Authorities are weighing the possibility of charging a homeowner in Indiana who fatally shot a woman mistakenly visiting the wrong address while working as a house cleaner.
Maria Florinda Rios Perez, 32, was pronounced dead on the front porch of a residence in Whitestown, near Indianapolis, early Wednesday morning. The shooting occurred as Rios Perez was part of a cleaning crew that had inadvertently arrived at the wrong location.
Witness accounts, including that of her husband Mauricio Velazquez, indicate Rios Perez approached the home when she was shot. Velazquez told local media that he was present at the front door and was unaware that his wife had been shot until she collapsed in his arms.
Rios Perez, a mother of four, was recognized by her brother on a fundraising page as someone devoted to her family. The family intends to return her to Guatemala for burial. As police continue their investigation, they have not publicly identified the shooter, but they have presented their findings to Boone County Prosecutor Kent Eastwood.
Eastwood remarked that determining whether charges should be filed will be a complex decision, especially in light of Indiana's castle doctrine laws that authorize homeowners to defend their dwellings with reasonable force.
This incident reflects broader discussions around gun rights and self-defense, similar to other high-profile cases across the U.S. where homeowners faced scrutiny for using lethal force in response to perceived threats from unintentional intruders.
Investigators will meticulously review video evidence, witness statements, and other related material to understand the nuances of the case before reaching a conclusion.
