A 32-year-old Indiana mother of four was fatally shot Wednesday morning after arriving at the wrong address for a cleaning job, while her husband watched in horror.
According to the New York Post, Maria Florinda RĂos PĂŠrez and her husband, Mauricio VelĂĄzquez, arrived at a Whitestown home just before 7 a.m. They had been hired to clean the house and had double-checked the address, even circling the neighborhood to ensure they were in the right place.
âAs they tried to get the keys theyâd been provided into the door of the stately home â and PĂŠrez teased her fumbling husband and grabbed the keyring from him â a single shot rang out, and the mother dropped bleeding to the ground,â IndyStar reported.
âShe didnât even put the key in when I heard the shot happen,â VelĂĄzquez told IndyStar. âI 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.â
A 911 call reporting a home invasion came in around the same time. Whitestown Metropolitan Police found the couple on the porch, and despite attempts to save her, PĂŠrez was pronounced dead at the scene.
âJust pray for my family,â VelĂĄzquez said, referring to their four children, one of whom is not yet 1 year old. âRaising them isnât going to be easy.â
Police confirmed the couple had been trying to enter a home they were hired to clean and were not breaking in. âThe facts gathered do not support that a residential entry occurred,â Whitestown Police said. âThe loss of life is always a profound tragedy, and our hearts and prayers go out to all those affected.â
No arrests have been made as the investigation continues. Indianaâs strong âStand your groundâ laws allow homeowners to use deadly force to protect themselves and their property.
Boone County Prosecutor Kent Eastwood explained, âWhen it comes to a dwelling, individuals can use reasonable force, including deadly force, against another person. They have no duty to retreat⌠that person who uses that force has to reasonably believe that the force is necessary to prevent or terminate an awful entry or attack on the personâs dwelling.â
Despite the legal context, VelĂĄzquez said he is seeking justice for his wife. âFor me, she was the love of my life,â he said. âShe was a good wife and a good mother.â
The victim leaves behind three daughters, ages 17, 10 and 8, and an almost 1-year-old son. VelĂĄzquez is arranging to return his wifeâs body to their hometown in Guatemala.
