Confessed killer Eric Rupp sentenced to 28 years in prison
Rupp, 26, was convicted of first-degree murder Thursday for the slaying of his 81-year-old grandmother, Myrtle Rupp. During his trial, Eric Rupp claimed he killed the Lynnwood woman because she was a CIA agent and part of a cult run by the religious Trinity Broadcasting.
Despite questions over his mental state, Rupp was allowed to serve as his own attorney during the trial.
Rupp confessed to killing Myrtle Rupp on Feb. 6 with a volleyball-sized rock as she sat in front of her computer. Rupp was caught fleeing to Montana in his grandmother's car.
He was given court-appointed attorneys but fired them, insisting on representing himself with a defense hinging on what he claimed was a global conspiracy against him.
A Western State Hospital psychologist evaluated Rupp last spring and found he suffered a delusional disorder, a diagnosis Rupp disputed. Before trial, Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Ronald Castleberry ruled that Rupp met the legal standard of competence — understanding the charges against him and possessing the capacity to assist in his defense.