Whitestown Man Charged with Voluntary Manslaughter

Curt Andersen mugshot — Boone County Jail

BOONE COUNTY, Ind.–Boone County Prosecutor Kent Eastwood has filed a voluntary manslaughter charge against Curt Andersen, a homeowner accused of shooting and killing a cleaning lady in Whitestown back on November 5.

María Florinda Ríos Pérez De Velásquez, 32, of Indianapolis, was killed in the shooting around 7 a.m. on Maize Lane in the Heritage subdivision.

“I express my deepest sympathies to the family of María Florinda Ríos Pérez De Velásquez. This is a tragedy for everyone involved, and our hearts and prayers are with her family as they navigate this difficult time,” Boone County Prosecutor Kent Eastwood said.

Eastwood says earlier reports indicate that the call initially came in as a home invasion, but the investigation revealed that was not the case.

“Based upon the particular evidence and circumstances of this case, we have determined that Curt Andersen’s actions do not fall within the legal protections of the Indiana Stand Your Ground Law,” said Eastwood.

Stand Your Ground is a self-defense law. Indiana passed it in 2006 as an expansion of its 1977 Castle Doctrine law. The law says a person is justified to use reasonable force, including deadly force, to protect themselves and others who are unable to retreat, assuming they are in a place they are legally allowed to be.

The husband of Ríos Pérez De Velásquez was with her at the time, but he was unharmed. Eastwood says social media hasn’t helped things.

“Social media has circulated false and misleading information. This must stop immediately. It does not help this process. It does not help this case. It undermines the integrity of the judicial process,” said Eastwood.

Eastwood says rumors were circulating that Andersen was a police officer and that’s simply not true.

“Curt Andersen has no affiliation with any local police department. To our knowledge, he has never been a police officer, and there is no evidence of any connection to law enforcement in Boone County. By spreading these falsehoods, you are undermining
everything we work for every single day to ensure and defend. Stop sharing rumors. Stop posting misleading narratives. Rely on official sources for accurate information. Justice cannot exist without truth,” said Eastwood.

Maria died from a single gunshot wound to the head. She leaves behind four children ranging from 11 months to 17 years old.

The probable cause affidavit says Andersen was spooked by what he heard being a commotion with someone trying to get into the front door. He said he fired he shot at the door when he heard the noises coming from the door get progressively more aggressive.

Police believe Maria and her husband went to the wrong house. Andersen’s wife, Yoshie, stated that she could hear someone fiddling with the doorknob keyhole and later said she heard a “bang” sound at the door, but no knocking.

Mauricio Perez-Velasquez, the husband of Maria, said that they received the address from their boss, and once they arrived at the home, they attempted to unlock the door with the keys their boss had given them. While trying to open the door, he heard a shot and was unsure which direction it came from. After he heard the shot, he then turned his attention to Maria and tried to render her aid.

Mauricio said to his understanding, no one should have been living at or inside the address on Maize Lane because it was a model home.

Online jail records show Andersen has been booked into the Boone County Jail. An initial hearing where bond will be set has not been scheduled, but Eastwood said that could be scheduled later on this week.

Andersen’s attorney, Guy Relford has released a statement on social media:

“The death of Maria Florinda Rios Perez de Velasquez is a terrible tragedy that is heartbreaking for everyone involved. And while we are disappointed that the Boone County Prosecutor’s Office has elected to file criminal charges against Mr. Curt Andersen, I look forward to proving in court that his actions were fully justified by the “castle doctrine” provision of Indiana’s self-defense law. That law allows a person to use reasonable force, including deadly force, if he reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent an unlawful entry into his home. Contrary to the contention of the prosecutor – and without discussing the specific facts of the case – we believe Mr. Andersen had every reason to believe his actions were absolutely necessary and fully justified at the time. We also believe that Mr. Andersen’s actions are being unfairly judged based on facts that were unknowable to him as events unfolded that early morning. The law does not allow a criminal conviction based on hindsight. Instead, Mr. Andersen’s actions must be evaluated based on the circumstances as he perceived them. For all these reasons, the castle doctrine clearly applies and I look forward to defending Mr. Andersen in court,” said Relford.

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