Key Takeaways
- Andrew Lee Jansen, 28, was hired through TrustedHousesitters.com to care for the husky Maverick while the dog’s owner, U.S. Air National Guard serviceman Andrew Beckham, was deployed overseas.
- Jansen allegedly stole Beckham’s car and personal items; Maverick was later found dead inside the stolen vehicle after being trapped for weeks.
- After losing contact with Jansen, Beckham reported the dog missing; Denver police recovered the carcass about a month later.
- Jansen fled to Florida, interfered with emergency responders at his father’s home, and was apprehended by an off‑duty deputy at Jackson South Hospital.
- He is currently held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center pending extradition to Colorado on charges related to the theft, animal cruelty, and obstruction of justice.
- The case highlights risks associated with informal pet‑sitting platforms and the legal consequences when caretakers breach trust and commit crimes.
Andrew Jansen, a 28‑year‑old resident of Palmetto Bay, Florida, traveled to Colorado earlier this year after being hired through the online pet‑sitting service TrustedHousesitters.com. The dog’s owner, Andrew Beckham, a member of the Colorado Air National Guard, had arranged for Jansen to look after his Siberian husky, Maverick, while Beckham was deployed overseas for a three‑month tour. According to the Beckham family, Jansen appeared trustworthy during the initial vetting process, and the arrangement seemed to proceed without issue for the first few weeks of the deployment.
Approximately one month into Beckham’s absence, communication between the serviceman and Jansen ceased. Beckham attempted to reach Jansen via phone and messaging platforms but received no response. Concerned for Maverick’s welfare, Beckham filed a missing‑person report for the dog with local authorities in Aurora, Colorado, around the same time he noticed that his personal vehicle—a sedan he had left parked at his residence—had disappeared. Investigators later determined that Jansen had taken the car without permission, allegedly to use it for personal travel while he was supposed to be caring for the husky.
Denver police launched an investigation after Beckham’s report. Roughly a month after Maverick was first reported missing, officers located the stolen vehicle abandoned in a parking lot. Inside the car, they discovered the husky’s lifeless body. Veterinary examiners concluded that Maverick had likely succumbed to heat exposure and dehydration after being trapped inside the vehicle for an extended period, with no access to water or shade. The condition of the animal suggested neglect rather than an immediate act of violence, but the circumstances pointed to a serious breach of the caretaker’s duty.
In response to the discovery, Aurora authorities issued a Be On the Lookout (BOLO) bulletin for Andrew Lee Jansen, describing him as a white male, approximately 5’10”, with a medium build, and noting his last known address in Palmetto Bay. The flyers were distributed to neighboring law‑enforcement agencies, and the case attracted media attention after the Miami Herald partnered with CBS News Miami to report on the unfolding tragedy.
The case took a turn when Jansen returned to Florida. On the morning of his arrest, Miami‑Dade Fire Rescue responded to a medical emergency at Jansen’s residence involving his father. Upon arrival, deputies observed Jansen interfering with the paramedics’ efforts, refusing to allow them to assess his father’s condition and behaving in a combative manner. His obstruction prompted deputies to detain him for further questioning. After the medical team stabilized his father and transported him to Jackson South Hospital, Jansen fled the scene on foot.
Deputies canvassed the surrounding area and circulated a detailed BOLO with Jansen’s physical description. An off‑duty Miami‑Dade Sheriff’s Office deputy, who was working a security shift at Jackson South Hospital, recognized Jansen when he arrived to visit his hospitalized father. The deputy approached him, identified himself, and placed Jansen under arrest without incident. Jansen was then booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where he remains awaiting extradition to Colorado to face charges that include theft of a motor vehicle, animal cruelty (neglect leading to death), and obstruction of justice or interference with emergency responders.
The incident has sparked discussion about the safeguards—or lack thereof—associated with peer‑to‑peer pet‑sitting platforms. While TrustedHousesitters.com provides background checks and user reviews, the case illustrates how a determined individual can exploit the system, especially when the pet owner is geographically distant and unable to monitor the situation in real time. Animal welfare advocates are calling for stricter verification procedures, mandatory check‑ins, and clearer legal accountability for sitters who fail to provide adequate care. As the legal process moves forward, the community hopes that justice will be served for both Maverick and his owner, and that similar tragedies can be prevented through increased vigilance and regulatory oversight.