SEBRING, FL – A Highlands County jury has convicted a Florida woman of killing her husband’s 88-year-old great-grandfather, culminating a grim saga that began with a murder-for-robbery plot nearly four years ago. The verdict could put Britney Andrus, 29, in prison for the rest of her life.
Prosecutors alleged that Andrus, alongside her boyfriend, Travis Best, 25, fatally bludgeoned James Little inside his own home in October 2020, before embarking on a trip they’d hoped would take them to Michigan to start anew. The killing shocked Sebring, a close-knit community in central Florida, where Little was well known among neighbors.
The case unfolded after Andrus was found guilty of second-degree murder, burglary, and grand theft of a motor vehicle. Her co-conspirator, Best, earlier admitted his role in the crime and agreed to testify for the state. He is serving a sentence after entering a guilty plea on related charges.
Investigators said that Andrus and Best, who were living in a separate attached residence on Little’s property at the time, plotted to steal valuables from the elderly man. According to court records, Little’s car, jewelry, and cash went missing during the attack. Authorities also discovered that a hidden safe, known only to close family members, had vanished from the ransacked room.
On the afternoon of October 22, 2020, Andrus ran to a neighbor’s home, claiming she had discovered Little unconscious in his bedroom. Emergency crews arrived to find Little with severe head trauma. He was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries five days later.
The crime scene presented a grim picture: drawers had been rifled through, valuables were missing, and blood stains were found throughout the bedroom. An autopsy later determined Little had been struck a dozen times with a blunt object. Detectives believed the attack happened while Little was asleep, and the victim was left alone for a period before 911 was called.
Though it took nearly a year for authorities to arrest Andrus and Best, officials said both were immediate suspects due to their proximity and sudden disappearance following the incident. Surveillance footage later surfaced showing the pair driving Little’s vehicle and using stolen cash in the days after the assault.
Testimony at trial revealed more details of the plot. Friends told investigators that Andrus appeared after the killing with blood on her shirt. In interviews with detectives, Andrus offered shifting explanations, at times expressing uncertainty about what had taken place and at another point saying, “It was like he was asking for it anyways.” According to witness accounts, some of the stolen cash was used by the pair to purchase drugs.
During the trial, Best recounted under oath that Andrus had orchestrated the killing and pressed him to participate. He described a heated argument before the two left the residence with stolen belongings packed into a suitcase. Best added that Andrus confessed to the killing shortly after, displaying further evidence of guilt.
After years of legal proceedings, Little’s family said the jury’s decision brought a sense of relief. “It was something the family was waiting for for five years,” said Little’s son following the verdict.
Andrus is scheduled for sentencing on September 15.