Wisconsin Man Sentenced to Life for Homicide After Telling Pastor He Was Possessed by Demons

A Wisconsin man will spend the rest of his life behind bars after a jury found he fatally stabbed a homeowner and his dog over an unprovoked personal grudge.

WLIP reported that Justin Tercek, 43, was sentenced on Friday, July 17, to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus more than 20 years of additional consecutive time, for the murder of Andrew Pfannkuche, 52, and his dog, Jake.

A jury convicted Tercek in April on all four counts, including first-degree intentional homicide and mistreatment of animals causing death.

Pfannkuche had owned the Kenosha home for just three days when Tercek broke in on February 3, 2025, insisting the house still belonged to his late grandmother’s family, according to a criminal complaint cited by WDJT.

Tercek returned to the property multiple times that day before fatally stabbing both Pfannkuche and his dog.

Pfannkuche’s body was discovered later that day when Tercek’s relatives arrived to apologize for his behavior, according to WISN.

WGTD reported that during sentencing, the court learned Tercek had been released from jail shortly before the killing and had reportedly told a pastor the day prior that he felt possessed by demons. His attorneys said he maintained his innocence throughout the case, according to TMJ4.

Tercek did not address the court himself, but Pfannkuche’s niece, Antoinette Leon, gave a victim impact statement on behalf of the victim’s family. “There is no winning or closure today,” she said, according to the outlet. “Nothing will ever bring my uncle Andy or Jake back.”

Pfannkuche’s obituary remembers him as a devoted NASCAR and baseball fan. “Andy was a tinkerer at heart, always ready to build or fix anything that he could lay his hands on,” his loved ones wrote. “This same ingenuity extended to his love for his beloved dog, Jake, who was his constant companion and loyal friend.”