A tragic shooting in Whitestown, Indiana, left a 32-year-old cleaning woman dead after she and her husband mistakenly arrived at the wrong home early Wednesday morning.
Police say Maria Florinda Rios Perez was shot just before 7 a.m. as she tried to enter a house in the Heritage subdivision, believing it was her client’s address. When officers arrived, Perez was found dead on the front porch from a single gunshot wound.
Her husband told investigators that he and Perez had gone to the property for a scheduled cleaning job and only realized it was the wrong home when the shooting occurred. He said he did not know she had been shot until she collapsed into his arms.
Perez’s brother, Rudy Rios, said she had been working hard to support her family and was simply trying to open the door when she was killed. “It’s so unjust,” he said. “She was only trying to bring home the daily bread to support her family. She accidentally went to the wrong house, but he shouldn’t have taken her life.”
Authorities say they received a 911 call from the homeowner reporting what they believed was a possible break-in. Police confirmed that Perez was unarmed and that there were no signs of forced entry. Investigators are reviewing evidence and statements to determine whether the shooter will face charges.
Whitestown officials said the case will be presented to the Boone County Prosecutor’s Office for review. Indiana law allows residents to use deadly force if they believe their lives are in danger, though authorities have not yet said whether that law will apply in this case.
Perez, who had recently started her cleaning business, leaves behind four children. Family members and neighbors have called the shooting senseless and are urging local leaders to review how “stand-your-ground” and home-defense laws are applied in such tragic mistakes.
