OCALA, Fla. — Defense attorneys on Thursday called witnesses in an Ocala woman's trial in the shooting death of one of her neighbors before resting its case.

Susan Lorincz chose not to testify in her trial on charges of manslaughter and culpable negligence in the June 2023 death of Ajike “Aj” Owens.

On Day 3 of the trial, Lorincz's defense attorneys put visualization and forensic 3D witness Toby Terpstra on the stand to show a visual reconstruction of the shooting.

Terpstra said the visualization is consistent with what Lorincz told law enforcement. He said he also looked at crime scene photos, records, autopsy photographs, autopsy reports, interviews and 911 call transcripts.

But prosecutors tried to discredit the presentation, calling it a "computer animation." 

Under cross-examination, Terpstra responded to prosecutors that Lorincz's recollection of the events was "certainly a consideration" in the creation of the reconstruction.

Josh Wright, a ballistics and firearms expert who owns his own investigations firm and previously worked for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, said that he believes the bullet that hit Owens came from near the kitchen area of Lorincz's home.

"She was probably close to like 12 to 15 feet," Wright said.

Wright reviewed the autopsy, photographs from the crime scene and the deposition of the medical examiner. Under cross-examination, he confirmed that he didn't visit the scene or test the firearm used in the case. 

Lorincz claims the shooting was in self-defense because she feared for her life. But prosecutors have said there was no imminent threat because Owens did not have a weapon and Lorincz's door was locked at the time.

The defense entered into evidence a letter that Lorincz sent to Owens' children after the shooting in which Lorincz wrote, "I'm so, so sorry. I shot out of fear."

A law enforcement trainer testified Thursday about the brain's response to life or death situations, saying that, "one of the greatest motivators for survival is anger, along with fear."

When asked by prosecutors about his background under cross-examination, the trainer confirmed that he is not a licensed psychologist or counselor.

In recorded interviews between detectives and Lorincz after the shooting, Lorincz said Owens’ children had no respect for her.

She reportedly told detectives there had been an ongoing problem for two years, and she claimed that some of the children would hit her truck with a ball.

She said children also were outside her home screaming, trespassing and leaving toys behind, and that most of her arguments involved Owens’ children.

According to a Marion County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, Lorincz told detectives she had a headache the day of the shooting, and children were running and yelling outside of her apartment. 

Several video recordings shot by Lorincz show children playing on a field in front of her home.

In the recorded interviews, Lorincz said she told the children to leave on the night of the shooting — and called 911.

Soon afterward, Owens banged on her door, Lorincz said. Lorincz is accused of firing a single shot through the closed door, killing her neighbor.

Lorincz said she heard Owens say she was going to kill her during that encounter, but detectives countered that none of the witnesses reported hearing Owens make the threat.

The state rested its case Wednesday.

Closing arguments are scheduled for Friday and the jury is expected to begin deliberations Friday afternoon.

If found guilty, Lorincz could face up to 30 years in prison.