The morning began like any other for Maria Florinda Rios Perez De Velasquez, a Guatemalan immigrant and mother of four. She was part of a cleaning crew, heading to a scheduled appointment, unaware that a single moment would tragically alter everything.
On November 5th, just before 7 a.m., Rios arrived at a home in Whitestown, Indiana, a suburb of Indianapolis. The crew had inadvertently gone to the wrong address, a simple mistake with devastating consequences. She hadn’t even had a chance to knock.
Inside, Curt Andersen, 62, and his wife were asleep. A growing noise at the front door roused Andersen, who interpreted it as a potential break-in. He peered through a window, seeing two figures outside.
Driven by fear, Andersen retrieved his handgun. He observed the figures attempting to open the door, describing their actions as “thrusting.” Without a warning, without a word, he fired a single shot through the closed door.
The bullet struck Rios, who collapsed on the porch. Her husband, Mauricio, recounted the agonizing moments, explaining they had been patiently trying to unlock the door with keys provided by their company for nearly a minute, hearing no sounds from within.
Mauricio didn’t realize she’d been shot until she stumbled backward into his arms, bleeding profusely. The scene was one of unimaginable horror and disbelief, a life extinguished over a case of mistaken identity.
Andersen, upon learning he had killed someone, reportedly expressed remorse, stating he hadn’t intended for anyone to be harmed. His wife, Yoshie Andersen, told investigators he fired from the top of the stairs and remained there, instructing her to call 911.
Investigators found no evidence of forced entry – no damage to the door, latch, or frame. The only evidence of violence was the single bullet hole, a stark testament to the fatal decision made inside the home.
Andersen now faces manslaughter charges, potentially carrying a sentence of 10 to 30 years. He remains incarcerated as he awaits his initial court appearance, the weight of his actions bearing down.
His attorney argues Andersen acted in self-defense, invoking Indiana’s “stand-your-ground” law, claiming his client believed his actions were justified based on his perception of the threat. However, the prosecutor strongly disagrees.
The Boone County Prosecutor asserts the case doesn’t meet the criteria for stand-your-ground, arguing Andersen lacked a reasonable basis to believe deadly force was necessary. The state intends to prove Andersen could not have reasonably feared for his life.
The tragedy leaves behind a grieving family and a community grappling with the devastating consequences of fear and misjudgment. Rios’ brother, on a fundraising page created to support her children, described her as a devoted mother whose life was cut short far too soon.
