Whitestown homeowner charged with voluntary manslaughter in wrong‑address shooting
Whitestown homeowner Curt Andersen has been charged with voluntary manslaughter after prosecutors say he fired one shot through his closed front door, killing María Florinda Ríos Pérez, 32, a Guatemalan mother of four who was part of a house‑cleaning crew that went to the wrong address and tried a company key. Andersen is being held in the Boone County Jail (bail set at $25,000 and his passport surrendered) pending an initial appearance and a March 30 trial date; his attorney says the shooting was justified under Indiana’s stand‑your‑ground law, while prosecutors contend those protections do not apply and the charge carries a potential 10–30 year sentence.
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📌 Key Facts
- Curt Andersen, a Whitestown homeowner, was charged with voluntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a house cleaner who arrived at the wrong door; the charge carries a potential 10–30 year sentence.
- The victim was identified as María Florinda Ríos Pérez, 32, a Guatemalan mother of four; her body was returned to Guatemala on Nov. 23, and her husband—who was with her—was not injured.
- Court documents and a probable cause affidavit state a cleaning crew went to Andersen’s home by mistake, attempted to unlock the front door with a company-issued key, and Andersen heard someone trying to unlock the door, saw two people outside, loaded his handgun and fired one shot through the closed door, striking Ríos in the head.
- Investigators found a bullet hole in the door and no signs of forced entry on the door, latch, or frame, and say there is no evidence the victim entered the home before the shot was fired.
- Andersen is being held in the Boone County Jail pending an initial appearance; a judge set bail at $25,000, ordered him to surrender his passport, and online court records show a trial date scheduled for March 30.
- Andersen’s wife told investigators he had told a neighbor he would shoot anyone trying to break in and said he fired from the top of the stairs before telling her to call 911.
- The victim’s husband said they tried the cleaning company keys for 30–60 seconds, did not knock, and heard no voices before the shot.
- Prosecutor Kent Eastwood says stand‑your‑ground protections do not apply because Andersen lacked sufficient information to reasonably believe deadly force was necessary; defense attorney Guy Relford argues Andersen’s actions were justified under stand‑your‑ground and must be judged as he perceived the circumstances.
📰 Sources (4)
Guatemalan woman's body returned home after fatal shooting in Indiana
New information:
- Judge set bail at $25,000 on Friday and ordered defendant Curt Andersen to surrender his passport.
- A trial date was scheduled for March 30, according to online court records.
- The victim was identified as María Florinda Ríos Pérez, 32, a Guatemalan mother of four; her body was returned to Guatemala on Nov. 23.
- Court documents detail the cleaning crew went to Andersen’s home by mistake and attempted to unlock the door with a company-issued key; Andersen fired through the closed door, striking Ríos in the head.
- Ríos’ husband, who was with her, was not injured.
Indiana man accused of killing house cleaner who mistakenly arrived at front door charged with manslaughter
New information:
- Charge specified as voluntary manslaughter carrying a potential 10–30 year sentence.
- Wife identified as Yoshie Andersen; she says the shot was fired from the top of the stairs and neither went downstairs.
- Investigators found a bullet hole in the door but no signs of forced entry on the door, latch, or frame.
- Victim’s husband says they tried cleaning company keys for 30–60 seconds, did not knock, and heard no voices before the shot.
- Defense attorney Guy Relford (via X) argues actions were justified under stand‑your‑ground; prosecutor Kent Eastwood says the law does not apply.
- Victim identified as a mother of four; defendant remains held in Boone County Jail pending initial appearance.
Indiana homeowner charged in fatal shooting of house cleaner who showed up at the wrong door
New information:
- Andersen is being held in the Boone County Jail pending an initial court hearing.
- Probable cause affidavit details: Andersen heard someone trying to unlock the front door, saw two people outside, loaded his handgun, and fired once through the closed door without announcing himself; the door never opened.
- Prosecutor Kent Eastwood said stand-your-ground protections do not apply because Andersen lacked sufficient information to reasonably believe deadly force was necessary.
- Defense attorney Guy Relford stated on X that Andersen's actions were justified under stand-your-ground and must be judged as he perceived the circumstances.
- Andersen’s wife told investigators he had told a neighbor he would shoot anyone trying to break in (no date provided) and that he fired from the top of the stairs before telling her to call 911.
- Police state there is no evidence the victim entered the home before the shot was fired.