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Indiana Prosecutor Weighs Charges in Whitestown Wrong-House Shooting That Killed Guatemalan Worker

The review centers on whether the homeowner’s use of force was legally reasonable under the state’s Castle Doctrine.

Overview

  • Whitestown police submitted their findings to Boone County Prosecutor Kent Eastwood, who said deciding on charges will be difficult and will require assessing the evidence against self-defense law.
  • The Boone County coroner determined the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head and classified the death as homicide, a medical/legal designation that does not itself establish criminal intent.
  • Authorities say María Florinda Ríos Pérez, 32, and her husband were part of a cleaning crew that went to the wrong address early on Nov. 5, and her husband recounted that she collapsed beside him after a single shot.
  • The homeowner’s identity has not been released publicly as police describe a complex, ongoing investigation and urge patience, and local officials denied social media claims that the shooter was a police officer.
  • Guatemala’s foreign ministry confirmed the victim’s identity and is providing consular and legal assistance as the family arranges repatriation, while advocates call for a thorough, impartial inquiry.