Tragic Mistake Leads to Fatal Shooting
A homeowner in the United States has been charged with voluntary manslaughter after allegedly fatally shooting a house cleaner who mistakenly came to his door. The incident, which occurred in the Indianapolis suburb of Whitestown, has ignited a fresh debate about the limits of self-defence legislation.
Details of the Fatal Encounter
On Wednesday, November 5, 2025, officers discovered Maria Florinda Rios Perez De Velasquez, a 32-year-old immigrant from Guatemala, dead on the front porch of a home. She was part of a cleaning crew that had arrived at the incorrect address.
Her husband, Mauricio Velasquez, who was present on the porch with her, recounted the harrowing event to media outlets. He stated that someone fired a shot through the closed front door. He only realised his wife had been struck when she fell backwards into his arms, bleeding.
The homeowner, identified as Curt Anderson, was formally charged on Monday, November 17, 2025. If convicted of the voluntary manslaughter charge, he could face a prison sentence of 10 to 30 years.
Legal Context and Wider Implications
The case directly challenges the application of stand-your-ground laws. Indiana is one of 31 US states with such a law, which permits individuals to use deadly force to prevent unlawful entry into their dwelling.
However, a critical point in this investigation is that police found no evidence Maria Florinda Rios Perez De Velasquez had actually entered the home before she was shot.
This tragic event echoes other high-profile cases in America. In 2023, in Missouri, an 86-year-old man shot a teenager, Ralph Yarl, who also went to the wrong address. In a 2024 New York case, a man was convicted of murder for shooting a woman in a car that had mistakenly pulled into his driveway.
Guy Relford, an attorney representing the accused homeowner, did not respond to a request for comment ahead of the charging decision.
