Cabrican, Guatemala โค- The body of Marรญaโข Florindaโฃ Rรญos Pรฉrez, a 32-year-old Guatemalan mother of four, arrived in Guatemala City on Sunday and is being transported to her hometown ofโ Cabrican following a fatal shooting in Whitestown, Indiana, on November 5. Her death has sparked grief in her communityโ and renewed focus on the dangers faced by Guatemalan migrants seeking opportunity in the United States.
Rรญos Pรฉrez was fatally shot through a closed door by Curt Andersen, 32, of โWhitestown, while she and her husband were working as part of a house cleaning crew. According to court documents, the couple mistakenly went to Andersen’s residence and were attempting to unlock the door with a key provided by their company whenโ Andersen fired aโข shot, striking Rรญos Pรฉrez in the head. The incident underscores the vulnerabilities faced by migrant workers and the โpotentialโ for tragic consequences stemming โคfrom โคmiscommunication and fear. Andersen has been charged with voluntary manslaughter โคand is scheduled to stand trial on March โ30, after โa judge set bail at $25,000 on Friday and ordered him to surrender โhis passport.
Familyโ members โreceived Rรญos Pรฉrez’s body at the capital’s international airport โlate Sunday and are transporting her to Cabrican, โฃa town of primarily Mam Indigenousโ Mayan peopel located approximately 125 miles (200 kilometers) west of Guatemala City. Inโ Cabrican, preparations are underway for aโ wake and burial, with community members cooking food and adorning an altar at her parents’ home with flowers and pictures.
Rรญos Pรฉrezโ left Guatemala two years ago with two of her daughters, utilizing a smuggler to reach the U.S. after โคbeing told adults with children were being permitted entry, according to her sister, Yeimy Paola Rรญos Pรฉrez, 19. the family relocated to Indiana, where five of her siblings and her father already resided.
“She was โฃreally happy โbecause ther was only a โขweek until her son turned 1 year old andโ she was getting everything ready to celebrate the boy’s birthday,” Yeimy recalled of her last conversation with her sister.
Andersen told investigators he heard someone attempting to โคunlock his front door and believed someone was trying to breakโ into his โขhome.The case remains ongoing as the Guatemalan community mourns the loss โคof a motherโ andโ daughter.