Ajike “AJ” Shantrell Owens’ story is one that’s left an indelible mark on her Florida community, and now, the world.
The devoted mother of four was fatally shot on June 2, 2023, by her neighbour, Susan Lorincz, in their Ocala neighbourhood. The case, which drew national attention for its racial undertones and questions about the misuse of Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, is now the focus of Netflix’s The Perfect Neighbor.
Ajike Owens wasn’t very active on social media, but from her last posts, it’s clear that she was a woman whose life was full of love, laughter, ambition, and four children who were her everything.
She was a devoted mother
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AJ’s life revolved around her kids: Sons Isaac, Titus, and Israel, and her daughter Afrika.
“She was a single mother whose life centred around her children,” reads a statement on the family’s GoFundMe. “To say she loved her children unconditionally is an understatement.”
Her mother, Pamela Dias, told People that AJ somehow managed to balance it all, being a “football mom and a cheer team mom,” volunteering in classrooms, and still making sure her kids had a homemade meal every night.
“How she did it, I don’t know,” Dias said. “But she was very hands-on.”
She had big dreams
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When she wasn’t organising snacks for her kids’ games or volunteering at school, AJ was working hard in the restaurant and hospitality industry as a manager.
She had big dreams, too. Director Geeta Gandbhir, a longtime friend of the family and the director of The Perfect Neighbor, said AJ always spoke with ambition and optimism about her future. “She wanted to be an entrepreneur,” Gandbhir said. “And she used to always talk about how the whole world one day will know my name.”
The director added, “It feels a bit like what we are doing now, we see it as fulfilling her dream.”
AJ’s family turned their pain into purpose
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Even in the face of loss, AJ’s family turned their pain into purpose. Her mother, Pamela Dias, co-founded The Standing in the Gap Fund. It’s an organisation that supports families affected by racial violence and advocates for reform to the Stand Your Ground law.
“The film is more than just our pain and our tragedy and our suffering,” Dias told USA Today. “It’s a message about racism, bias, how guns in the wrong hands can turn deadly, weaponising laws like Stand Your Ground.”
She added, “I realised that I had a responsibility to share my daughter’s story if I ever expected true change.”
Through the foundation, the documentary, and the continued efforts of her loved ones, Ajike “AJ” Owens’ spirit endures. She was not just as a victim, but as a loving mother, a dreamer, and a force for good.
As Dias wrote in a statement on Instagram, “Ajike’s spirit will continue to inspire and ignite change. And I’ll keep pushing forward in her honour.”
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In her short life, AJ once said she wanted the world to know her name. Now, that name is tied to love, resilience, and the fight for justice, just the way she’d want it.
The Perfect Neighbor is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news and drops, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.
