PHOTOS: Indiana Cleaning Lady Maria Florinda Ríos Pérez Shot Dead by Whitestown Homeowner After Entering Wrong House; Husband Demands Justice

A tragic case in Whitestown, Indiana has left a family devastated after Maria Florinda Ríos Pérez, a 32-year-old house cleaner and mother of four, was fatally shot by a homeowner who believed she was an intruder.

The incident occurred just before dawn on Wednesday, November 5, when Ríos Pérez and her husband, Mauricio Velázquez, arrived at what they thought was the residence they had been hired to clean. Instead, they mistakenly approached the wrong home. As Ríos Pérez attempted to enter, the homeowner fired a shot, striking her on the front porch.

According to the Whitestown Metropolitan Police Department, officers responded to a 911 call reporting a possible break-in. They found Ríos Pérez suffering from a gunshot wound; she was pronounced dead at the scene.

(From left to right) 10-year-old Gricelda, 7-year-old Greysi, their father Mauricio Velázquez and 17-year-old Sayda on Nov. 5, 2025.

 Velázquez, who was standing beside his wife, described the horrifying moment to the Indianapolis Star: “She didn’t even put the key in when I heard the shot happen. I saw my wife step back twice, then the keys dropped. Then she dropped, and I went to catch her. I was trying to console her, but I saw the blood coming out.”

Grieving and demanding accountability, Velázquez said the homeowner should have called police instead of firing: “He shouldn’t be taking lives of people like that. Now I have to raise four kids by myself.”

Police have described the shooting as an “isolated incident” and are working with the Boone County Prosecutor’s Office to determine whether the act was justified. As of now, prosecutors have declined to file charges, and the homeowner remains unidentified.

Mauricio Velázquez, 48, sits with his 8-year-old daughter Greysi while talking about what happened to her mother on Nov. 5, 2025.

Loved ones remembered Ríos Pérez as “a beacon of kindness, humility, and strength.” A GoFundMe fundraiser, which has already raised more than $37,000, described her as a hardworking mother who often took extra jobs to provide for her children. Friends and coworkers recalled her infectious smile, laughter, and generosity, even during difficult times.

Originally from Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, Ríos Pérez and Velázquez had moved to Indianapolis with their family just one year ago. The family is now working to repatriate her body back to Guatemala.

Whitestown, located about 20 miles northwest of downtown Indianapolis, is reeling from the tragedy as the investigation continues.