Transcript of The Neighbor from Hell

911, where is the emergency?

It's the middle of the night in a small town on the Jersey Shore. Someone reports an abandoned car on a bridge. A search gets underway for the missing driver, 19-year-old Sarah Stern.

Is it a missing person? Is it a suicide? At this point, nobody knows.

Old friendships, buried cash, and a sinister plot that was once pitched as a movie plays out in real life. I'm Juju Chang. From 2020 and ABC Audio. Listen now to Bridge of Lies wherever you get your podcasts.

Why is she recording us?

It's like I've never dealt with people like this in my life. And I'm like, oh my God, these people are hooligans.

About an hour later.

911, what's the emergency? Oh my God, this lady just tried to break down my door. I shot through the door. Okay, what is your name? Yeah, I didn't know what to do. I grabbed my gun and I shot at the door. I thought they were going to get me.

Did you know her?

She's come after me several times because of her children. Her children keep trespassing over here. They're bothering me and bothering me. They won't stop. Somebody got to die. Okay, just stay on the phone with me.

Thank you so much.

Right here, right here, right here! Who has The gun!

One, Mary and Primary.

Hold on. Oh my God, bro. Everybody go. I need everybody back in the street. In the street. Everybody off the property, onto the roadway.

There is still someone with a gun.

He's inside.

Where?

That apartment.

I'm in front. I'm in front. Sheriff's office, come outside with your hands up!

This neighborhood is called Quail Run. It's very small. It's just these two streets. Very family-friendly, lots of kids. It's somebody's puppy.

Go, go back.

Don't follow us. That's a new puppy. So after school, you know, homework, kids change out of their clothes, they come out here, they play, go in for dinner, come back out and play until it's time for bed.

Almost every day we get a knock on our door saying, "Can you play? Can you play? Can you come hoop with us?" We would take walks.

Run around, and we used to play football.

We did a lot of stuff, normal kid things.

You see the children outside playing, enjoying themselves, just being carefree.

We were a close-knit neighborhood. Moms knew each other because all the kids were at the bus stop together at 6, you know, something in the morning. So we all knew who whose child belonged to who. All the children would come over to my house because my house was directly across from the fields. So, you know, we were— it's a family neighborhood.

The vibe in this close little community shifts after Susan Lawrence, a new neighbor, moves in.

Susan Lawrence was involved in her church. She sang in the choir. She worked from home. She had 2 cats. She was somebody who probably just wanted to be left alone.

This is my apartment here. When they're all here in the front, it's really— we can hear it's loud. It's noisy. Kids are out there. The kids?

Yeah.

She just did not enjoy having kids around. Noise, proximity, just them being in her space.

They're trespassing. There's a trespassing sign. I've told them, please don't come here, I'm working. And kids don't care.

She always wanted to argue with the kids, but she never wanted to talk to none of us adults. None of us. But it was like an ongoing situation.

It seemed like Susan's main beef was with the children of the woman across the street, Ajika Owens.

By all accounts to the neighbors, she was the ideal mom.

She had 4 children, 4 beautiful, highly intelligent, very well-loved children.

Ashika was very strong-willed. She had a mind of her own always, but in a good way. And I think that kind of transcended down to her children as well. She was a manager for McDonald's for many years, and she was also being groomed to be a GM.

And at what point were you aware that she had a neighbor whom she found difficult?

So she would tell me that there was a neighbor that was just basically harassing the children. My daughter told me that Susan had called the police.

What'd you call for?

I called because the lady across the street on the phone hit me with a sign. Her children were walking their dog on the property. Clearly says no trespassing. And then she just got in my face and shook the sign and threw it at me and hit me in the mouth.

There was a run-in between the two. Susan claims that AJ went over to Susan's house, picked up a no trespassing sign, and threw it at Susan.

Do you know of her?

No, I know her children because they're always over here, always screaming, yelling, playing games. I was doing this, and I've asked them, please, I work from home, you know, I sell insurance, I'm very quiet, I don't bother anyone. So I don't understand the attitude.

There was an initial confrontation dating back to February of 2022, and she shouldn't have removed the sign either.

It's the landlord sign.

One thing about Ashika is she doesn't play about her kids, so I knew that she would nip it in the bud every time.

I see that's a smirk on your face. You say you already know that she called the police?

Yeah.

My daughter, she was actually keeping the peace because she was never the initiator. She did nothing wrong.

You can't tell them technically if they're not in your personal, personal space that they can't walk the dog or even throw their football over here.

This was a case that boiled into something that I don't think anybody thought it would.

Susan was like, do you See this sign? This is a no trespassing sign. Don't come over here. Get your ass off my property.

I kept saying step back, step back, step back.

2020 is partnering with Vybz open-ear wireless headphones. That's V-Y-B-Z. If you listen to a lot of true crime, you probably like to listen with a good pair of headphones, but it can be tricky to find a pair that provides great sound quality that's not too overwhelming. Because when you're out with a podcast during a late-night dog walk or pre-dawn run, you don't necessarily want noise noise cancelation that blocks out the sounds around you. That's why you'll want to get yourself a pair of Vibes—your perfect companion in audio. They're designed for maximum comfort with ultra-lightweight earbuds that sit just outside the ear canal. And they offer crystal-clear audio. So no matter what you're listening to, whether it's your favorite song or a sound-rich true crime podcast, it'll come across loud, clear, and silky smooth. The battery lasts up to 10 hours per charge, and they come in a range of sleek modern colors and styles. So what are you waiting for? Order now and you'll be listening to better sound with better headphones before you know it. For a limited time, our listeners can get more than 60% off a pair of Vibes wireless headphones. Just go to abcsecretsavings.com/2020. Again, that's abcsecretsavings.com/2020. abcsecretsavings.com/2020. Sunday nights on ABC.

What happens when the person you love the most turns out not to be who you think they are? Everything he told me was a lie. I was betrayed. From the number one true crime podcast Betrayal. He's been living a secret double life. My marriage ended with a 911 call. The tape is blood-curdling.

Betrayal: Secrets and Lies.

So many people are living with their own betrayal.

Sunday nights at 10/9c on ABC and stream on Disney+ and Hulu.

Hello.

Neighbor disputes in Marion County are pretty common, and frequently it is a situation where we're responding to that same location over and over again.

I said, "Your kids are trespassing," and then she got real loud, and I said, "You need to take a step back." This field here is between where Susan used to live and just across the way is where AJ used to live.

Before Susan did move here, our kids were already playing in this field. There was never a problem from anybody that's ever lived out here.

Susan believed that a portion of the field belonged to her and she had the right to peace and quiet.

I moved in first. AJ moved in maybe about a month after me, and then 2, 3 months later Susan moved in.

First of all, before she moved there, this big open space right here, all the kids, they like to play kickball, football in the space she moved in. I don't want y'all playing over there. That's private property. So they don't play there.

Line up, let's go!

And the kids would play over there, and her apartment is over here, and she would literally antagonize these kids for no reason. She would come outside, move her truck from the other side all the way to this part right here by the tree, and just lay on her horn for like 10 minutes at a time just to aggravate the kids.

You had one neighbor who didn't really like all the noise and all the fun. Yes, ma'am. What kinds of complaints did she make?

She would come out sticking up the middle finger.

My kids take the dog out. The other day she tells the kids, tells my son, I'm going to have you arrested and you're going to jail. He's 8, so he's terrified.

One time I was walking my dog and he would always get loose somehow off the leash. He ran across the yard. I ran after him. She saw me. And she, like, she had this, like, party horn. She honked it. I got so scared.

Were you in her yard? No, ma'am.

We play in the field and we make sure we didn't go in her yard.

And so I go over there to the baby.

This is my private property.

They can't have the dog over here.

I told them, first of all, he's not on your property. He's on this side. You don't own it.

I will say that that lady is always messing with people's kids.

She's always— Yeah, she's always trying to record the kids and always talking crap, but I didn't see anything, so I can't say nothing.

Okay. It was like every other day she was coming out bothering the kids, calling the cops. It was every other day.

The picture was painted that Susan was a problem in the neighborhood revolving around how she treated her neighbors, specifically children who played in the area.

Your children are trespassing. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. They're trespassing. There's a trespassing sign. I've told them, please don't come here. I'm working. My kids don't care.

She went and bought a little private property sign and she stuck it in the yard. So she has a sign and she's basically like ramming the sign in my face. So then when she went to pick it back up, I picked the sign up and I threw the sign. I literally picked the sign up and as I walked off, I threw the sign. I said, I can go and buy a sign too. Still doesn't mean anything. At that point, I guess she's already on the phone and she—

oh, I'm being attacked, someone's attacking me.

I'm literally in the street now proceeding over here.

Everybody's kind of— where, where, where this happening?

Right over here behind the mailbox.

Okay. The deputies are forced to be in the middle of this neighborhood dispute over whether or not children should be allowed to play in their neighborhood. They're caught between Audra Owens and Susan Lorenz. How's it going?

See it? It's another day. All right, well, just call me. Hey, ma'am. Yeah? Did you see anything? Yeah, she didn't touch that lady. She just took the thing out the ground and that was it. What thing?

The thing. The no trespassing thing. Susan was like, do you see this sign? This is a no trespassing sign. Don't come over here. Get your ass off my get your ass off my property.

And all she did was tell the lady to stop yelling at her kids.

That lady yells at everybody's kids out here.

Okay, well, I mean, I wouldn't go over there anymore. Okay, so since there's a no trespass, so unfortunately can't go over there. That's fine.

I mean, if it's hers, it's hers.

But I mean, did your daughter, did AJ, ever talk about what Susan was calling the Police about?

She was complaining about the children just playing that in the field.

Hello? Hi, is this Miss Susan? Yes. Okay. Do you want to come outside and talk to me? Sure. Okay.

When I responded to Miss Susan's house on that day, her initial complaint was just that she was working on a paper. And she had a headache. The neighborhood kids were playing in the lot next to her apartment and they were being loud.

You know, and I don't want the kids running back and forth here screaming and yelling when I'm trying to concentrate.

We typically don't get calls about children playing. Well, if those people aren't complaining, I can't kick them off that property. Before I even made contact with her, I was already frustrated. There wasn't a reason for us to be out there for something that seemed so silly at the time.

Well, like I said, unless they're on your property, then it's— it's not really an issue.

Yeah, but those kids, you know, they shouldn't be screaming and, you know, running around either.

I'd rather kids be screaming because they're out here playing and have a good time than stealing cars and robbing people. So if they're out here having a good time, they're having a good time.

Miss Susan was very frustrated with me. She was not happy with my answer.

Why can't they play on?

I don't know. I'm not them. I'm not their parent. Like I said, it's a big open lot. It's probably just— No, it's too nice for them.

I don't know what all you can actually hear on my body cam. I don't know how muffled it was as I was walking away. She used some very choice words to call me.

I can see how you all live. All right, well, you have a good night.

And so I looked at my partner and simultaneously was trying to turn my camera off.

You off?

Yeah. What the fuck?

I just didn't get my camera off in time.

After being called to that neighborhood time and time again, deputies probably were like, here we go again. And the fact that there were no arrests irked Susan. I'm coming with him. Susan went out and bought two guns.

One day we were playing in the yard, and then she had showed— it looked like a rifle out the window.

Incredibly, Susan's anger toward these kids soon becomes downright hateful.

She called us the N-word. You already hurt yourself? Is your body cam on?

Of course. See the little blinking red light? I already did hurt myself.

Body cams are great for us because they show matter of fact what happened. There is no, well, I may have perceived it this way or that way. No, you see for certain exactly how it happened. Number 3.

I think 1 and 2 is on that side.

This is my body cam.

You've got your camera, and then this is like your main button to start and stop it. And then up here, there's a screen. When it's on, it'll flash red.

Sheriff's office. Hi.

What's going on this evening? Lots of children screaming their fool heads off, running around. They know they're not supposed to be over here.

They've been told many times. As we started to learn more about the ongoing issues in that neighborhood, we're seeing a pattern here of issues between these two neighbors, Susan Lorenz and Audra Owens.

Listen to me. You got that dog? His mother comes over here. If you treat my son like that again, I'm going to rip your ass out and go beat you up. Excuse me? I don't bloody well think so. And I said, see that no trespassing sign? Get off my porch. And no, I'm not going to— I said, yeah, I'm calling the sheriff's department.

I'm going to go talk to these kids.

Okay. I'm Deputy Heckman.

Um, I just need to know whose mom it was.

It was a Boy, you went over there. That's Ajika there in the darkness.

My kids were out here playing with them. Okay. And my oldest son, he called me on the cell phone. He's like, Mom, she's out here and she's in our face and she's yelling.

And I can hear her. The deputies are caught in the middle because they're the mediator between these two neighbors who have this dispute about something so minute, something so silly. Kids just being kids. That's not the use of law enforcement. There's no serious crime happening here.

I'm trying to figure out— it is almost every single day. So like, at the end of the day, somebody has to be the one to try to meet me halfway. Sure. That's what I was trying to do. And I was like, I just want to know what happened with him. He is disrespectful and he is rude, and I am a doctor and he has no reason to So yeah, we're clear.

Were you the guys that, that this lady was mad about? Yes.

And I just want to say that every time, like, even if we're not—

hold on, hold on, let's bring it down. Okay, I'm sorry. You're okay. Every time, even if we're not on her property and we're just like, like being loud and playing basketball over there because there's a basketball court— I got you.

Like, she, she just calls us names. The tensions are practically boiling over, and the kids in the neighborhood are giving police a firsthand account of Susan's verbal attacks and threats against them.

What kind of names is she calling you guys?

Retards, the B-word, the B-word, the B-word, every word in the book. Like, one time we were— look, the kids were playing right there, and it was his dad outside, and then she came out. She came out yelling, and she was talking about a little girl getting raped and stuff.

Like, she's crazy. Like, she'll come out—

all of them said, like, literally approached him in like an aggressive manner. He's like this big, this big, and he's not, right? No, I did not. He walked up to me and get the hell off my property, and he's a little disrespectful little bastard. So then at that point I'm pissed off. Sure. So I'm walking up and I said, okay, I was trying to come over here and resolve with you, but I tell you what, the next time you walk up on my kids, you're gonna have to take it up with me. Okay. Oh, now you're threatening me?

I'm calling the police. Okay.

Literally, I never even got face-to-face contact with her because she never opened the door.

Okay. Ajika is being harassed by this woman. Her children are being harassed. Other children are being harassed. And Susan Lawrence is the only person that calls the police. I think that says a lot about who feels like the police are supposed to protect them.

I think the deputies were tired of responding to that neighborhood.

Y'all have a good evening.

Thank you. Yeah, psycho.

You going to go back, talk to him? You should be like, listen, their kids are going to be kids. If you don't like it, then you should probably move.

So you can even see their frustration going out over and over again with these claims of trespassing that were simply unwarranted.

911, what is your emergency? We've got some kids who are just trespassing.

This little kid is trying to put a dog in my truck.

You guys chasing a dog or trying to put a dog into a car or something? No, the Karen called. The Karen called?

Yes. Ashika said all the children would call her the Karen. And she flicked me off.

She flicked him off because this is public space right here.

The children would be in the body cam and they would say things to law enforcement like, yeah, the lady across the street, she's always calling us bad names and she's harassing us.

One time I was riding the bike in her parking lot and she called me a slave.

A slave? A slave. The neighbor said that to you?

She did. She tells us stuff.

And she called us the N-word?

She used to call us the N-word with the hard R, just names, saying we're going to get raped if we be in her yard.

Wait, right here.

Ashika would tell me that there was a neighbor that was calling them all sorts of names, racial slurs.

What kind of an impact did that have on your daughter? Because as a Black parent, you try to shield your children from that kind of thing. And now to have to have that conversation with them about race. Yes.

So my daughter, Ajika, always wanted them to know that they're not what this person is calling them, you know, to have pride in themselves.

That's why we—

She be talking to her. I'm going to go talk to her. She—

every time I go, I walk past, she thinks we're trying to steal her truck or buy her truck.

We're not even— How old are you? We're 11. Okay. Yeah.

Hello, how are you? Good. Is it Susan? Yes. Okay, what's going on?

Uh, the kid from across the street and his little buddies, they're over here, they're stepping on the signs and stuff. He brings out a puppy, he wants to put his puppy in my truck. I don't go for that.

In the bed of your truck? Yeah.

Who? Um, this little child who posed for me because he thought he was being so bloody cute.

That little child. That child she's pointing to in the photo is Ajika's son Izzy. Yeah. How did it affect your mom? How upset was she about all of this?

It was over the top because Coming home after a long day of work just to hear your kids complain about a lady who's bothering you. Not exactly the type who would take it easily.

She's saying he was trying to put the dog in the back of the truck.

Yeah, in the back of the truck. You think he could even lift that dog?

That dog is bigger than him. The poodle is bigger than him. Okay. Literally, like, that dog is— the dog stands this tall and tall about this wide around.

All of us live out here. Nobody else is complaining. Nobody else. She's the only one.

There are several kids out there right now, and I'm hearing from my wife.

I'm very scared. I locked my doors.

You just don't fathom that it would turn into what it turned into.

Hello, what's that? I think somebody got shot.

643 Main, I'm 97. I have one down. I have one elderly female barricaded in the house with a signal zero.

Typical day. It was a gorgeous day to be out. The kids were in their first full week out of school, just like other kids around Central Florida. They had their whole summer ahead of them.

It seemed like a regular, normal day. The kids were playing. We were all doing what we normally did.

There were kids playing in the yard, as most kids do on a summer night on a Friday.

Susan Lawrence had a problem home with children being what she considered was too close to her apartment building, she says caused her distress. It caused her to not be able to sleep.

She woke up from a nap because she says she was not feeling well. She heard the kids playing.

Just us being loud, playing in the yard, probably while she was trying to like rest or something. We were kids at the time. What kids do in a big yard that they see playing.

The kids have another encounter with Susan Lawrence. One of Adrika Owens' children had left an iPad and needed to retrieve the iPad from Susan Lawrence and could not get it from her.

One of the kids left his iPad, and so he went over to get it, and they said that she was throwing roller skates at him.

According to the kids who were there and witnessed it, Susan's verbal attacks turned physical.

So I was outside playing basketball and I just seen a pair of roller skates flying at Izzy.

There was an issue with roller skates, and she says that she grabbed the roller skates and threw them, told them to pick up your stuff and go home.

So me and Isaac went over there, and then she came out And with the umbrella and started swinging it and called us a jackass.

And then she was flirting with us.

Susan said that one of Miss Owens' children came to her apartment and they had exchanged words, to which the child told Susan that, I'm going to go tell my mom.

Susan told him to go get his mother. And of course, any child who's having, you know, a problem with an adult is going to inform their parents. And so that's exactly what happened.

They went back to their home and they got their mother.

Her son tells her, this is what happened. She took my tablet. She threw a skate at me.

Susan Lawrence called 911 just before 9:00 saying that there were kids being too loud and too noisy.

911, what is the address of your emergency? I am a call taker and a dispatcher for the Marion County Fire Rescue. I took Susan Lawrence's first 911 call. All right, and tell me exactly what happened. They're leaving all the toys around, just screaming, yelling, just being When I first answered the phone, she was talking about a noise complaint for the children.

They just badgering me and badgering me. I'm just sick of these children. Now that they're home from school, it's like, you know, craziness.

And then changed it to like a trespass that they were not allowed to be at that location.

There's several kids out there right now. I'm fearing for my life. I'm very scared. They have no business over there.

No trespassing signs. Anytime we have a disturbance call, we have to tell them to separate themselves and to keep themselves in a safe location. All right, do want you to avoid that person and then keep your doors and windows locked. An officer will be dispatched as soon as possible. As soon as I had the address, the phone number, and the problem, I had the call sent over immediately.

Okay, thanks. All right, bye-bye.

AJ Owens, walked over to Susan's house and wanted to have a discussion, a dialog, a conversation with Susan.

From everything that we gathered during our investigation, at least one of her children was in the proximity of a few feet of their mother. And while Susan was inside of her apartment alone, she initially heard a barrage of banging on her door.

And all of a sudden I heard what I thought was her banging on the wall, and I heard it twice. And I mean, I swear I could see my wall shake.

She got two sets of knocks in. She got 1, 2, 3, and then she got the 1, 2, 3, which was louder.

And that's when she said, come outside, bitch.

It's now 9:01 PM, 2 minutes after Susan Lawrence's 911 call.

No, I, I heard a cop and people screaming.

I heard a gunshot, so I just ran inside.

All I could hear is screams.

The gun went off and then it was over.

Then that's when I told all the kids, get back, get back, cuz I didn't know if the lady was still going to be shooting or what.

There is still someone with a gun.

I'm in front, I'm in front.

Show me your hands.

On the night of the incident, I was responding to Quail Run in reference to a trespassing call of children playing in a field near the home of the caller, which was Susan Lorenz.

They have no business over there. There's no trespassing sign.

We were a few minutes out. We get an updated call advising that there had been a shooting.

I heard what to me sounded like a gunshot. Somebody got shot. His mom got shot. I think somebody just got shot. 64 on the ground.

Do they know who the shooter is and where they're at?

Susan Lawrence fired one shot through the door. It hit AJ through the chest, under the armpit.

There is terror. Children have seen their mother get shot. AJ was really upset.

She wants to have a conversation. Correct. And instead she gets a bullet.

One of AJ's sons was with her and saw the shooting. AJ walked back from Susan's house and told her son to call 911. Before she collapsed.

I cannot imagine for Izzy to be standing there next to his mom and a gunshot pierces the door and hits his mom. I cannot imagine what that had to be like for him.

He told me that he heard her say, "Call the police. Call 911.

I've been shot." One of her sons is then running frantically to a neighbor's home trying to get help for his mother.

So I was cooking dinner for my kids. All the kids were playing outside in the field, and I got this big bang on my door while I was serving their plates. And it was— it was loud. My kids looked out the window and they was like, 'Isaac's outside, Mom.' So I opened the door and he was really frantic. He was like so frantic he couldn't breathe. And I came outside and I ran across the field and she was just laying there. And, oh, it was just— it was a lot.

Isaac, the oldest, comes just through here screaming, hollering, "They shot my mom! They shot my mom!" I'm scrambling like, "This can't be true. I don't understand." He takes me by the hand and leads me to his mother's body over in the field. I was in disbelief. There's probably 14 people standing on this side of the street, and she's alone on the ground, and I just— I couldn't do anything but try and help her.

And then I started CPR. Susan was inside her house. She did not come outside her house. But after that shooting, she had called 911 again.

911, dad just had the emergency.

Oh my God, this lady just tried to break down my door. I shot through the door. I didn't know what to do. I grabbed my gun.

I was sitting up at Cracker Barrel and just kind of eating my dinner out in the parking lot. And I had heard them dispatching a shooting. Tossing my food in the passenger seat, hitting the lights, and I'm heading out at the speed of light as fast as I can to get to Quilt Run, which fortunately is only a few blocks away.

We need to get over here and make sure whoever has the gun is secured. Be careful, we don't know where the shooter's at.

It's like the second 911 call from Susan. Susan was very frantic. Take a deep breath, honey. Calm down. Oh my God. You said someone tried to break down your door. Is that correct?

Yes. Yes. The woman was screaming and yelling. She was trying to break down my door.

We get to the neighborhood. As we pull up right here by the mailboxes—

Right here, right here, right here.

When we arrived, we seen the victim laying on the ground and the community had gathered around and was trying to help her. She's got poles.

She said she's got poles. Right side of chest. Okay.

There's no exit. That night when I walked over here and I saw AJ and they were doing CPR on her. Oh my God. I don't know. I just had this really bad feeling.

Where is she shot at? Right here, right here.

She was on the ground right here. There was a group of people around. They were worked up, they were upset, they were crying. They were trying to help her out medically however they could.

As I'm responding, I'm hearing my radio. They're talking about how the shooting has occurred. There's one female victim who is on the ground. I need I need to make sure I grab my trauma bag. I need to make sure I have my gloves and I have all of my items I need to be able to assist her the best I can.

She stated she's shot through the door.

Okay, where's your gun now? It's in my bedroom.

So I made sure I put that in a call immediately so I can let the deputies know what they're going to walk into.

There is still someone with a gun. He's inside.

Okay. Where? Make— Sheriff's office, Sheriff's office, your hands up! Sheriff's office, you're inside, make it known now!

Yes, that's fine. 6439-97, I have one down. I have one elderly female barricaded in the house with a signal zero. There is still someone with a gun.

She's inside. Okay, where? Where? She's in the house, bro. That apartment right here. This first apartment. I need like a court order.

Baby, wake up. Baby, wake up. Wake up.

Wake up. And I asked, hey, where is the person with a gun? And I was directed by the group to go over here that, hey, they're in that apartment. And if you watch the body cam back, you can see I'm in front. I'm in front. I had come over to the fence, and we began giving commands. Sheriff's office, come outside with your hands up.

It's the Marion County Sheriff's Office. Come outside with your hands up. Show me your hands. Show me your hands. Turn around. Turn around.

Where's your gun at?

I don't know what's going on. You're going to be detained for now.

Is there anybody else in the house?

Is there somebody else in the house? Um, can I just get my— No, no, no, not right now.

You're not under arrest. You're being detained. Okay, fine. She was calm and she asked me, hey, can you shut the door? Don't let the cats out. I mean, we can lose the door.

I have 2 cats inside.

One of the cats is still running.

Female's detained. Need medics. 10-18.

And she comes out with this confused look on her face as if she doesn't know why they want her to come out of her home. Wait, wait.

Come this way. No, no.

Come on. My house.

Okay, we will worry about that in a minute.

Right now I got other things to worry about. Okay. Get over there and assess her.

I will bring the bag over.

Here, I got to sit you in the back here. Go assess the person down. Okay. You just sitting there.

Hey, I need someone. Give her aid right there.

She needs medical aid over there. All right, sit inside. I need you all the way inside. I need help, though.

Okay, I need you to hurry, though. Okay, I know.

I understand you need help. Yes, she's got polio.

She thinks she's got polio.

When I find Miss Owens under the tree, she's unresponsive. She's not talking.

She's got a gunshot wound to her right shoulder area. They've been doing CPR for about 5 minutes.

It's not— you clear the scene.

It's like no one could move fast enough. I think there was so much shock and horror at what had just happened.

Take a step back because they're going to try to pick her up.

And I think we're all just praying it's not too late.

How do you get word? Isaac, my grandson, called me. He's just screaming, yelling, saying that, "Mom's been shot.

Mom's been shot." We need to rope this off. Yes, that's what he's grabbing tape right now. Murphy!

Get some tape. Where's Izzy? Izzy, come here, baby. Hi, Izzy.

Come here, buddy. Hey, it's your hospital.

It's your hospital.

So right now she's going to the hospital so that way they can take better care of her than what I can do right I'm here, okay? My son's the same age, and so just hearing her baby, you know, I imagine what my son would feel like. What if that was me? What if he was crying for me? And it hurts. You're being so strong.

Very proud of you.

OK. Thank you. Thank you. OK. I'm sorry. It's OK. All right. OK. All right. Daddy here. All right. Come on.

It was approximately 15, 20 minutes later when we got notified that she had passed away. They're doing the notification to the kids right now. It was rough. The older kids, we had to break it to them, and they had their dad there at the time. Y'all love me? Okay.

Y'all love Mom, right? Well, I got some bad news to tell you. Mom is not coming back anymore. Come, come, come, come, come. No, no, no, come here. Come over here. Listen to me. No, no, I know. Okay, it's okay. I know. Okay, I know. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry. I am sorry.

I'm so sorry.

I think that you hope that these kids understand that we did everything that there was that we could do on that night.

I just remember myself screaming.

I could I hear myself now screaming, "Why?" I'm told over the phone that my daughter has been killed. I cried. I screamed. I screamed.

Because she was threatening me.

Based on the circumstances at the scene—

Susan, go ahead and step out for me.

I felt it was best to have Susan transported to the major crimes building where we can conduct an interview.

And then you don't have to sit straight forward. You can sit sideways.

However—

My daughter was killed. Someone shot her. Someone needed to be held accountable.

Hello, what's your call for?

I called because the lady across the street on the phone—

it was the perfect storm brewing.

Her children were walking their dog on the property.

They should call the police.

Yeah, but I don't know that anyone knew that it would end—

is the Marion County Sheriff's Office— come outside with your hands up—

with Audra Owens shot dead.

Take a step back because they're gonna try to pick her up on the street in her own neighborhood.

Mom is not coming back anymore because Susan Lorenz shot a gun through her front door.

Adrika was the type of person that always showed up no matter what she had going on. She made a way to be present.

She signed us up for football, and she would be the one buying the snacks and getting all the water and She would even make us run if we dropped a pass or missed a tackle.

When I think about her, I think about her smile. That's the first thing I think about. She had this big smile. Her personality would just fill up the space.

We would often chitchat over the phone and talk about her different dreams and aspirations. She said, "You just wait and see. The world is going to know my name." From 30 for 30 Podcasts.

Did you say someone got shot? Brian Pata, senior defensive lineman for Miami, gunned down. The key to this case, it's Brian.

An hour before he died, he was on the phone arguing with somebody.

This might be a hit.

You They want the truth.

They just want a conviction. Being placed under arrest.

We had a killer amongst us.

Murder at the U, listen now.

We gather here tonight to bring women back to their rightful place.

The Testaments, a new Hulu original series from the executive producers of The Handmaid's Tale.

It's easier to accept a story than believe that the people around you are monsters.

The battle isn't over. There comes a time when you have to take action, when you have You have to choose your own destiny.

Watch the new Hulu original series The Testaments streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers.

Terms apply.

3 hours after Adrika Owens' shooting, Susan Lawrence is in the interview room at the Marion County, Florida Sheriff's Office.

Hi. I'm sorry, I'm just sitting here because I was freezing.

Oh, it is chilly in here, isn't it? Susan? Yes. Hey, I'm Detective Stith. This is Detective Peterson.

Investigators take Susan Lawrence down to headquarters to question her about what had happened.

Can we just get you to slide that chair back over here in just a moment? I'm sorry to keep you waiting so long. I was the lead investigator on the Susan Lawrence Azhika Owens homicide case. So I wanted to be in the room to speak with Susan about what happened. So we're working this investigation, and at this point, you are not free to leave. So I have to make you aware of your rights, okay, before we talk. So I have to read this to you. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right— During the first interview, Susan denied any allegations that were made by either children or witnesses on scene. There was some statements given to us that you had taken a tablet or picked up a tablet that was on the ground. Absolutely not. No. And what was the— what was the deal with the roller skates? Because again, we talked to a lot of people who were outside and they witnessed some of those.

How many kids keep leaving all their toys around? Oh my gosh. You know, Stop already. This is not your garbage yard. You know, the kid's got his roller skates there. And I'm like, really? Take your roller skates. I threw him the roller skates. I'm like, go fetch them. You know, it'll just be enough because—

Did you throw that at them? Oh, God, no. OK. We're trying to determine, is Susan embellishing the details to make it appear like she's the victim when in reality her anger and even fear got the best of her? So you were communicating with her through the door?

Yeah, and I'm like, all right, just leave. You know, I don't want to hear it now. Kill you. Kill you. And I didn't think too much of it until she really started pounding that door. And I'm like, oh my God. Then I really— I got scared. Like, terrified scared. I don't even actually remember picking up the gun. I just remember shooting.

At that point, I felt important to reveal to her that Miss Owens had passed away from a gunshot wound. I mean, we got to kind of get specific about this because it's big. It's a big deal. I understand. Someone's dead. Oh, Jesus Christ. She never seemed to consider the status of Miss Owens until it was revealed that she had passed.

It was only because she was pounding at my door and I honestly thought she was going to come in. I was just fearful of my life. And I was just like, go away, go away. That's all I could think of was just get out of the situation, you know, just go away already. And, um—

But when you fire through a door that's closed, was it locked?

Yes, it was locked.

In that moment, that night, that door was shut, locked, deadbolted.

What we're looking at is the front door of Susan Loren's apartment that she shot through. The night that Miss Owens was killed. The bullet hole is marked here. I did have the deadbolt on, so I didn't know how long the door was going to hold up. And that's why I'm asking, because at first it's broken and now it's super secure with an extra long deadbolt.

No, I'm just saying that we did put the— but if you look at it, everything's crumbling.

Susan indicated during our interviews that there had been prior damage to her door And based off of that, she had the landlord install what she described as an extra-long deadbolt.

Her claim of self-defense became complicated, particularly when we all learned that she had shot and killed Adrika Owens through a locked door.

After you fired the round, what did you do?

She said, Alan, I'm going to kill you. Oh my God, I hit her. And it just clicked. I hit her. Oh, Jesus Christ. And I thought I just, you know, nicked something.

I never ever— And what did you— Did you go out there? No. You didn't go out there? No. Susan maintained that her intention was to scare Miss Owens away, that she just wanted the banging to stop.

Trying to hit her or were you trying to scare her off?

I was never intending to hit her. I just thought, I mean, I thought I hit really high, you know. I was just like, all I could think is go away, go away, go away, go away.

Were you aiming for the door?

I just fired the gun because all I could think of is it's I felt like I was in mortal danger. I mean, it's just how I felt.

The interesting thing about the state of Florida is that we have this Stand Your Ground law.

Good evening, and we begin with the growing anger across this country over the shooting death of that unarmed teenager, Trayvon Martin.

In Florida, they have a law called the Stand Your Ground law.

In most states, you're required to retreat if someone comes after you. You don't have the right to shoot someone on the street.

If you feel that you're in danger.

In Florida, you do have that right.

Members of the jury, have you reached a verdict?

That has been very controversial. It's been used successfully by a lot of people in a court of law.

We, the jury, find George Zimmerman not guilty.

Susan, give me just a minute.

Let me write this down.

As things start to wrap up, you get a sense sense that maybe now she's going to be hauled off to the Marion County Jail to be held accountable for what has happened.

All right, I talked to the state attorney, the prosecutor for the state attorney's office. Um, they are along the same lines of what we're thinking. We're going to continue the investigation. Knowing that there were so many things that still had unanswered questions and unresolved evidence gathering, we made the choice to release Susan. We'll go out this door here.

And in the end, she just gets to walk out of the room as though none of it had ever happened.

What world are we living in? That a mother was just killed in front of her children through a closed, locked door and she's not arrested.

You just have a seat in the back.

I'll turn the AC up and we'll get out of here.

All right, thank you.

Every day Susan Lorenz was allowed to roam free in that community, the outraged.

Make your life easy? Are you kidding me?

The demand for justice—

many people today protested. A mother has lost her life—

continued to build. And I'm going to tell you something, it was going to explode.

No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!

All right, we're going out this door right here on the right.

9 hours after shooting Ahjika Owens, Susan Lawrence is free to go.

So I spoke with Detective Stith. I guess you've talked to him already today. He said that you're going to gather some belongings and go to a hotel. Is that correct?

They handcuffed her and put her in the back of the cop car. So everybody thought she was being arrested. And come to find out, she wasn't arrested.

Thank you.

I was in disbelief. I was. I didn't understand. I thought from the start that it was murder. There was never a question in my mind.

Will I be able to go in my apartment or no?

I'm sorry? Will I be able to go in my apartment or no?

Because I need to pick up medication.

Yeah, I think— I think Detective Sis is going to allow you to gather some belongings. Okay.

She was here getting her stuff, and that's when everything just broke out with like all the neighbors. All the neighbors were upset. Everybody was mad.

Susan relocates to a hotel after the shooting. She comes back to her apartment from time to time with police.

Most of us were home when Susan came home to get some of her belongings and things like that.

Hey, Gabby, come here.

Lost my mind. Days go by and this woman who had shot and killed her neighbor isn't arrested.

No, no, she isn't arrested.

This neighborhood was really, really upset and up in arms, enraged.

They're screaming over there. She's fucking with me.

I know, I hear them.

Treat that little boy the way you treat our kid.

I'm going to go talk to them. Can you all stay over there? Can you just— just don't— just don't talk to them.

She came out here and she was getting her stuff, and I was inside, and I looked and I saw her out the window, and I came outside, and I was so mad. Like, I was so mad.

Hey, ma'am, how you doing? So I'm just gonna talk to you real quick. I know you're upset, okay?

Everybody's upset.

She's gonna end up in jail, so it don't matter, but everybody's upset.

Listen, I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm here—

she shouldn't even be in the streets. She murdered this lady. Okay, listen, I'm gonna be honest with you.

I'm here because Because she called me. She— she—

because she knows better than to be out here alone.

That's why she got people with her, because she knows.

She actually came with a police escort.

She was able to get done what she needed to get done, but it was difficult for other people to see.

Hey, what are you doing right now? Can you come to Susan's house? Whole neighborhood's coming out and they're going slightly verbal. I'm good.

Yeah, watch out.

Could have been any of us that would have went and knocked on that door that night. So everybody was upset. She literally killed this innocent woman, and the next day after she murdered her, she's walking around freely. It's not right.

I was familiar with Stand Your Ground and at that point was afraid that their delay in her arrest had to do with Stand Your Ground. And I knew we needed immediate legal support and representation.

We'd like to thank every single person who's present with us today. My name is Anthony Thomas. I'm an attorney for the family. I, as well as Attorney Benjamin Crump, are working very closely with the family so that we can bring justice to the unlawful killing of a Black mother of 4 who was shot through the door on Friday evening.

And we wanted her story to be told and let people, you know, the world know what happened to her.

I just want to thank everybody for coming out for my mother.

Thank you.

What I'm asking is for justice. Justice for my daughter, Ashika Shantrell Owens. Justice for your family. Family, for your children, for your loved ones. Justice for America.

Because we want to seek justice and we want to assure that we get the facts right, especially in a case to this level, we just don't take always one side because it doesn't always paint the full picture.

The sheriff of Marion County, actually Billy Woods, told me that he was going to do everything within his power to investigate investigate the situation. That's not enough. It's his job to investigate the situation. What I wanted to hear from Billy Woods was that he was going to make an arrest.

Many people today protested the lack of an arrest in the shooting of Adrika Owens.

No justice, no peace!

Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods has said that he cannot make an arrest while the Sheriff's Department investigates whether this meets the criteria of Florida's Stand Your Ground law. More than 75 Hundreds of people came to downtown Ocala to demand an arrest, marching all the way to the state attorney's office. A mother has lost her life for being a mother. Where is the justice in that?

As I've explained to the people that I've been talking to, there's evidence that's being gathered. There are things that are being looked at. There are warrants that are being executed. So it's supposed to— it's important to wait for the evidence to come back.

We understand that process, sir, but why isn't she in jail? Why this process?

Because if it was us, we'd be in jail.

Why y'all doing this process?

I felt that they just saw her just as another Black life. And that because she was Black, that maybe there wasn't the urgency to make an arrest. I felt that had the roles been reversed, in my opinion, that there would have been an immediate arrest.

The standard of the law of self-defense in Florida applies to everyone. We follow the evidence and we take as long as it takes to get the facts right.

What did that mean to you to have people come in and to advocate on your behalf?

It told me that people understood the atrocity of this. It showed that people still care. People want justice.

We're here to fight and show you that our life mattered and that justice needs to be served and will be served as long as We all have breath in our bodies.

Okay, let's just help me.

Susan was taken in for questioning a second time, 4 days after the initial shooting.

Have you ever heard of the term stand your ground? Yes. Susan, I think you know the reason why I'm asking that question. You're smart. Okay. And the reason is— Oh, hell no.

No, absolutely. I know what you're thinking.

Nice to meet you.

Well, they got to my dishes. Nice.

This is Detective Ryan Stith. I'll be attempting to make phone contact with the suspect Susan Lawrence. Hello? Hi, this is Detective Stith, uh, with the Sheriff's Office.

Yes, is this Susan? Yes, it is.

My supervisors said that, uh, we have some additional questions.

I was wondering if you'd be available Susan has been walking around freely, but detectives are still investigating, talking to nearly everybody in the neighborhood. And then they want to talk to Susan again. It's 4 days after the shooting.

Her being just as cold in here. All right, give us just a couple minutes.

They eventually questioned her a second time.

Susan tries to repeat the same story that she'd given him. She took the role of the victim, that she was, you know, afraid for her life. Same thing.

Bring me to that moment when you had the gun in your hand.

What were you thinking?

All I wanted her was to go away. I just, you know, I felt she was going to come through that door and kill me. I'm sorry. That's what I felt. I just felt she was going to come through the door and kill me. It was— it was a tremendous fear.

Do you feel bad for what happened? Oh, Christ, yes.

This wasn't just violence, this was racialized violence. Susan had a history of using racial epithets.

What kind of things was she saying that you, you called her kids?

I called them racial slurs, that I called them slaves, and that's never happened. I did call them retards once because they just kept coming and coming. I said, are you retarded? You can't read the sign.

Is there any reason why anybody would have any video or anything like that of you saying, like, the N-word? I have no idea.

And if I did let it go, I'm sorry.

It slipped out. What context would it slip out, do you think? I mean, what would happen for you to say something like that?

If they were being extraordinarily rude or if they were just— I was always taught the N-word meant that you were just being unlawful, you know, dirty, just, I don't know, generally not being pleasant.

Okay. I'm just, just trying to figure out who's sitting in front of me here. Is it, is it over here? I've been planning this. I picked up the gun and I was waiting for her to come over because it was very quick. It was 2 minutes. Or it was I had the gun in my hand and I made a mistake.

Susan had already made the first 911 call about the kids trespassing, and then within 2 and a half minutes after, she called 911 to report that she had fired through her door. You had just disconnected. Within 2 minutes, a shot was fired through that door. There's no way to justify that.

This wasn't a long siege. It wasn't a castle siege. It didn't last for 20, 30 minutes, it was 2 minutes. So you're trying to tell us that a reasonable person would shoot somebody for less than 2 minutes of making statements outside? That doesn't make any sense.

Being afraid of Adrika and therefore feeling like she needed to purchase a gun.

Now, is that a gun that you've, uh, a gun that you've had for years, or you just had it for a couple weeks? Help me understand that. No, over a year.

Okay, over a year. I used to be terrified before, and then a friend said, you know, you you really can't defend yourself, he said you should think about getting a gun.

Susan had two firearms by her own admission. When she went to her bedroom to retrieve a firearm, she actually had to move a second firearm, a Ruger.22 handgun, out of the way to retrieve her Remington.380. You said that you used the, uh, the.380, right, when you fired the gun? Okay. Is there any reason why you chose that gun inside the other one? They were both loaded, right?

They were both loaded. I just—

the one that Picked up, making the choice to— of the two guns that she had available, to use the more powerful gun.

Grabbed the gun. I was shaking like a leaf. And the more she pounded, the more she screamed. I was like, stop, stop, stop. Go away. Move away. She wouldn't move away. Finally, I'm going to kill you. And that was the last time. And I just fired the weapon.

Okay. Was there a spot you picked or something like that?

I just kind of— there was a door. I knew she was at the door. Shoved.

I have not learned of her ever saying to you that she wanted— that she wanted to get into the house. It sounded more like she wanted to talk to you outside of the house. How would—

how do you want to talk to outside the house when you're banging and screaming?

Yeah, that's not—

one of the people said that she said, come outside. That's not—

I'm sorry, come on.

It's not what— it's not reasonable and prudent.

One of the things I recognized almost immediately as soon as she said it was some of the terms that she was using to describe the incident. You had mentioned terminology like reasonable and prudent. Where did that come from, that terminology?

Watching TV. Watching TV?

Okay. Probably just crime shows and stuff.

It turns out she was very familiar with the Stand Your Ground law. She had been researching it.

Have you ever heard of the term Stand Your Ground? Yes. Have you ever done any kind of research research on that?

Yes, when it was mentioned on, um, some guy shot, um, someone at a, um, convenience store, and they said stand your ground.

Now, so nothing recent that would be on like your internet browser history?

No, I look up tons of stuff.

Susan, I think you know the reason why I'm asking that question. You, you're smart, okay? And, and the reason is—

oh, hell no, no, absolutely. I know what you're thinking. Did I look up the laws so I could do something? No.

This is not a situation where I can set something up to— because you were tired of this person, you were tired of the situation that they put you in.

No. Okay. Sorry. No.

I've told a lot of people that they're going to jail for very serious crimes, but I was still kind of stunned by Susan's response.

Stand up. Don't touch me. Susan, stand up. Susan, don't. No. Listen, it can go one of two ways. Go an easy way or I can go a really hard way. I'm sorry.

Was your goal to shoot and kill her?

No. What was your goal?

To shoot and hopefully, you know, she'd hear the shot and dissipate.

I, I just, I just got— I'm having a really hard time making this jump here that this unarmed person on the other side of the wall is somehow going to get into your house and kill you. I'm just really having a hard time getting there.

The detectives keep telling her, well, you've got to help us understand what happened here. Why were you in fear for your life? Why did you feel threatened?

Do you feel like you did something wrong here?

I did what I felt I had to. I honestly thought that she was going to kill me. I mean, that's all I felt. I just felt that terror. I mean, it was sheer terror.

And Susan Lawrence can't really quite articulate that outside of these allegations that Adrika Owens was making these threats toward her through this locked front door and banging on the door.

I can't get to the point where pounding on the door leads to your— leads to you being hurt or killed. I, I don't— I can't get that.

I told you she was going to break the door down.

Aunty Owens wasn't strong enough to knock that door down. The door was locked. She wasn't getting in there.

Many people who were questioned the night of the shooting have said we did not hear AJ threaten Susan.

No one that we've interviewed so far has made any statements about her saying that she wanted to kill you.

Um, that's what I heard. All I heard was knocking and then a gunshot. That's it. No, no fighting, none of that.

When she's knocking on the door, did Did you hear anything else said other than those words?

No, nothing else was said.

Is it possible she never threatened you at all?

No, I swear to God, I thought she said, I'm going to kill you. I mean, that's why I just panicked. As soon as those words came out of her mouth, I was like, Jesus Christ, she's going to kill me.

No one else in the neighborhood heard those threats that night other than Susan. And it's Susan's word against the other witnesses. And it's really a case of, Who do you believe more?

She has 4 kids, and I can't let you talk to them, but I would like— it's up to you if you would like to write them a letter or something to kind of, you know, whatever's on your mind or in your heart.

You don't have to. We're just going to leave a notepad and a pen in the room. I am so sorry for your loss. I never meant to kill your mother. I was terrified your mom was going to kill me. I shot out of fear.

The decision was made that Susan was going to be charged with manslaughter. All right, Susan. All right, we're going to have you go with this deputy here. Um, no. I'm sorry, no. No what?

I can't.

What's wrong? What's going on? I just can't.

I'm sorry, I can't do this.

Unfortunately, we're to that point where that's what's going to happen. She couldn't believe it.

She, she couldn't believe it. She thought that, you know, everything was just going to go her way.

Okay, so you're going to go with this deputy? No, I'm not. You're going to be booked in? No, I'm not. And fingerprinted? No, I'm not going. I'm sorry. She very matter-of-factly and politely decline to go to jail. Susan, you— we are—

we are going. There's no change in that now. You're— you're under arrest. In fact, we probably go ahead and put handcuffs on her.

Let's get— let's get you handcuffed. Stand up. Don't touch me. Susan, stand up. Susan, don't do it. No, listen, it can go one of two ways. It can go an easy way or it can go a really hard way. I'm sorry. We don't want to go the hard way.

I, I just can't do this. I'm sorry.

So what do you plan on sitting here the rest of the night?

I don't know what I'm gonna do.

Probably gonna die of a heart attack.

Well, like I said, they have medical staff over there. We want to be able to get you over there.

I had never seen or heard anything like that during an interview. Susan, this is what's going to happen. We're going to put you in handcuffs, and if we have to forcefully bring you out there, that's what we have to do because we are obligated. Really to take you to the jail now, okay?

Thank you for standing up. Just— I understand that.

So turn around your back for me.

Thank you, Susan.

I didn't do this on purpose. This wasn't a purposeful act. I did not premeditate it. I didn't do anything like that. This is ridiculous.

We're gonna go out this way.

4 days after the shooting, Susan is finally arrested because the people spoke.

I think that when we brought the attention to the situation, law enforcement had no other recourse but to arrest Susan at that point.

Tonight was a pivotal moment with the arrest of the perpetrator who shot and tragically killed my daughter.

Now to Florida, to the 58-year-old neighbor accused of shooting and killing a young mother of 4. Tonight, that suspect appearing for the judge, listed as a suicide risk, forced to wear a green vest. Now now charged with manslaughter.

Good morning, ma'am. What is your name?

Susan Lorenz. Today, the state attorney officially charged Susan Lorenz with manslaughter, saying he must follow the law, not family sentiment.

State Attorney William Gladson announced today a second-degree murder charge was considered but felt the state couldn't prove without a reasonable doubt that Lorenz had hatred, spite, ill will, or evil intent towards Owens.

The state attorney decided not to press a murder charge, but instead manslaughter.

Understanding the law, I knew why. If they can't prove the higher charge, then the person may walk. They may go free.

I felt that the manslaughter charge against Susan was a slap in the face.

I felt that it was murder, but at this point, I'm just happy that there are charges. At least there's charges.

A year later, all eyes are on Ocala, Florida.

Everyone was watching. Everyone was watching the outcome of the trial against Susan Lorenz.

I had grave concerns. We have a jury, all white. I didn't know. I did know.

I have great news! Malcolm in the Middle is back.

My life is fantastic now.

In a 4-part event, all I had to do is stay completely away from my family.

Your biggest problem is that we exist. Everyone's invited to the can't-miss reunion of the year.

This family's behaving You're toxic to me. You'll just take turns fighting and creating disaster. That's what families do.

Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair premieres Friday, April 10th on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers.

Terms apply.

Rated TV-14L.

The new Hulu original series, Dear Killer Nannies, inspired by the story Juan Pablo Escobar, a boy raised by hitmen. The new Hulu original series Dear Killer Nannies, streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. Terms apply.

Right now we're going to turn to the manslaughter trial of the Florida woman accused of fatally shooting her neighbor. We're ready to go?

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir. Let's bring the jurors back, please.

Oh, it was huge. The trial was huge.

Court's now in session. Your Honor, Robert W.

Hodges presiding.

Seeing Susan for the first time, can I just let my facial expression speak?

We were extremely scared when we ended up with an all-white jury. You know, the politics of this place are extremely conservative.

Did you go into the trial concerned about whether there would be a conviction, or were you hopeful?

By the time the trial had started, Susan had begun to age a little bit. When she shot my daughter, she was a strong strong, healthy woman. I was afraid that they were going to see her as this elderly, frail white woman that was afraid for her life.

This morning, the trial underway for the Florida woman accused of shooting a gun through her front door, killing her neighbor.

I'm Deputy Michael Strayer.

Deputy Aaron Barbosa.

My name is Ashton Wolfenberg, and I'm a deputy with the the Marion County Sheriff's Office.

You photographed 58 of States 1. This is the firearm. Did you conduct a second interview with the defendant? Yes, sir, I did.

The jury gets to see Susan's explanations, those tapes with the police, and they get to hear from the neighbors. Please introduce yourself to the jury.

My name is Franklin Weiss.

My name is Yvonne Costa. I heard a lot of pounding a lot of yelling, screaming, and then I heard a gunshot.

At any time, did you ever hear Isaac and Izzy's mom say, I'm going to kill you?

Yes, sir.

Miss Lawrence, have you discussed with your attorneys the decision regarding whether or not you will testify or not? Yes, I have. Can you tell us what that decision is?

I am not going to testify.

In her mind, in her soul, in her core, Susan Lawrence felt she had no choice, no choice at all, but to fire that door. It was either Susan or AJ.

Susan chose to defend herself. In closing arguments, The defense lawyers give jurors a dozen reasons to find Susan Lawrence not guilty. She's not guilty. But prosecutors argue it comes down to one question.

The crux of this case, ladies and gentlemen, is whether at the time she fired her gun at that closed, locked, deadbolted door, did she reasonably believe that her conduct was necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm against her.

Ladies and gentlemen, both the state and the defense have now rested their cases.

All rise. When word came back that there was a verdict, I think you sensed anxiety, tension, concern.

Court is now back in session.

Would this community that had been demanding justice for Audra Owens finally get it in in this Ocala courtroom.

John, it's my understanding you have reached a verdict in this case. Is that correct?

We were all clenching each other's hands so tightly.

Verdict as to count 1: We the jury find as to count 1 of the charge, the defendant is guilty of manslaughter. So say we all, dated the 16th day of August, 2024.

Literally, I had to hold Pam. Like, she wasn't walking. She couldn't even step. Like, I was holding her out the courtroom. And she let out this huge, like, just cry into my chest.

I thought that a guilty verdict was going to make me feel better. It almost had the opposite effect. It didn't make me feel good. It validated what I already knew, that my daughter's life should never have been taken.

Miss Lawrence, you're going to be held in custody of the Marion County Jail without bond until that time, okay? Thank you, and good luck to you.

3 months later, Susan Lawrence is back in court for sentencing.

I was there the day she was sentenced because I knew how deeply important it was for this community.

I never had a problem with a Black person in my life. This is not about race, and I actually love children.

The shooting was based I find more on anger than fear. I think that's pretty well established in this case. So what I'm going to do in this case is order— is she be adjudicated guilty of manslaughter with a firearm, order her to serve 25 years in Department of Corrections.

The day after Susan's sentencing, I emailed her defense attorney and said, I want to do an interview with her if you allow. There's some questions I think need to be answered. And she said, I'm willing to speak with you. I want my story out there. Walk me back through your initial reaction when they said guilty.

The shock. It's just absolute shock knowing how badly she had treated me. She would scream at me and be extraordinarily nasty.

If you had an opportunity to speak to AJ's kids, would you be open to talk to them? Yes, I would. And say what?

Just that I'm sorry and I wish things had turned out differently, and I understand their pain. It's horrible to lose you know, someone you love so much.

There was a conviction, but there are 4 children, 4 children who don't have their mom. How are you finding the strength to sort of keep pushing forward and doing well with everything happening?

That neighborhood will forever will forever be known as a neighborhood where Susan lived and AJ died. And I would probably like people to remember too, that's also the neighborhood where AJ lived.

This is a little memorial that Africa made.

This is Ajika. If you see right here, it looks like watermarks, but it's actually Africa's tears. This is when Ashika was pregnant with Isaac. He's the one that made her a mom, that changed her life.

Happy birthday, dear Africa. Happy birthday to you.

Africa's first birthday party.

Can I blow it?

AJ's mom, on some level, got a sense of justice. There was a conviction. Yeah. But there are 4 children— Izzy, Isaac, Africa, Titus— 4 children who don't have their mom.

I believe every Every day they wake up wishing that their mom was there. Every day.

You know, we still think of them. I do.

I think of them a lot.

How are they doing right now? Time has passed, but the grief and the hurt has not passed.

How do you want people to remember AJ?

She is— she was the embodiment, the epitome of what a mother should be. Life wasn't easy for her always, but she did it with grace.

How hard has it been? It's been very hard.

I just can't believe she's gone, you know? Been my rock and my fire since I was born.

Your rock and your fire.

I just got to be the strong man she raised me to be. Mm.

What are your memories of your mom?

I remember this one time we were both at home. And we were sitting on the bed, and she started teaching me this little song.

Yeah? Do you remember it? I do. Would you do a little bit?

Of course.

I am what God says I am, and I can be what God says I'll be, and I can— Be all that God says I can be.

That's beautiful. Thank you. What a moment, David, sitting with Izzy on that porch listening to him sing. His grandmother, Ajika's mom, has co-founded a foundation in her daughter's honor which provides healing and financial support to families impacted by racial violence.

And as for Susan Lawrence, she agreed to speak to 20/20, but the prison would not allow her to do the interview. She's appealing her conviction. That's our program for tonight. Thank you for watching. I'm David Muir.

And I'm Deborah Roberts. From all of us here at 20/20 and ABC News, good night.

The Hulu original series Love Overboard is now streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.

16 singles are headed to this super —luxury yacht to fall in love.

I'm a romantic.

I want to find love.

This is going to be the best summer of our lives.

But whoever you do not choose will be going overboard.

This is insane. Let the games begin.

Watch the new Hulu original series Love Overboard, now streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers. Terms apply.