LEBANON — A crowd gathered Monday outside the Boone County Prosecutor’s Office, urging justice for Maria Perez as the prosecutor met with her family and their legal counsel and weighed whether to file charges in her death.
Investigators say Perez was shot last Wednesday after she and her husband drove to the wrong house in a Whitestown subdivision while working with a cleaning service. The homeowner shot Perez through the door, killing her, authorities said.
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During the rally for peace, demonstrators chanted in English and Spanish, each one calling for justice for Maria.
"The stand your ground law is going to be a primary defense in this case, regardless of whether he decides to pursue,” Alex Limontes, the attorney for Maria’s family, said.
Perez’s husband, Mauricio Velazquez, spoke through a translator at the rally.
"Even though we are immigrants, we are still people. we are not animals, we are still human, and we deserve this justice to be delivered,” Velazquez said.
Limontes said the family will pursue a civil lawsuit regardless of the prosecutor’s decision.
"We are conducting an independent investigation into the events that led into her death,” Limontes said. “We will work closely with law enforcement and community leaders to ensure that her family's voice is heard. "
He added that the family hopes the case will prompt changes at the state level.
"Keeping our lines of communication open with our legislators and showing them stories like this, how they really impact real people in their daily lives,” Limontes said. “I think that is essential. "
A resource drive for Perez’s family is planned for Nov. 23. Those who want to assist are asked to visit the website the family has established for details.
