Indiana Man Released on $25,000 Bail in Shooting Death of Guatemalan house Cleaner
ZIONSVILLE, Ind. – A central Indiana man accused of fatally shooting a Guatemalan house cleaner who mistakenly went to his home has been released on $25,000 bail. Judge Matthew Kincaid set the bail amount for Andrew Andersen on Friday and ordered him to surrender his passport, with a jury trial scheduled to begin March 30, according to court records.
The shooting occurred when Maria Ríos, 37, and her husband were at Andersen’s residence by mistake as part of a house cleaning crew. They were attempting to open the door with a key provided by their company when andersen allegedly fired a shot through the door,striking Ríos in the head. Her husband was unharmed. Andersen told investigators he believed someone was attempting to break into his home.
Prosecutors had requested a $50,000 bond with house arrest as a condition of release, but Judge Kincaid set the lower bail amount. Alexander Limontes, an attorney representing Ríos’ family, criticized the decision in a statement. “Maria was a hard-working mother and wife who was there for her family, friends and community every day,” Limontes said. “He was simply doing his job. For his family, today’s bail hearing is another painful reminder of the loss they suffered and the long road to justice ahead of them.”
Ríos is survived by four children. Her family planned to return her body to Guatemala on Saturday,with a funeral scheduled for Sunday in Cabricán.
The case is expected to center on Indiana’s self-defense law, which permits the use of deadly force when individuals reasonably believe they are protecting themselves from unlawful entry into their homes. Police have stated there is no evidence Ríos entered the home before she was shot.
Andrew Andersen’s attorney, Guy Relford, has maintained his client acted in self-defense but has not provided further public comment. Boone County Prosecutor Kent Eastwood declined to comment on the case.
