Man’s bail set at $1 million for alleged murder of roommate found at recycling center

A man accused of killing his elderly housemate and dumping her body in a recycling bin had his bail set at $1 million Friday.

Eugene A. Jupp, 53, made his first appearance in Spokane County District Court on a charge of first-degree murder. He turned himself in Thursday night after a warrant for his arrest was issued earlier in the day.

According to prosecutors, Jupp has seven prior felonies that include robberies and violent offenses in Montana and Texas. He has also committed 41 misdemeanors and failed to appear in court 23 times, prosecutors said, prompting the request for a high bail amount.

In 2011, Jupp was sentenced to two years in prison for assaulting a police officer in Cascade County, Montana.

Jupp’s alleged victim, 79-year-old Stephanie Standen, was found dead on a conveyor belt with blunt force injuries April 5 at Spokane Materials and Recycling Technology Center. Investigators located their residence on the South Hill soon after the woman’s death.

The Washington State Patrol crime lab confirmed Wednesday that the blood found in the home’s recycle bin was a DNA match to Standen, according to court documents.

A Spokane Adult Protective Services worker told detectives Standen had once accused Jupp of “physically harming” her and threatening to kill her and her dog. The two hadn’t lived together long, but Jupp told detectives he was concerned Standen would burn their house down.

Standen had been isolated for years, according to her family, and suffered from mental health issues.

Before turning himself in Thursday, Jupp showed up to the KHQ television station. When he couldn’t get into the building, he reportedly spoke through an outside intercom, saying he was upset with the media’s portrayal of him and he was a “good guy.”