A tragic misunderstanding turned deadly early Wednesday morning when a 32-year-old woman was fatally shot after she and her coworkers mistakenly arrived at the wrong home in Whitestown, Indiana.
Police say the incident happened shortly before 7 a.m. in a quiet residential neighborhood about 20 miles northwest of Indianapolis. Responding officers discovered the victim, Maria Florinda Rios Perez de Velasquez, lying on the front porch with a severe head injury. Investigators confirmed that a firearm had been discharged from inside the residence.
Authorities later determined that Velasquez and her cleaning crew, who work for a local cleaning company, had accidentally gone to the wrong address for a scheduled job. Police emphasized that there was no evidence of a break-in or criminal intent by the cleaning crew.
Velasquez’s husband, who was with her at the time, recounted the heartbreaking moment he realized what had happened.
“She fell into my arms,” he said, recalling the shock of seeing his wife collapse after the gunshot.
The couple, who had been cleaning homes together for about seven months, shared four children — their youngest just 11 months old.
The Boone County Coroner’s Office has confirmed Velasquez’s identity, and the Whitestown Police Department continues to investigate the shooting. No arrests have been announced as of Thursday morning.
Velasquez’s husband is pleading for justice, saying the person inside the home took her life “unfairly” and that his family’s life has been shattered by the senseless tragedy.
Authorities are urging residents to exercise caution before using deadly force, reminding the public that tragic misidentifications can have irreversible consequences.