Charges Filed in Fatal Shooting of House Cleaner in Indiana
Nov, 17 2025
Rios' husband, Mauricio Velasquez, was present during the incident and reported that he did not realize she had been shot until she fell back into his arms. Rios was a mother of four children, as described by her brother on a fundraising page.
The case has drawn attention to Indiana's stand-your-ground law, which allows homeowners to use deadly force against perceived unlawful intrusions. However, authorities indicated that there was no evidence Rios had entered the home before being shot. Boone County Prosecutor Kent Eastwood stated that the decision to charge Anderson was straightforward, as he believed Anderson lacked sufficient information to justify the use of deadly force.
Anderson's attorney, Guy Relford, expressed disappointment over the charges, asserting that Anderson acted based on his perception of the situation. The probable cause statement revealed that Anderson had heard a commotion at the door and, feeling threatened, retrieved his handgun and fired a shot without announcing himself.
Investigators found no signs of forced entry, and Rios and her husband had been attempting to open the door for approximately 30 seconds before the shooting occurred. This incident parallels other stand-your-ground cases, including a 2023 shooting in Missouri involving a teenager who mistakenly approached a home, highlighting ongoing debates about the implications of such laws on public safety and community interactions.