Where Does ‘The Perfect Neighbor’ Take Place? Location of the Murder

The new crime documentary, The Perfect Neighbor, is shocking fans everywhere with its real depiction of the tragic murder of Ajike “A.J.” Owens.

The Perfect Neighbor — which is now streaming on Netflix — shows police bodycam footage of the events leading up to the 35-year-old Black woman being shot and killed by her then 58-year-old white neighbor, Susan Lorincz, after an altercation between Lorincz and Owen’s kids.

Following their altercation in their neighborhood, Owens knocked on Lorincz’s front door and Lorincz fired a single shot at her through the door while her then 10-year-old son was next to her.

Lorincz was later convicted of manslaughter in 2024 and sentenced to 25 years in prison, and her use of “Stand Your Ground” was deemed unjustified.

Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” laws allow anyone who believes their life to be in danger to use lethal force on any perceived threat and remove the duty to retreat in a public space, according to nonprofit organization Brady: United Against Gun Violence.

Keep scrolling to learn where the murder of Owens took place in The Perfect Neighbor.

Where Did the Tragedy of ‘The Perfect Neighbor’ Occur?

Owens and Lorincz lived across the street from each other in Quail Run, which is located in Ocala, Florida, and part of Marion County. Lorincz was reportedly living alone in a rented house on the block.

What Did the Marion County Police Say After the Murder?

Five days after people kept protesting a lack of arrest in the murder, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office released a video statement announcing Lorincz’s arrest.

“My detectives have been working around the clock since this happened, sifting through evidence and interviewing witnesses,” Billy Woods, the sheriff of Marion County, shared. “Now I said this at the beginning, we want the same thing as Ms. Owens’ family and that’s justice.”

Woods went on to explain that justice is “on her own time, not a prosecutor’s time, not even a mob’s time.”

“I understand in situations like this, emotions run high and it’s understandable,” he said. “In fact, I want to thank all of you that have sent me messages, sent me emails, texted me and encouraging the arrest because it shows that you care about a fellow human being. Now many of you were struggling to understand why there was not an immediate arrest. Well, as I partially explained in the beginning, the laws here in the state of Florida are clear. I may not like them. I may not agree with them. But, however, those laws I will follow and I will ensure.”

He continued: “And sometimes when we do these investigations of cases of this level, rushing in to make an arrest is not the right thing to do sometimes. In fact, it could probably cause complications or cause errors because we want to ensure that what we present, that justice is served all the way through the courts and that the individual gets what they deserve.”

Woods noted that his detectives cannot complete an investigation “without getting all sides of a story.”

“And that night, all we had was one person’s story, and that was the shooter’s story,” he revealed. “But Ms. Owens’ story had to be told through evidence in the eyes of witnesses who were there. I told you that we want nothing more than justice, and this can only be accomplished by maintaining the integrity of the case and leaving no stone unturned. Throughout this tragic event, we have been working very closely with Ms. Owens’ family. And right now, that family needs your prayers and support.”

Woods argues that the justice they have been “seeking has been served.”

“The peace for them is still a ways down the road. Now some of you have asked me about the Stand Your Ground law,” he said. “Personally, I think it’s a great law designed to help the Floridians to defend themselves and keep themselves safe. However, it does not apply in all situations, and this situation is a prime example of when it was not justified. It was simply a killing.”

What Is Florida’s ‘Stand Your Ground’ Law?

Courtesy of Netflix

According to The New York Times, the law was passed in 2005 and allows people in Florida to use firearms or other deadly force to defend themselves in public places without first trying to escape.

At the end of The Perfect Neighbor, it explained that the “Stand Your Ground” laws have been linked to an 8 percent to 11 percent increase in homicide rates.