US man charged with killing of cleaner who arrived at wrong house

November 17, 2025

Indiana prosecutors have charged homeowner Curt Andersen with voluntary manslaughter after he fatally shot Maria Florinda Rios Perez, a cleaning worker who mistakenly arrived at his residence with her husband on November 5. Authorities determined that Andersen's decision to fire through his door rather than contact law enforcement does not qualify for protection under Indiana's stand-your-ground statute, which permits deadly force only when individuals reasonably believe they face imminent threats. The victim, a Guatemalan immigrant, left behind four young children including an infant, while her widowed husband seeks to repatriate her remains for burial.

Who is affected

Maria Florinda Rios Perez (deceased victim)
Her four children, including an infant approaching one year old
Her husband, who witnessed the shooting
Curt Andersen (the charged homeowner)
The cleaning crew members who were present

What action is being taken

US prosecutors have filed voluntary manslaughter charges against Curt Andersen
The victim's husband is trying to bring her body back to Guatemala for burial

Why it matters

This case highlights critical questions about the boundaries of stand-your-ground laws and when deadly force is legally justified. It demonstrates that even in states with such laws, homeowners cannot automatically claim legal protection for shooting at people who pose no actual threat, particularly when reasonable alternatives like calling police exist. The incident also reflects a broader pattern of tragic shootings involving innocent people who simply approached wrong addresses, raising concerns about excessive use of force and the proper application of self-defense statutes.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC