A House Cleaner and Mother of Four Attempted to Enter the Wrong Address. She Was Shot and Killed

A woman working as a house cleaner was shot and killed after accidentally trying to enter the wrong home in Whitestown, Indiana.

Maria Florinda Rios Perez de Velasquez, 32, had arrived with her husband on the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 5, to clean what she believed was their client’s residence. When she tried to unlock the door with a key, the homeowner reportedly shot her in the head, her brother Rudy Rios told NBC News.

“She fell into the arms of her husband,” Rios said. De Velasquez, an immigrant from Guatemala, was the mother of four children ranging in age from 1 to 17.

“It’s so unjust. She was only trying to bring home the daily bread to support her family,” Rios added. “She accidentally went to the wrong house, but he shouldn’t have taken her life. She wasn’t threatening — she had nothing in her hands, only those keys.”

An autopsy confirmed de Velasquez died from a gunshot wound to the head, Boone County Coroner Justin Sparks told local ABC affiliate WRTV. Her death was ruled a homicide.

Sparks clarified that the classification alone does not determine criminal liability. “It has no impact. It is a classification of manner of death, not an implication in the criminal realm,” he said. “Homicide in this context means the death was caused by a volitional act by another person, not necessarily implying criminal intent.”

Captain John Yurkosh of the Whitestown Metropolitan Police Department told WTHR that the case remains under active investigation. “We are just trying to unravel what exactly happened and, if applicable, what charges there would be,” he explained. “This is still very fresh.”

In a statement shared on social media, the Whitestown Metropolitan Police Department said, “The facts gathered do not support that a residential entry occurred.” Investigators confirmed de Velasquez died at the scene, and that her husband was on the porch as she attempted to use the key — meaning neither had entered the home.

“Officers acted quickly to secure the home and move the female to a safe location to attempt life-saving measures,” the statement added, “but it was discovered she was already deceased upon the officers’ arrival.”

The investigation remains open, and authorities have not publicly identified the shooter.