Britney Andrus was sentenced to life in prison for the beating death of her husband's 88-year-old great-grandfather, James Little, in Sebring, Florida. The crime occurred in 2020 as part of a plan to steal from Little and flee to Michigan with her boyfriend. Andrus's boyfriend testified against her, receiving a lighter sentence.
On Wednesday, Britney Andrus, 29, received a life sentence following her July conviction for second-degree murder, burglary, and grand theft of a motor vehicle. The charges stemmed from the October 2020 death of James Little, an 88-year-old resident of Sebring, Florida, at his home.
Andrus and her boyfriend, Tyler Best, 25, lived in a mother-in-law suite attached to Little's residence. At the time, Andrus's husband was incarcerated. According to investigators, the couple plotted to steal Little's car, jewelry belonging to his late wife—who had died a month earlier—and a hidden safe known only to close family. Their goal was to relocate to Michigan to live with Andrus's grandmother.
The incident unfolded on October 22, 2020. Around 1:30 p.m., Andrus approached a neighbor, claiming she had discovered Little unconscious in his bedroom. He was transported to a hospital and succumbed five days later to blunt force trauma to the head, having been struck 12 times with an unidentified object.
The crime scene showed disarray, with open drawers, missing jewelry boxes, a stolen wallet containing $1,500 in cash, and the absent vehicle. Blood evidence was present throughout the room, and detectives noted that Little appeared to have been awakened by intruders, assaulted, and left injured for some time before help was summoned.
Best, who pleaded guilty to the same charges, testified against Andrus and was sentenced to 15 years in prison in January. He claimed the killing was Andrus's idea and recounted her admission: "I did it, I did it." Surveillance footage captured the pair driving Little's car and spending his money, including Best's purchase of methamphetamine. Friends reported Andrus arriving with blood on her shirt, where she said, "I don't know what I did," and added, "It was like he was asking for it anyways."
During sentencing, Joshua Little, the victim's grandson, described his grandfather as someone who "loved helping people." He stated, "He was 88 years old when his life was stolen from him during the golden years of his life... Britney stole his life and his dignity. In his final moments I can't imagine how alone he felt."
Andrus's defense highlighted her mental health struggles since childhood, including discovering her mother's body at age 5. Prosecutor John Kromholz countered that the case centered on the brutal murder of an elderly man while under the influence of drugs, saying, "That's why she's a danger."
Little's son expressed satisfaction with the verdict, noting the family had awaited justice for five years.