A French Camp man has pleaded guilty to premeditated attempted murder for slashing his ex-girlfriend's throat from ear to ear during a property exchange in Salida nearly six years ago. Anthony Kulp, now 37, entered the plea to charges that include great bodily injury and use of a deadly weapon, and he now faces life in prison with the possibility of parole.
The Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office announced Kulp's guilty plea to premeditated attempted murder causing great bodily injury with the use of a deadly weapon, according to a statement from the Stanislaus County District Attorney posted on Facebook. As reported by the Modesto Bee, Kulp's sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 5, when he could face a life sentence with the possibility of parole.
Kulp and the victim had dated for several years before their relationship ended in December 2020, per the Bee's reporting. During the breakup, Kulp allegedly threatened to kill her, telling her that if he “could not have her, no one could,” according to the same account.
A Property Handoff Turns Violent
On Dec. 20, 2020, the two met at a spot on Pirrone Road in Salida so the victim could retrieve property Kulp still had from the relationship, the outlet reported. As she was leaving, Kulp approached her from behind and attacked her with a knife, slashing her throat from ear to ear, the Bee's account states. She suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where she underwent surgery, per the same report.
Investigating Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office detectives recovered the weapon at the crime scene, the article notes. Kulp's plea was to premeditated attempted murder.
Standoff Ended With SWAT Negotiation
The attack set off a tense standoff before Kulp was taken into custody. The Stockton police SWAT and hostage negotiation teams persuaded Kulp to surrender after he had threatened to kill himself with another knife he still had, the Bee reported.
Kulp was arrested on Dec. 19 and granted a zero-bail emergency release the same day, according to the outlet's reporting — a detail tied to the pandemic-era release policies in place at the time. The case was prosecuted on behalf of the People by Deputy District Attorney Fawn Smolak.
Nearly six years after the attack, Kulp's guilty plea closes out one chapter of the case, though the full terms of his punishment won't be set until the Nov. 5 sentencing hearing. Kulp faces a potential life sentence with the possibility of parole.
