Mother Fatally Shot After Mistakenly Entering Wrong House for Cleaning Job

 A heartbreaking incident occurred in Whitestown, Indiana, when 32-year-old Maria Florinda Ríos Pérez, a mother of four, was shot and killed after mistakenly attempting to enter the wrong house for a cleaning job. Her husband, Mauricio Velázquez, witnessed the tragedy and is demanding justice.

The incident happened just before 7 a.m. on Wednesday. Pérez and her husband, both self-employed cleaners, had checked the address multiple times and drove around the neighborhood to ensure they were at the correct location. When they tried to use the keys provided by the client, the homeowner fatally shot Pérez, believing they were intruders.

Velázquez recounted the horrifying moment:

“She didn’t even put the key in when I heard the shot happen. I saw my wife had stepped back twice, and then the keys dropped. Then she dropped, and I went to catch her. I was trying to console her and tell her everything was going to be OK, but I was seeing the blood coming out.”

Police responded to a 911 call reporting a home invasion and found the couple on the porch. Pérez was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities confirmed that the couple were not breaking in but had genuinely made a mistake.

The case is complicated by Indiana’s “Stand your ground” law, which allows homeowners to use fatal force to protect their property if they reasonably believe it is necessary to prevent an unlawful entry or attack. Boone County Prosecutor Kent Eastwood noted that homeowners have no duty to retreat under these laws.

Velázquez expressed his grief and determination for justice:

“For me, she was the love of my life. She was a good wife and a good mother.”

Maria Florinda Ríos Pérez leaves behind her husband and four children, including a son under one year old. Velázquez is now working to return her body to her hometown in Guatemala. An investigation is ongoing, and no arrests have been made.