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A 32-year-old cleaning worker was fatally shot in Indiana after mistakenly arriving at the wrong house. The case raises complex legal questions about self-defense laws while leaving a husband to raise four children alone.
Tragic Mistake Leads to Fatal Shooting in Whitestown
A 32-year-old cleaning worker, Maria Florinda Rios Perez de Velasquez, was fatally shot in Whitestown, Indiana, on November 6, 2025, after she and her husband mistakenly arrived at the wrong home address for a cleaning job. The tragic incident occurred around 7:00 AM when the couple, who worked as self-employed cleaners, approached what they believed was their scheduled cleaning location in a suburban neighborhood approximately 20 miles northwest of Indianapolis.
The Fatal Morning
According to police reports and witness statements, Maria and her husband Mauricio Velazquez had driven around the block twice to verify the address before approaching the home. 'We had the location checked twice,' Velazquez told local media. 'She fell into my arms and I saw blood. It was everywhere.' The couple was attempting to access the home when residents inside heard noises on the porch and called 911 to report a possible break-in.
Before police could arrive, one of the residents fired a single shot through the front door, striking Maria in the head. She died instantly on the porch. Police later confirmed the shot was fired from inside the home and that there were no indications of any attempted break-in. The investigation determined the couple was acting in good faith for work purposes.
Legal Complexities Under Indiana Law
The case has been submitted to the Boone County Prosecutor's Office for review, with charging decisions expected within two weeks. The legal outcome remains uncertain due to Indiana's self-defense laws, which include both Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground provisions.
Indiana's Castle Doctrine, established in 1977 and strengthened in 2006, allows residents to use reasonable force, including deadly force, to protect themselves against home invaders without requiring retreat. However, attorney Marc Lopez clarifies that this doesn't grant immunity for shooting anyone on your property - force must be reasonable and proportional to the threat.
'One of the most difficult things in the world today is to agree on what is reasonable,' the prosecutor told CNN. He said he would thoroughly study the investigators' findings to understand what happened leading up to the shooting.
Similar Cases Across the US
This tragedy follows similar incidents nationwide where individuals have been shot after arriving at wrong addresses. In 2023, an 86-year-old man in Kansas City was charged after shooting a Black teenager who had come to the wrong door. Last year, a man from New York state was sentenced to 25 years in prison for shooting a woman who was sitting in the passenger seat of a car that had accidentally driven onto his property.
These cases highlight ongoing debates about self-defense laws and the balance between homeowner rights and public safety. 'You have to understand all the details so you can understand what happened and what is reasonable,' the prosecutor emphasized regarding the current investigation.
Family Tragedy and Community Response
Maria Velasquez was a Guatemalan immigrant and mother of four children, including an 11-month-old baby. The family had only been living in Indianapolis for one year. Her husband, now left to raise their children alone, described her as a hardworking woman dedicated to her family.
The Guatemalan community has rallied around the family, with a crowdfunding campaign raising more than $100,000 to support funeral costs and repatriate her body to Guatemala for burial. The family hopes to lay her to rest in her home country, where she will be remembered by her extended family and community.
As the investigation continues, the case serves as a sobering reminder of how quickly everyday situations can turn tragic, and the complex legal questions surrounding self-defense laws in the United States.
