WHITESTOWN, IN – An Indiana homeowner faces manslaughter charges after fatally shooting a house cleaner who mistakenly arrived at his residence, in a tragic case that has sparked debate over self-defense laws.
Curt Andersen was charged with one count of voluntary manslaughter, a Level 2 felony, following the November 5 shooting death of Maria Florinda Rios Perez de Velazquez at his Whitestown home, approximately 20 miles outside Indianapolis.
The incident occurred before 7 a.m. when Velazquez, a house cleaner, arrived at Andersen’s property as part of a cleaning crew with her husband, Mauricio Velazquez. The couple, who share four children, had been dispatched to clean a home in the subdivision but arrived at the wrong address.
According to investigators, neither Velazquez nor her husband attempted to enter the residence. Andersen fired a single shot through his front door from inside the home, striking Velazquez. She was found deceased on the front porch with a gunshot wound.
Mauricio Velazquez was unharmed and did not see the shooter. Police initially responded to a reported possible break-in at the subdivision.
Boone County Prosecutor Kent Eastwood explained the decision to charge Andersen, emphasizing that the homeowner’s actions do not fall within Indiana’s stand-your-ground law protections.
“Based upon the particular evidence and circumstances of this case, we have determined that Curt Andersen’s actions do not fall within” the state’s self-defense provisions, Eastwood said in a statement. He stressed the charge reflects “applying the law to the facts of this case.”
Mauricio Velazquez told local media that the shooting occurred without warning. “They should’ve called the police first instead of just shooting,” he said, expressing grief over the loss of his wife.
The case has drawn attention to the boundaries of self-defense laws in Indiana and raised questions about when deadly force is legally justified. Andersen could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the voluntary manslaughter charge.
The investigation remains ongoing as prosecutors build their case against Andersen, who has not yet entered a plea.
