On the morning of Nov. 5 in Whitestown, Boone County prosecutors say 62-year-old Curt Andersen shot and killed 32-year-old house cleaner María Florinda Ríos Pérez de Velásquez after she and her husband arrived at his locked house by mistake. Authorities allege Andersen fired one shot through his front door; medics pronounced Ríos Pérez dead at the scene and the coroner recorded a single gunshot wound to the head. Andersen has been charged with Level 2 felony voluntary manslaughter and is held in the Boone County Jail; if convicted he faces 10 to 30 years in prison. The case has prompted public vigils and renewed scrutiny of Indiana self-defense laws.
Key Takeaways
- Curt Andersen, 62, is charged with voluntary manslaughter (Level 2 felony) for the Nov. 5 shooting; the statutory sentence range is 10–30 years if convicted.
- The victim, María Florinda Ríos Pérez de Velásquez, 32, was pronounced dead at the scene; the coroner reported a single gunshot wound to the head.
- Ríos Pérez and her husband, Mauricio Perez-Velasquez, were on a cleaning job for a model home and reportedly were routed to Andersen’s Maize Lane address by GPS despite receiving the correct address and a Google Maps link the night before.
- Police say the couple attempted to use provided keys at about 6:50 a.m.; investigators reported no signs of forced entry—no disturbed dust or visible handprints on the door.
- Andersen told police he heard sounds at his door, retreated to a safe room, retrieved a firearm and fired one shot through the front door; two 911 calls led officers to the scene.
- Boone County Prosecutor Kent Eastwood said prosecutors concluded Andersen’s use of force was not justified under the circumstances, while Andersen’s attorney asserts the shooting was lawful self-defense under the castle doctrine.
- The victim was a mother of four; her family held a vigil outside the prosecutor’s office and the case has drawn national attention to Indiana’s self-defense statutes.
Background
The incident occurred in Whitestown, a municipality in Boone County, Indiana, where a newly built subdivision included model homes requiring post-construction cleaning crews. Cleaning crews are commonly contracted to prepare furnished model homes for sale, and workers frequently rely on GPS and employer-provided directions to find addresses in recent developments. According to the affidavit, the cleaning crew leader sent a correct model-home address and a Google Maps link the night before, but GPS navigation repeatedly routed the couple to Andersen’s residence on Maize Lane, creating confusion early on the morning of Nov. 5.
Indiana law includes both a “stand your ground” component and a “castle doctrine” that afford legal protections for self-defense in and around one’s residence under certain conditions. Legal scholars note that whether force is justified often hinges on what a reasonable person would perceive at the moment and on whether lesser alternatives were available. Voluntary manslaughter in Indiana, charged here as a Level 2 felony, is distinct from murder in that it alleges the defendant acted in a state of “sudden heat”—a legally defined emotional state that can mitigate culpability from murder to manslaughter.
Main Event
Boone County prosecutors say Ríos Pérez and her husband, Mauricio Perez-Velasquez, arrived at Andersen’s home at about 6:50 a.m. Attempting to use keys provided for the model home, the couple tried the front door while Andersen was inside. Andersen told investigators he woke to noise and saw two figures through a window; he said he heard what sounded like “some type of keys, tools, or instrument on the front door” and feared they intended to enter.
According to the probable-cause affidavit, Andersen retreated to a safe room, retrieved a firearm and returned to a stairway before firing one shot through the locked front door. Police arrived after two 911 calls, one from Andersen and one from Perez-Velasquez; officers found Perez-Velasquez holding his wife on the front porch. Emergency responders pronounced Ríos Pérez dead at the scene; the coroner later recorded a single gunshot wound to the head as the cause of death.
Investigators processed evidence at the residence and interviewed Andersen, his wife and Perez-Velasquez. The affidavit notes there was no visible forced entry—investigators pointed to undisturbed dust and an absence of handprints or other signs of forceful contact with the door. Andersen initially resisted requests to exit the home but ultimately left with his wife and was transported to the station for interview.
Analysis & Implications
Legally, the prosecution’s decision to charge Andersen with voluntary manslaughter signals that investigators believe his actions were not reasonable under the circumstances documented in the affidavit. Prosecutor Kent Eastwood emphasized that the force used was unnecessary based on the evidence reviewed, while also stating the charging decision is not a wholesale challenge to Indiana’s self-defense laws. The charge alleges the shooting occurred in “sudden heat,” a statutory category that describes an acute emotional disturbance that can distinguish manslaughter from murder.
The case highlights practical challenges created by modern navigation tools and suburban developments with similar-looking homes or unclear addresses. If GPS or road signage played a role in routing the cleaners to the wrong house, the misdirection helps explain why workers with keys might attempt entry, but it does not by itself determine legal responsibility for the shooting. Courts will weigh what a reasonable homeowner perceived at the moment, including ambient light, visibility through the window, and whether Andersen had less-lethal alternatives.
Beyond the individual case, the shooting has stirred debate about the application of Indiana’s castle doctrine and “stand your ground” principles. Public reaction and a family vigil underscore community concern about the thresholds for using lethal force in the home. Policymakers and legal analysts may revisit whether additional guidance or public education is needed for homeowners and workers operating in rapid-developing neighborhoods.
Comparison & Data
| Legal Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Charge | Voluntary manslaughter, Level 2 felony |
| Potential sentence | 10–30 years imprisonment (Level 2 felony) |
The table summarizes the formal charge and statutory sentencing range Andersen faces if convicted. Comparatively, murder charges carry higher potential penalties; manslaughter classifications reflect the prosecution’s view about the defendant’s state of mind at the time. Any eventual plea, conviction or acquittal will depend on how jurors or judges interpret the evidence about what Andersen perceived and whether those perceptions justified lethal force under Indiana law.
Reactions & Quotes
The prosecutor framed the charge as grounded in case-specific facts and not meant to challenge self-defense statutes broadly.
“It is vitally important for the citizens of Boone County to understand that our decision today in no way should be interpreted as a challenge to Indiana ‘Stand Your Ground’ law or a person’s right to self defense,”
Kent Eastwood, Boone County Prosecutor (official statement)
Andersen’s attorney responded publicly via social media, asserting the shooting was justified under the castle doctrine.
“We believe Mr. Andersen had every reason to believe his actions were absolutely necessary and fully justified at the time,”
Guy Relford, defense attorney (public post)
A legal scholar cited in reporting explained the manslaughter statutory concept invoked by prosecutors.
“‘Sudden heat’ means anger, rage, sudden resentment, terror—things that obscure reason as the classic line between murder … and voluntary manslaughter,”
Jody Madeira, Indiana University Maurer School of Law (academia)
Unconfirmed
- Whether GPS misrouting was caused by a specific map error or a user input mistake remains unconfirmed; investigators have not publicly released device logs.
- It is not confirmed that Andersen verbally announced his presence or warned the individuals at the door before firing; the affidavit notes no party reported such communication.
- Any additional surveillance or video evidence from the property has not been publicly disclosed and thus its contents and relevance are unconfirmed.
Bottom Line
The charging of Curt Andersen for voluntary manslaughter marks a prosecutorial determination that his use of lethal force was not justified under the specific facts investigators say they uncovered. Key factual issues—what Andersen perceived through the window, whether lesser responses were feasible, and why the cleaning crew arrived at the wrong house—will be central in court. The case will also serve as a focal point for local and national discussion about homeowner self-defense, worker safety in new developments, and navigation technology errors.
For residents and workers, the outcome could influence behavior around how homeowners respond to perceived intrusions and how employers instruct crews about locating properties safely. The initial hearing is expected by Friday, when a judge will address bond; the case will proceed through normal criminal process with discovery and potential pretrial motions that will clarify disputed facts.
Sources
- WFYI — local public media reporting on the Boone County case (primary news source)