An Indiana homeowner faces serious criminal charges after fatally shooting a house cleaner who mistakenly arrived at his residence early one morning, in a case that now tests the boundaries of self-defense laws.
Tragic Mistake Leads to Fatal Shooting
Curt Andersen, 62, has been formally charged with voluntary manslaughter in the death of 32-year-old Maria Florinda Rios Perez De Velasquez, who showed up at his Whitestown home by accident in early November. According to court documents, the victim and her husband Mauricio were directed to clean a model home but their GPS incorrectly led them to Andersen's residence.
The tragic sequence unfolded around 7 a.m. when the couple attempted to enter what they believed was their assigned cleaning job. "When asked, Mauricio stated that they were trying to gain access to the home for approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute using the different keys they had," according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by investigators.
Homeowner's Account of the Incident
Andersen told police he was awakened by commotion and what sounded like "some type of keys, tools, or instrument being used" on his front door. He described seeing two people through the door windows and fearing they would break in.
In his statement to authorities, Andersen said he asked himself, "'What am I going to do? It's not going away and I have to do something now.'" He then retrieved a handgun from a locked container in his music room, which he uses as a safe room, loaded the weapon, and returned to the top of the stairwell.
Andersen claimed the people outside were aggressively "thrusting" at the front door before the shooting occurred, resulting in the death of Maria Florinda Rios Perez De Velasquez.
Legal Battle Over Self-Defense Laws
Boone County Prosecutor Kent Eastwood stated that after reviewing evidence from the Whitestown Police Department's investigation, "it wasn't a hard decision" to file criminal charges. His office will argue that Indiana's "stand your ground law" doesn't apply in this case.
However, Andersen's attorney, Guy Relford, founder of gun rights organization The 2A Project, strongly disagrees. "We look forward to proving in court that his client's actions were fully justified by the 'castle doctrine' provision of Indiana's self-defence law," Relford stated, referring to legal principles that allow homeowners to use force against intruders.
If convicted of voluntary manslaughter, Andersen could face 10 to 30 years in prison under U.S. and Indiana sentencing guidelines. He remains in custody at Boone County Jail awaiting his initial court hearing, where his lawyer is expected to seek bail.
Victim Leaves Behind Four Children
The human cost of the tragedy extends beyond the legal proceedings. Maria Florinda Rios Perez De Velasquez and her husband Mauricio, both originally from Guatemala, had four children together ranging in age from 17 years to just 11 months.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to support the family, highlighting the devastating impact of the incident on those left behind. The case continues to develop as both sides prepare for what promises to be a closely watched legal battle over self-defense rights and homeowner protection laws.
