Cleaning crew member shot and killed on porch after arriving at the wrong house

[wtiger]

give everyone a gun - leading to outbreaks of paranoia and shooting each other, who would have thought it??

 

[IceIce9]

Whitestown police are working with the Boone County Prosecutor’s office to determine if the shooting was justified.

https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/family-of-slain-housekeeper-questions-why-the-shooter-had-to-shoot/

Local social media is terrible. The worst are supporting the shooter for his right to shoot someone through the front door. Others are saying it was just a tragic accident.

 

[crcap]

People in this country are way too trigger happy and looking for any reason to kill someone.

 

[Ladyotm]

People in this country are way too trigger happy and looking for any reason to kill someone.

The fact that we can turn on the TV, the TV...and hear inflammatory remarks addressed towards people based on political beliefs, sexual orientation, religions, social or economic class, ethnicity, race, where they live etc along with music bragging about killing folks and committing crime, violent video games, people unwilling to have a conversation as the first step to solve misunderstandings aor disagreements, etc has folks living on the edge, ready to pop someone for the most minor situation due their lack of humanity for folks they don't know.

Ok m not defending the shooter, but if anyone was at my door at 7am, I would be like wtf do they want. I'd answer my door with the camera to see what they needed...because people just don't normally knock on my door that time of the morning.

The only reason I believe the homeowner may have thought it was a home envasion is if she was pulling on the handle to actually open the door.

SUch a sad and preventable story. I'm hoping she receives justice.

 

[raja]

This is so ridiculous. Why shoot someone when you have already alerted police of what you perceive as a possible crime? They were on the way and the door was not breached yet. <modsnip> I absolutely hate guns period. We have one and my DH took me to learn how to shoot it but still I hate them. I’m a fan of the OPL live show and I am just astonished at how many people they have interactions with that have guns in their cars etc.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

7:00 a.m. could be a delivery or utility service person where I live.

 

[IceIce9]

7:00 a.m. could be a delivery or utility service person where I live.

Or an Amazon delivery driver. I’ve had Amazon delivery drivers on my porch as early as 6 am.

A few times I wasn’t even expecting a delivery and a driver dropped off a package on my front porch. Good thing I didn’t shoot through my front door.

 

[Lebowski]

This will be the attorney representing the shooter is my guess. Relford is a very outspoken proponent of the 2nd amendment

The Law Offices of Guy A. Relford

Check out this GoDaddy hosted webpage! http://relfordlaw.com.

www.relfordlaw.com

The legal practice of Guy A. Relford is devoted to the protection of Constitutional rights, focusing on the Second Amendment and Indiana gun laws.

An attorney since 1983, Guy Relford has the experience necessary to protect your legal rights in any firearm-related legal issue.

defense attorney's going frame this as a political thing and bet that at least 1 or 2 jurors are big enough partisan zombies to hang the jury. and it might work.

 

[elliefant]

Poor woman and her family if justice is denied in order to score points in agendae.

 

[IceIce9]

The Boone County Coroner’s Office confirmed Perez died from a gunshot wound to the head. Her death was ruled a homicide.

While the initial call came in as a possible home invasion, police confirm the victim never actually entered the home.

“It’s a horrible, horrible tragedy this happened,” said Attorney Joe Villanueva.

Former Johnson County Prosecutor Joe Villanueva isn’t connected to the case, but said Indiana’s Castle Doctrine allows people wide latitude to protect their home without facing criminal charges

Prominent Second Amendment Attorney Guy Relford confirms he has been hired to represent the homeowner.

https://fox59.com/news/prosecutor-weighs-whether-shooting-in-whitestown-that-killed-cleaning-lady-was-justified-under-the-law/

 

[tlcya]

There was one on WS in the last couple of years where a young lad went to the wrong house number by mistake and was shot through the front door when he rang the bell. I’m sorry I don’t recall his name. The shooter was an angry older man who tried to claim he feared for his life, when the lad had done nothing.

ETA : I think it was this case - Andrew Lester dies awaiting sentencing for shooting teen Ralph Yarl

I remember that one. The young man mistakenly thought the home was that of friends of his siblings, who he was tasked with picking up from the friend's home. Ralph Yarl, 16, was shot but thankfully survived. His shooter was an elderly man who has since died. WS thread for it is here:

MO - Ralph Yarl, 16, shot twice for ringing the doorbell at the wrong house by mistake, Kansas City, Apr 2023 *arrest*

 

[CityKid]

There was one on WS in the last couple of years where a young lad went to the wrong house number by mistake and was shot through the front door when he rang the bell. I’m sorry I don’t recall his name. The shooter was an angry older man who tried to claim he feared for his life, when the lad had done nothing.

ETA : I think it was this case - Andrew Lester dies awaiting sentencing for shooting teen Ralph Yarl

Good news about the victim: Despite PTSD and migraines, he's playing the clarinet in the marching band at Texas A&M.

86-year-old white man accepts plea deal in wrong-door shooting of Black teen Ralph Yarl

Andrew Lester could serve up to seven years in jail for shooting Yarl in 2023, when the teenager mistakenly rang his doorbell.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[NervousNellie]

I remember when my stepsister moved and I went to visit her and went to the wrong house by accident. I just can't imagine being shot dead for standing on the wrong porch.

I remember walking up to a stranger’s house for help after running out of gas late at night in rural Georgia some 40 yrs ago. Mom and I were terrified and carrying, but what we encountered was the most kind and generous family who immediately helped us with no consideration for their safety. (Chances are high they had their own protection.) I probably would have forgotten that entire experience if it weren’t for all the people that do get shot for going to the wrong address. We are a scared nation right now.

 

[NervousNellie]

The Boone County Coroner’s Office confirmed Perez died from a gunshot wound to the head. Her death was ruled a homicide.

While the initial call came in as a possible home invasion, police confirm the victim never actually entered the home.

“It’s a horrible, horrible tragedy this happened,” said Attorney Joe Villanueva.

Former Johnson County Prosecutor Joe Villanueva isn’t connected to the case, but said Indiana’s Castle Doctrine allows people wide latitude to protect their home without facing criminal charges

Prominent Second Amendment Attorney Guy Relford confirms he has been hired to represent the homeowner.

https://fox59.com/news/prosecutor-weighs-whether-shooting-in-whitestown-that-killed-cleaning-lady-was-justified-under-the-law/

It’s not only a tragedy, it was also a crime.

 

[legalmomma]

Guy Relford is already tweeting about the Indiana Castle Doctrine.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1986522345943585237

For those who need to know, Indiana's "castle doctrine" (Ind. Code 35-41-3-2(d)) states the following:

"(d) A person:

(1) is justified in using reasonable force, including deadly force, against any other person; and

(2) does not have a duty to retreat;

if the person reasonably believes that the force is necessary to prevent or terminate the other person's unlawful entry of or attack on the person's dwelling, curtilage, or occupied motor vehicle."

Every word matters.
————-

I found Indiana case law on point:

Watts v. State, 169 N.E.3d 453 (Ind. Ct. App. 2020).
Summary:

• Facts: Watts fired a handgun through his front door after hearing the doorbell ring and the doorknob turn. He mistakenly believed the person outside—who turned out to be a woman hired to clean his house—was a burglar.
• Outcome: His conviction for reckless homicide was affirmed.
• Reasoning: The court held that Indiana’s castle doctrine and self-defense statutes did not justify the shooting because there was no unlawful entry or imminent threat when the victim was still outside the door

If the cleaning lady simply turned the doorknob or knocked and never entered or broke the door, the shooter would not be exonerated under Indiana’s Castle Doctrine.
It would most likely result in charges such as reckless homicide or voluntary manslaughter, depending on the shooter’s intent and awareness. Hopefully charges will be filed!

 

[Lebowski]

yeah, it's the word "reasonable" that people always forget about. it seems to be a common belief that if the shooter honestly believed the person was a threat, welp that's good enough. lol, no. if you're going to pull the trigger and end someone's life, the law doesn't just let you unilaterally judge that it was necessary. there has to be some independent judgment by a court, based on what they know of the circumstances, of whether your belief was reasonable. as opposed to a sloppy, irrational, or willfully dumb assumption. otherwise, self-defense would be a loophole you could drive a truck through and we might as well legalize murder.

 

[Brightchaser47]

Guy Relford is already tweeting about the Indiana Castle Doctrine.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1986522345943585237

For those who need to know, Indiana's "castle doctrine" (Ind. Code 35-41-3-2(d)) states the following:

"(d) A person:

(1) is justified in using reasonable force, including deadly force, against any other person; and

(2) does not have a duty to retreat;

if the person reasonably believes that the force is necessary to prevent or terminate the other person's unlawful entry of or attack on the person's dwelling, curtilage, or occupied motor vehicle."

Every word matters.
————-

I found Indiana case law on point:

Watts v. State, 169 N.E.3d 453 (Ind. Ct. App. 2020).
Summary:

• Facts: Watts fired a handgun through his front door after hearing the doorbell ring and the doorknob turn. He mistakenly believed the person outside—who turned out to be a woman hired to clean his house—was a burglar.

RSBM
How many would-be burglars ring the doorbell??

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

I'm so confused at people saying he had a right to be fearful because someone was on his porch at 7am...was she trying to enter the house or simply on the porch?

Several weeks ago there was a package delivered to me that actually belonged to someone in a different building in my development. Different building number but the same apartment number, so I went over there and knocked so I could give it to them...would they have reason to be fearful because I was simply knocking on their door?

This whole thing seems insane to me and there HAS to be more to this story IMO

From what I understand she was trying to enter the house with keys and her husband was also present. There’s always more to the story. imo

Cleaning lady fatally shot in front of husband after couple arrived at wrong house for job: ‘Didn’t even get the key in’

The victim and her husband checked the address twice and circled the neighborhood to make sure they were in the right place.

nypost.com

As they tried to get the keys they’d been provided into the door of the stately home — and Pérez teased her fumbling husband and grabbed the keyring from him — a single shot rang out

 

[tara83]

From what I understand she was trying to enter the house with keys and her husband was also present. There’s always more to the story. imo

Cleaning lady fatally shot in front of husband after couple arrived at wrong house for job: ‘Didn’t even get the key in’

The victim and her husband checked the address twice and circled the neighborhood to make sure they were in the right place.

nypost.com

As they tried to get the keys they’d been provided into the door of the stately home — and Pérez teased her fumbling husband and grabbed the keyring from him — a single shot rang out

Unless she was IN the house nothing justifies murder. JMO

 

[Tutter]

Reminiscent of “The Perfect Neighbor.” I too live in Indiana~MAGA elected officials better do the right thing and make sure the shooter is charged with murder. No entry. Gunshot through the door.
—————-

https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/family-of-slain-housekeeper-questions-why-the-shooter-had-to-shoot/

…
Her family identified the victim as Maria Florinda Rios Perez. Her husband, Mauricio Velazquez, spoke to Fox59/CBS4 through a translator.

“For him, she was the love of his life. She was always nice,” said Velazquez. “She was a good wife and also a good mother to all four of her children.”

Velazquez was there at the time and says he held on to her until authorities arrived.
…
In addition to raising those four kids, Velazquez says he is now preparing to take his wife back to her native Guatemala for her burial.

We just watched that on Netflix. Shooting through the door is clearly NOT self defense. That is just killing people. I think they will get it right in this case too. So senseless.