A homeowner in Indiana faces a potential prison sentence after being charged with voluntary manslaughter for the fatal shooting of a house cleaner who mistakenly came to his door.
A Tragic Case of Mistaken Address
Prosecutors filed the charge on Monday, 17 November 2025, against Curt Anderson. The charge stems from the shooting death of Maria Florinda Rios Perez De Velasquez, a 32-year-old immigrant from Guatemala. The incident occurred on 5 November in Whitestown, a suburb of Indianapolis.
Authorities confirmed that Maria was part of a cleaning crew that had arrived at the incorrect property. Her husband, who was present on the porch with her, recounted the harrowing event to media. He stated that someone fired a shot through the front door. He only realised his wife had been hit when she fell back into his arms, bleeding.
Examining the Stand-Your-Ground Defence
This tragic event places a spotlight on Indiana's stand-your-ground law. This legislation, shared by 30 other US states, allows homeowners to use deadly force to prevent someone from unlawfully entering their dwelling.
However, a critical detail emerged from the police investigation: there is no evidence that Maria entered the home before she was shot. This fact is central to the prosecution's case against Anderson. If convicted, he could face a prison term of 10 to 30 years.
A Disturbing Pattern of Similar Incidents
This case is not isolated. It echoes a 2023 episode in Missouri where an 86-year-old man, Andrew Lester, shot Ralph Yarl, a 16-year-old Black teenager, who went to the wrong door. Missouri also has a stand-your-ground law, yet Lester was charged with first-degree assault. He later pleaded guilty to second-degree assault.
In a separate 2024 case in New York, a state without a stand-your-ground statute, a man was convicted of second-degree murder for shooting a woman inside a car that had mistakenly pulled into his driveway.
Guy Relford, the attorney representing the homeowner, did not respond to a request for comment ahead of the formal charging decision. The case continues to develop as legal proceedings get underway.
