Metro-east man accused of stabbing adoptive father and partner 115 times is found guilty

A man accused of fatally stabbing his adoptive father and his partner a total of 115 times at their home has been found guilty of first-degree murder.

Bryce V. Andrews, 26, formerly of unincorporated Alton, was convicted in the deaths of his adoptive father, Robert Andrews, 59, and Leonard Ebrey, 67, in February 2021, Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine said in a news release Monday.

Robert Andrews and Ebrey married in 2017, according to Ebrey’s obituary.

First responders found the victims at their home on Wedgewood Drive in unincorporated Alton.

“Associate Judge Neil Schroeder announced the verdict Monday following a bench trial that took place last week in Circuit Court in Madison County,” according to the news release.

Bryce Andrews is scheduled to be sentenced on April 8, according to court records.

“He faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison, due to being convicted of murdering two victims,” the news release states.

Madison County Assistant Public Defender Ginny Smith represented Bryce Andrews. Smith could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

“Bryce Andrews was born in 1998 to a drug-addicted mother,” the release states. “He suffered seizures as an infant and was not expected to survive. Robert Andrews took the infant in, nursed him to health and eventually adopted him.”

“This defendant was shown so much love and kindness,” Haine said in a statement. “He repaid that love and kindness by murdering these victims in brutal fashion. We continue to hold the family and loved ones of Robert and Leonard in our prayers, and we hope this verdict is a step in their healing process.”

The release said the defense argued that Bryce Andrew should be found not guilty by reason of insanity but the prosecution countered this argument.

“Evidence and testimony showed the defendant tried to dig a grave but the ground was frozen, he doused the bodies with gasoline and started fires in an attempt to cover up the crimes, he fled to St. Louis in his father’s car, he tried to hide the car and remove its license plate, he destroyed his cell phone and he lied to police,” Assistant State’s Attorney Morgan Hudson said in closing arguments.

The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis was called to investigate the double homicide.