021, deputies from the Marion County Sheriff's Office had been called to the homes of Owens and her white neighbour, Susan Lorincz, on at least six occasions.

The conflict centred on a small grassy field where Owens's four children often played. Neighbours described Lorincz as being 'angry all the time', noting that she frequently shouted at the children and filmed them on her phone.

Official records later confirmed the tension was racialised. Lorincz had reportedly used slurs against the children, including the n-word and derogatory references to 'Black slaves'.

Why A Knock On The Door Ended A Mother's Life

On 2 June 2023, the simmering hostility reached its boiling point. The tragedy began when Owens's ten-year-old son went to retrieve his tablet from the field near Lorincz's home. Lorincz allegedly threw the device to the ground, hurled a pair of roller skates that struck the boy's foot, and swung an umbrella at another child.

Hearing what had happened, Owens walked over and knocked on Lorincz's door to confront her. According to police affidavits, Owens knocked several times and demanded that Lorincz come outside to speak with her.

Inside, Lorincz had already called 911, claiming she felt threatened. As Owens stood on the other side of the locked door, her young son beside her, Lorincz fired a single shot from her handgun. The bullet struck Owens in the chest, and she was pronounced dead shortly after at a local hospital.

Could 'Stand Your Ground' Justify The Killing?

The shooting immediately drew national attention and renewed intense debate over Florida's controversial 'stand your ground' law. Famed civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, representing the Owens family, called the killing 'an unconscionable act' and demanded justice.

Four days later, Susan Lorincz was arrested and charged with manslaughter with a firearm, culpable negligence, battery, and two counts of assault. Investigators concluded there was no evidence Owens had tried to force her way into the home or posed any imminent threat that would justify the use of deadly force.

Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods was unequivocal in a press conference, stating the act was 'simply a killing', not a legally protected act of self-defence. In August 2024, an all-white jury found Lorincz guilty of manslaughter. She was sentenced to 25 years in prison that November, with the judge citing the 'indiscriminate nature' of her actions and the profound trauma inflicted upon Owens's children.

How The Documentary Sparked A National Conversation

Directed by Geeta Gandbhir, The Perfect Neighbour premiered at the Sundance Film Festival before climbing to the number-one spot on Netflix's US charts. The documentary uses police bodycam footage, 911 audio, and emotional interviews to present an unflinching look at the events that led to Owens's death.

Viewers have taken to social media to express their shock and sorrow, with many highlighting the devastating testimony from Owens's mother, Pamela Dias. She shared that her grandson, who witnessed his mother's death, was 'consumed with guilt', telling her, 'Grandma, I couldn't save her'.

The story of AJ Owens is a heartbreaking reminder of how prejudice and anger can escalate into irreversible tragedy.