Netflix doc ‘The Perfect Neighbor’ about Florida murder nominated for Oscar
COUNT. ONE OF THE CHARGE THE DEFENDANT IS GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER. ALTHOUGH MY DAUGHTER IS GONE FOREVER. THE CHILDREN’S MOM IS GONE FOREVER. BUT WE’VE ACHIEVED SOME JUSTICE FOR ANIKA. THE DEATH OF A.J. OWENS MADE NATIONAL HEADLINES IN 2023. AND NOW THERE’S A NEW DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE OCALA MOTHER WHO WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY SUSAN LORENZ. IT’S CALLED THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR. AND JOINING US TONIGHT IS JOURNALIST AND THE DOCUMENTARY’S EXECUTIVE PRODUCER. SOLEDAD O’BRIEN. SOLEDAD, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US HERE TONIGHT. YOU KNOW, WE’VE COVERED THIS CASE EXTENSIVELY HERE LOCALLY, BUT TELL US WHY IT WAS SO IMPORTANT TO SHARE THIS STORY ON A MUCH WIDER LEVEL. YEAH, I THINK IT WAS A PRETTY INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO GET IN AND REALLY UNDERSTAND THE POLICY, THE POLICY OF STAND YOUR GROUND, WHICH MORE THAN 30 STATES HAVE STAND YOUR GROUND LAWS. BUT TO SEE IT UNFOLD KIND OF IN FRONT OF US, OUR DIRECTOR, GEETA GANDHI, HER HER SISTER IN LAW WAS BEST FRIENDS WITH JESSICA. AND SO WE JUST HAD THIS INSIGHT AND ACCESS TO THE FAMILY AND REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT WAS HAPPENING. AND THEN OF COURSE, BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO EVENTUALLY GET ACCESS TO THE BODY CAM, YOU COULD SEE THE DISPUTE KIND OF UNRAVELING, MAYBE IS THE WORD TO USE OVER TWO YEARS. AND, AND REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW THE POLICY OF STAND YOUR GROUND OFTEN FAILS TO. I THINK, HELP KIND OF MITIGATE WHAT COULD HAPPEN IN SOME KIND OF A CONFLICT. SOLEDAD YOU TALKED ABOUT THE BODY CAMERA VIDEO OVER THE SPAN OF ABOUT TWO YEARS. HOW DID THAT HELP PIECE TOGETHER THE DETAILS OF THIS CONFRONTATION FOR YOU ALL TO THEN PUT IT TOGETHER? YEAH. IMMEDIATELY AFTER, WHEN THE FAMILY CALLED GEETA, OUR DIRECTOR, WE REALIZED THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A STORY. BUT HOW DO YOU TELL THAT STORY? WE WEREN’T SURE. SO WE GOT ON THE GROUND PRETTY IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS. AND IT WAS ONLY WHEN YOU STARTED TO SEE YEARS OF BODY CAM FOOTAGE WHERE YOU COULD ACTUALLY SEE THE UNRAVELING OF THIS RELATIONSHIP, AND NOT JUST THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AJ AND SUSAN LAURENT VU. YOU HEARD THEM SAY THAT SHE WAS GUILTY. THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU GET TO SEE THE KIND OF THIS THIS CLOSELY KNIT NEIGHBORHOOD JUST BEGIN TO DISINTEGRATE, LITERALLY, BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAS ACCESS TO WEAPONS AND A STAND YOUR GROUND LAW THAT SHE USES TO DEFEND HERSELF UNSUCCESSFULLY, ULTIMATELY. AND SO I THINK THE THE BODY CAM PROVIDES THIS VIDEO JUST SO CLEARLY YOU CAN SEE WHAT’S HAPPENING DAY IN AND DAY OUT FROM THE POLICE WHO ARE ARE SORT OF THE, THE, THE THEY DON’T HAVE A DOG IN THE FIGHT IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE. RIGHT. IT’S BETWEEN SUSAN AND AJ AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND SO THEIR POINT OF VIEW IS ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING. AND TO GET ACCESS TO THAT VIDEO WAS REALLY REMARKABLE. IT’S ABOUT 90% OF THE DOC IS THAT VIDEO. THAT IS INCREDIBLE. AND LEADING UP TO THIS DOCUMENTARY BEING RELEASED, WE’VE HEARD YOU TALK A LOT ABOUT HOW THIS STORY IN PARTICULAR SHOWS WHAT YOU CALL THE CHAOS OF STAND YOUR GROUND LAWS. IS THAT THE REASON WHY YOU PERSONALLY WANTED TO BE PART OF THIS PROJECT? YEAH. YOU KNOW, YOU HEARD FROM AJ’S MOM, RIGHT? I THINK WHAT REALLY MADE US WANT TO TELL THIS STORY IS THAT YOU COULD SEE THAT SOMETHING COULD GO VERY WRONG, THAT MAYBE JUSTICE WOULD, IN FACT, NOT HAPPEN, THAT A WOMAN COULD SHOOT THROUGH A LOCKED DOOR AND SAY, I FELT I FEARED FOR MY LIFE, AND MAYBE BECAUSE OF THE LAWS, SHE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH IT. SO THAT’S REALLY WHY WE GOT INTO IT. WE WERE JUST INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING WOULD JUSTICE BE SERVED? I THINK IT WAS LATER WHEN WE SAW THE WHEN WE SAW THE EVIDENCE OF THE BODY CAM AND OUR EDITOR, VIRIDIANA LIEBERMAN, FANTASTIC EDITOR, WAS ABLE TO SORT OF SAY, THIS IS HOW YOU PIECE TOGETHER THE STORY. WE CAN SEE, WE CAN SEE THE THREADS OF IT. AND I THINK THAT’S REALLY WHAT MADE US WANT TO FIRST JUMP IN AND TELL THAT STORY. NOW, SOLEDAD FOLKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, GIVEN THOSE NATIONAL HEADLINES, KNOW BITS AND PIECES OF THE STORY, KIND OF THE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT HAPPENED. BUT FOR YOUR TEAM AND YOURSELF, WHAT WAS IT LIKE WORKING ON THIS ON THE OTHER SIDE SO CLOSELY WITH AJ’S FAMILY? YEAH. WELL, YOU HEARD FROM HER MOM, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT’S AN AMAZING FAMILY, AND I THINK THEY JUST WANTED JUSTICE IMMEDIATELY. AT FIRST, WHEN SUSAN LAWRENCE WAS NOT ARRESTED AND SHE WAS ALLOWED TO GATHER ALL HER STUFF, AND THEN BASICALLY, SHE WAS NOT EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD SHOT AND KILLED A WOMAN, SHE WAS NOT ARRESTED. AND I THINK THE FAMILY WAS VERY WORRIED THAT SOMEHOW THAT JUST NO JUSTICE WOULD COME. AND SO I THINK FOLLOWING THEIR ANGER AND THEIR FRUSTRATION WAS A REALLY INTERESTING VANTAGE POINT. AND THEN ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE FOUR LITTLE KIDS WHO ARE LEFT WITHOUT A MOTHER BECAUSE OF A STUPID DISPUTE BETWEEN NEIGHBORS, LITERALLY MINDLESS, IDIOTIC DISPUTE THAT SUSAN HAD WITH HER NEIGHBORS. WHY WOULD YOU HAVE A MOTHER OF FOUR KILLED BECAUSE OF THAT? IT’S ABSOLUTELY ABSURD AND IT’S TERRIBLE. AND SO, YEAH, I THINK PEOPLE WATCHING, WHETHER THEY, YOU KNOW, KNOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN OCALA OR THEY KNOW FLORIDA AT ALL OR THEY DON’T, I THINK THEY’LL REALLY GET INSIGHT INTO THIS LAW. SOLEDAD ONE FINAL QUESTION FOR YOU TONIGHT. WHAT IS THE MESSAGE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE AUDIENCES TO LEAVE WITH AFTER WATCHING YOUR DOCUMENTARY? YEAH, WE WERE REALLY PLEASED THAT WE GOT TO TELL THE STORY OF POLICY. I THINK OFTEN PEOPLE THINK LIKE, OH, POLICY STORY IS KIND OF BORING, BUT BECAUSE THE VIDEO FROM THE POLICE BODY CAM IS SO DRAMATIC, IT’S A REALLY RIVETING STORY. AND I THINK THAT DRAWS AUDIENCES IN TO THEN WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE POLICY AND REALLY SEE HOW IT CAN GO HORRIBLY AWRY AND AND HOW IT CAN BE VERY WRONG. SO FOR ME, I THINK WE WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE POLICY AND THE IMPACT OF IT. ALL RIGHT. SOLEDAD O’BRIEN, WITH US THIS EVENING, THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF A NEW DOCUMENTARY CALLED THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR, HIGHLIGHTING A CASE THAT HAPPENED RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA THIS YEAR ON NETFLIX. SOLEDAD, THANK
Netflix doc ‘The Perfect Neighbor’ about Florida murder nominated for Oscar
Updated: 10:46 AM EST Jan 22, 2026
A documentary about an Ocala mom who was killed after her neighbor shot her through a door has been nominated for an Oscar. It’s called “The Perfect Neighbor,” and explores the realities of stand-your-ground laws in Florida. >> Video above: Soledad O’Brien talks about documentary ‘The Perfect Neighbor’It follows the case of AJ Owens, who was shot and killed by Susan Lorincz in 2023Best documentary feature film nominees“The Alabama Solution”“Come See Me in the Good Light”“Cutting Through Rocks”“Mr Nobody Against Putin”“The Perfect Neighbor”TrailerThe caseIt happened on June 2, 2023, when police say Owens went over to Lorincz’s house after they say Lorincz threw something at Owens’ children.That’s when Lorincz shot through her closed door – killing Owens.Lorincz claimed self-defense.She told investigators she feared for her life, which allowed the stand-your-ground law to come into play.Lorincz was convicted and sentenced to 25 years behind bars.Now, Owens’ family is calling for Florida lawmakers to review or repeal the stand-your-ground law.DocumentaryMatter of Fact host Soledad O’Brien is the executive producer of the documentary. Before it was released, she posted on “X” saying:”The new documentary exposes the lethal consequences of “Stand your ground” laws and will honor Owens.”Soledad went on to say the film, which won awards at the Sundance Film Festival is “told mostly through police body cam” and she is “proud and honored to be part of this incredible team!”
A documentary about an Ocala mom who was killed after her neighbor shot her through a door has been nominated for an Oscar.
It’s called “The Perfect Neighbor,” and explores the realities of stand-your-ground laws in Florida.
>> Video above: Soledad O’Brien talks about documentary ‘The Perfect Neighbor’
It follows the case of AJ Owens, who was shot and killed by Susan Lorincz in 2023
Best documentary feature film nominees
“The Alabama Solution”
“Come See Me in the Good Light”
“Cutting Through Rocks”
“Mr Nobody Against Putin”
“The Perfect Neighbor”
Trailer
This content is imported from Facebook.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
The case
It happened on June 2, 2023, when police say Owens went over to Lorincz’s house after they say Lorincz threw something at Owens’ children.
That’s when Lorincz shot through her closed door – killing Owens.
Lorincz claimed self-defense.
She told investigators she feared for her life, which allowed the stand-your-ground law to come into play.
Lorincz was convicted and sentenced to 25 years behind bars.
Now, Owens’ family is calling for Florida lawmakers to review or repeal the stand-your-ground law.
Documentary
Matter of Fact host Soledad O’Brien is the executive producer of the documentary. Before it was released, she posted on “X” saying:
“The new documentary exposes the lethal consequences of “Stand your ground” laws and will honor Owens.”
This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Soledad went on to say the film, which won awards at the Sundance Film Festival is “told mostly through police body cam” and she is “proud and honored to be part of this incredible team!”