Kenosha, Wis. – A Kenosha man has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide following the brutal killing of a local resident and his dog earlier this week.

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Justin L. Tercek, 41, was formally charged in Kenosha County Circuit Court today in connection with the death of 52-year-old Andrew D. Pfannkuche. Prosecutors allege that Tercek fatally stabbed Pfannkuche multiple times inside his home on Monday, February 3, 2025. Pfannkuche’s dog, Jake, was also found dead at the scene with stab wounds.

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In addition to the murder charge, Tercek faces multiple felony charges, including mistreatment of animal, use of a dangerous weapon, and two counts of burglary. He is also charged with one misdemeanor count of criminal damage to property. Kenosha County Circuit Court Commissioner William Michel II set bail at $1.5 million cash.

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Incident Details

According to the criminal complaint, Kenosha Police responded to a residence at 8536 18th Avenue around 2:30 p.m. on February 3. Upon entering the home, officers discovered Pfannkuche deceased with multiple knife wounds. A bloody knife was recovered in the basement.

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Authorities noted that Pfannkuche had purchased the home only three days prior and lived there alone with his dog. Police arrested Tercek later that evening in an alley near 5017 22nd Avenue. At the time of his arrest, Tercek had blood on his hands and clothing, which was described as “covered” in blood. Officers also noted injuries to Tercek’s calf, consistent with dog bites, and a laceration on his scalp.

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Detective Morrissey, the lead investigator, reported that Pfannkuche had spoken with both his realtor and a Kenosha Police officer earlier in the day, recounting a disturbing encounter at 1:00 a.m. that morning. According to Pfannkuche, an intruder entered his home, confronted him about the property, and then stole a set of keys before leaving. Later, around 5:00 a.m., Pfannkuche saw an SUV on his lawn near the “For Sale” sign, which had been knocked down.

Surveillance footage later confirmed that a Dodge Nitro SUV registered to Tercek was abandoned after crashing through the front glass of a Dollar General store in Zion, Illinois, at approximately 6:00 a.m. Video from a nearby auto repair shop captured Tercek later that morning, showing no visible blood or injuries at that time.

At around 11:30 a.m., Pfannkuche sent a photo to his realtor showing that his back door had been smashed in. Several hours later, Tercek’s aunt and uncle visited Pfannkuche’s home to apologize for Tercek’s actions. They reportedly heard a dog in distress and saw blood inside, prompting them to call police.

Court Proceedings

During the court hearing, Deputy District Attorney Drew Burgoyne described the attack as a “brutal slaying inside a man’s own home,” stating that Tercek was upset that Pfannkuche had purchased his grandmother’s former home. “There’s no reasonable motive here,” Burgoyne said. “The defendant was apparently upset that Mr. Pfannkuche purchased what used to be his grandmother’s home. He returned several hours later, driving on the lawn, knocking over the sale sign. When he ultimately killed Mr. Pfannkuche, it was 25 knife wounds, according to the preliminary autopsy. He also killed his dog, Jake.”

The prosecution requested a $1.5 million cash bond, while the defense sought a significantly lower amount of $100,000. Commissioner Michel ultimately sided with the prosecution, stating, “The court has great concern for community safety. The court does believe a substantial amount of cash is warranted. The court is going to adopt the recommendation of the state for $1.5 million and adopt the non-monetary provisions.”

Next Steps

Tercek is scheduled to appear in court again on February 12, 2025, for a preliminary hearing. If convicted, he faces a mandatory life sentence.

Authorities continue to investigate the case, examining surveillance footage and forensic evidence to build their case against Tercek.