Fatal Shooting of House Cleaner in Indiana Leads to Manslaughter Charges: The Case of Curt Andersen
An Indiana man has been accused of manslaughter after fatally shooting a house cleaner who mistakenly arrived at his home. Curt Andersen, 62, shot Maria Florinda Rios Perez De Velasquez, a 32-year-old Guatemalan immigrant, through his front door in Whitestown, an Indianapolis suburb. Velasquez was part of a cleaning crew that had gone to the wrong address.
Andersen claimed he heard a commotion at the door and, believing someone was trying to break in, he fired a single shot without announcing himself. When informed that he had killed someone, Andersen expressed remorse, stating he didn't intend for anyone to get hurt. His wife corroborated his account, mentioning that he fired the shot from the top of the stairs and then instructed her to call 911.
Investigators found a bullet hole in the door but no signs of forced entry. Velasquez's husband explained that they were trying to open the door with keys from their cleaning company and heard no voices from inside. Andersen could potentially face 10 to 30 years in prison if convicted and is currently in the Boone County Jail awaiting his court appearance.
Andersen's attorney argued that his client believed his actions were justified under the state's stand-your-ground law. However, the prosecutor stated that Andersen did not have enough information to reasonably believe that deadly force was necessary. The decision to press charges was deemed necessary, with the state planning to argue that Andersen was not under threat at the time of the shooting.