After a jury found her guilty of murdering and robbing her husband’s great-grandfather, who was 88 years old, so that she could escape with her boyfriend to Michigan, a woman from Florida is facing a sentence of life in prison; she is currently facing this punishment.
James Little was beaten to death at his home in Sebring in the year 2020, and Britney Andrus, who is 29 years old, was found guilty on Friday of second-degree murder, burglary, and grand theft of a motor vehicle in connection with the incident. According to reports, her boyfriend, Travis Best, who is 25 years old, had already entered a guilty plea to the same crimes and had testified against Andrus at her subsequent trial.
The mother-in-law apartment that was attached to Little’s house was where Andrus and Best were residing until recently. At the time of the murder, her spouse was incarcerated behind bars. Police claimed in an affidavit of probable cause that Andrus and Best had devised a scheme to steal from Little’s residence in the days preceding up to the murder. The plot included stealing Little’s automobile as well as jewels that had been left by his wife, who had passed away just one month earlier. It was their intention to move to Michigan in order to reside with her grandma, according to the police.
When Andrus arrived at the residence of a neighbor on October 22, 2020, she reported that she had just discovered Little asleep in his bedroom. This occurred shortly after 1:30 p.m. Two days after his arrival, he passed away in the hospital where he had been taken.
Despite the fact that it took a year to apprehend Andrus and Best for the murder, investigators suspected them nearly immediately after the crime was committed.
Little’s bedroom was a complete mess, with closed drawers and jewelry cases that were nowhere to be found. Both his vehicle and his wallet, which contained approximately $1,500 in cash, had been taken from him. The police also noticed that there was a safe that had been hidden and that only members of the family who were very close to the deceased would have known about it.
“Based on the scene, it was evident the victim was awoken by an intruder(s), was struck multiple times, and laid hurt in the residence for some time before EMS and law enforcement being notified,” according to the affidavit submitted by detectives.
In addition, the affidavit stated that there was “blood evidence” located all around the building. Based on the findings of the autopsy, Little died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head. Little Twelve was struck multiple times with an unidentified item by the accused, who then abandoned him to die while they fled with his belongings under their control. Methamphetamine was purchased by Best with a portion of the money that was taken from Little’s wallet.
For the sake of the investigation, the detectives pieced together surveillance footage of the pair spending Little’s money while traveling around town in Little’s automobile. Additionally, investigators spoke with a few of their acquaintances, who stated that Andrus arrived at the scene with blood spread across her clothes. She claimed that the blood on her clothing was not her own, and Andrus responded by saying, “I don’t know what I did.” According to her subsequent statement, “It was as if he was asking for it anyway.”
The Highlands News-Sun has a report from the trial that stated that Best testified against Andrus, stating that she was the one who came up with the idea to kill Little.
“I told her I wanted nothing to do with it,” Best reportedly claimed in the courtroom. “It was a big argument, I packed a suitcase and left.”
Little had the stuff that were contained in the luggage taken from him. Best said in front of the jury that after that, they proceeded to the residence of a friend, where Andrus confessed to killing Little.
“All she could say was, ‘I did it, I did it.'” I was under the impression that she had murdered this man. He reported that he had seen blood on her collar.
The date of Andrus’s sentencing is scheduled for September 15th.
In an interview with the News-Sun, Little’s son expressed his satisfaction with the verdict of the case.
“I am extremely gratified by the verdict,” he stated to reporters. “It was something the family was waiting for for five years.”
