Indiana Man Charged in House Cleaner Shooting

An Indiana man faces manslaughter charges following the tragic shooting of a house cleaner who accidentally arrived at the wrong home.

Kurt Andersen, 62, allegedly shot and killed 32-year-old Maria Florinda Ríos Perez de Velasquez through the front door of his residence in Whitestown, a suburb of Indianapolis, early in the morning on November 5. According to the probable cause affidavit, police discovered Velasquez, originally from Guatemala, deceased on Andersen’s balcony. She was reportedly part of a cleaning crew that mistakenly showed up at the wrong address.

Andersen told investigators he and his wife were asleep when they heard loud noises at the door. Convinced that someone was attempting to break in, he looked out and claimed to see two individuals. In a state of alarm, he retrieved his handgun and returned to the window, describing them as “pointing” at the door. Without revealing his identity, he fired a shot without opening the door.

When informed that he had caused someone’s death, Andersen reportedly bowed his head and expressed that he never meant for anyone to get hurt. His wife, Yossie Andersen, stated he fired the gun from the top of the stairs and instructed her to call 911 after the incident.

Investigators found bulletholes in the door, but noted there were no indications of forced entry. Velasquez’s husband, Mauricio, informed authorities that he attempted to open the door for about 30 seconds to a minute using a key provided by the cleaning company, but he heard no knocking or voices from within.

Mauricio later told the media he only realized she had been shot when she fell bleeding into his arms on the porch. He described her as a mother of four children, highlighting the devastating impact of the event.

If convicted, Andersen could face anywhere from 10 to 30 years in prison. He is currently held in the Boone County Jail while awaiting his first court appearance. His attorney, Guy Relford, expressed disappointment over the charges, asserting that Andersen believed he acted within his rights under state self-defense laws.

Prosecutor Kent Eastwood indicated that the case did not meet the criteria set by Indiana’s self-defense statute, stating Andersen lacked reasonable cause to believe that the use of deadly force was necessary. He added that the prosecution believes Andersen could not have reasonably regarded himself as being in danger.