Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson announces that this morning Lawrence resident Angelica M. Kulp, 40, pleaded guilty to intentional second-degree murder and aggravated burglary.  The plea agreement from the first-degree murder charge to intentional second-degree murder was only offered to Kulp after discussion with and approval by the victim’s family.

Law enforcement officers with the Lawrence Police Department were dispatched to a home in the 1100 block of New York Street on July 26, 2014 shortly after 1:00 p.m.  Friends of the victim arrived at her home to do yard work and when they went to the basement of her home to retrieve a broom she kept there, they found her lifeless body.  They immediately called law enforcement.  The victim, Ms. Christine M. Kaplan, 56, had been stabbed to death. 

Detectives were working on their investigation of the crime when they received a call from a man who had watched a news story about the murder.  The caller told detectives he was a friend of Kulp and Kulp told him she had killed someone.  At first, he thought she was delusional and was making up a story, but as soon as he saw the story in the media, he knew she had told him the truth and he contacted law enforcement.  That information combined with evidence found at the scene of the crime led to charges being filed against Kulp.

Today the Court ordered a pre-sentence investigation and depending on the determination of Kulp’s prior criminal record, she faces a prison sentence of 147 to 653 months for the intentional second-degree murder charge and 31 to 136 months for the aggravated burglary charge to be served in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections.  Kulp’s sentencing was scheduled for July 1 at 2:00 p.m.

Today’s hearing was held in the courtroom of the Honorable Barbara Kay Huff.  The case was investigated by the Lawrence Police Department and Senior Assistant District Attorney Eve Kemple was the prosecutor.       

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