An Indiana homeowner accused of killing a house cleaner was charged Monday with voluntary manslaughter in a case that raises questions about the limits of stand-your-ground laws. Curt Anderson could face up to 10 to 30 years in prison if convicted, along with a $10,000 fine. His attorney, Guy Relford, did not respond to requests for comment. Maria Florinda Rios Perez De Velasquez, a 32-year-old immigrant from Guatemala, was found deceased on the porch of a home in Whitestown on November 5 after a cleaning crew mistakenly approached the wrong residence. Witnesses indicate she was shot through the front door without warning. Indiana is among the 31 states that have stand-your-ground laws, which permit deadly force against perceived unlawful entry, but police have stated that there is no evidence of her attempting to enter the home. The incident echoes a similar case from Missouri, involving the shooting of Ralph Yarl, a teenager who was mistakenly at the wrong door, highlighting ongoing discussions about gun laws and defenses in self-defense cases.
Indiana Homeowner Charged with Manslaughter After Fatal Shooting of House Cleaner
Indiana Homeowner Charged with Manslaughter After Fatal Shooting of House Cleaner
Curt Anderson faces charges of voluntary manslaughter following the death of Maria Florinda Rios Perez De Velasquez, who was shot while cleaning a nearby home. The case highlights the complexities of stand-your-ground laws in the U.S.
In a tragic incident in Whitestown, Indiana, a homeowner named Curt Anderson has been charged with voluntary manslaughter after fatally shooting house cleaner Maria Florinda Rios Perez De Velasquez, who mistakenly arrived at the wrong address. This case raises significant concerns about the implications of stand-your-ground laws, as police reported no evidence that the victim attempted to enter the home before the shooting. Indiana's laws allow for the use of deadly force in defense of one’s property, yet the circumstances of the shooting appear to undermine such a defense.
