Wisconsin man who stabbed homeowner and his dog said he was possessed by demons

KENOSHA, Wis. (TCN) -- A 43-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for fatally stabbing a new homeowner and his dog last year.

Andrew Pfannkuche, 52, was killed on Feb. 3, 2025, three days after he had moved into his new home. Justin Tercek broke into the home that night and told Pfannkuche that his grandmother owned it and that Pfannkuche was trespassing; according to a criminal complaint obtained by WDJT, Tercek took a set of keys from the home.

Tercek’s grandmother had owned the home previously and Pfannkuche had purchased it from her estate, according to WGTD. Tercek came back to the house again multiple times before fatally stabbing Pfannkuche and his dog, Jake.

Pfannkuche was found dead later that day when Tercek’s relatives came to the house to apologize for Tercek’s actions, according to the criminal complaint.

WITI reports that on April 21, Tercek was found guilty of first-degree intentional homicide, mistreatment of animals causing death, burglary, and criminal damage to property. 

Tercek was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on July 17, according to WGTD. At his sentencing, the court learned that Tercek had just been released from jail before he killed Pfannkuche, and reportedly told a pastor that he was possessed by demons the day before the attack.

Tercek did not address the court, but many of Pfannkuche’s friends and family gave victim impact statements, WTMJ reports.

His niece, Antoinette Leon, said, “"I do want to express that there is no winning or closure today, nothing will ever bring my uncle Andy or Jake back, we want nothing more than to hear his laugh, hug him and see him at our family dinners, birthdays and family holidays, but we can't," according to WTMJ.

According to an obituary, Pfannkuche enjoyed NASCAR, baseball, classic movies and television shows, and building and fixing anything that needed repair. It reads, “Andy's legacy is one of love and generosity. Those who knew him were touched by his kindness and his unwavering dedication to his family. He had a special way of making each person he met feel valued and important, and his absence will be deeply felt by all those who were fortunate enough to know him.

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