Kulp pleads not guilty to murder in the second degree

A Shaw Island man accused of murdering his wife has pleaded not guilty.

The San Juan County Prosecutor’s Office charged Eric A. Kulp, 44, with unlawful imprisonment and murder in the second degree for the death of Abigail Finney, 38. On May 31, Kulp entered a plea of not guilty on both charges. His next court appearance is Aug. 3.

Kulp has not posted his $1.2 million bail and is in custody at the Yakima County Jail in Yakima, Washington. He is being represented by Snohomish County Public Defender Robert O’Neal.

On April 5, the body of Finney was found concealed in a minivan at the Shaw Island home that she shared with her husband, Kulp, whose whereabouts were unknown at the time. A determination of Finney’s cause of death will await the completion of a toxicology report and an autopsy by a medical examiner.

Kulp was detained by police officers after a brief standoff in the Marblemount area of Skagit County on April 13. He suffered serious self-inflicted knife wounds to his neck and abdomen during the apprehension. Kulp was released from Harborview Medical Center on May 16 and made his first court appearance on May 18. Kulp formerly had the last name of Tubbs. He has no previous criminal history, according to court documents.