Authorities in Whitestown, Indiana, have charged 62-year-old Curt Douglas Andersen with voluntary manslaughter in the death of 32-year-old Maria Florinda Ríos Pérez de Velázquez, a wife and mother of four. Investigators say Ríos Pérez mistakenly went to the wrong home for a scheduled cleaning job when the shooting occurred.
Boone County Prosecutor Kent T. Eastwood announced the charge on November 17, stating that evidence shows Andersen’s actions were not protected under Indiana’s Stand Your Ground law.
“We cannot allow emotion to guide our decisions,” Eastwood said. “Our duty is to examine the facts and apply the law fairly and equally.”
Andersen has been booked into the Boone County Jail, and an initial court hearing is expected later this week.
Who Is Curt Andersen?
Curt Andersen is a Whitestown homeowner whose legal team is pushing back strongly against the charge. His attorney, Guy Relford, a well-known Second Amendment specialist, insists Andersen did nothing wrong.
Relford said his client “had every reason to believe his actions were absolutely necessary and fully justified at the time,” arguing that the shooting falls under Indiana’s castle doctrine. He also said he is “disappointed” in the prosecutor’s decision and plans to show that Andersen acted lawfully.
What Happened on November 5?
Cleaner Shot After Arriving at Wrong Home
Around 6:45 a.m., Whitestown police responded to a 911 report of a suspected home invasion on Maize Lane in the Heritage subdivision. When officers arrived, they found Ríos Pérez on the porch with a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her husband, Mauricio Velázquez, who was with her during the incident, told police she never inserted a key into the door before the gunshot rang out. The coroner later ruled her death a homicide caused by a gunshot wound to the head.
Police later confirmed the couple had simply arrived at the wrong house while performing cleaning work.
Community Calls for Justice
Ríos Pérez leaves behind her husband and four children — Sayda (17), Gricelda (10), Greysi (8), and Yonathan (1). Her death has sparked widespread calls for justice from her family, community members, and fellow cleaning workers who say the tragedy highlights the risks faced by immigrant and service-based workers.
Authorities say the investigation remains active, and further updates are expected as the case moves forward.
