USA – Ken Urker (34), Gypsy Rose Blanchard's former fiancé and father of her daughter, was found dead at his home in Raceland, Louisiana, on 1 October, his 34th birthday. Blanchard became known after her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, was murdered in Missouri in 2015, Gypsy Rose pleaded guilty and served a prison sentence.
"Please stand with me – for him, for her and for us. I have only my daughter and my voice, and I will do everything in my power to continue fighting for him. He defended me mercilessly against online haters. Now it is my turn not only to defend him, but also to empower him," Blanchard said on social media in a post accompanying CHANGE.ORG.'s petition against online bullying.
The cause of Urker's death has not yet been officially determined. After his death, Gypsy Rose said she believes he died of an overdose. According to the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office, he was found dead after family members became concerned when they could not reach him. According to police, there were no signs of foul play.
Items associated with drugs, as well as a brown powdery substance, were found in the residence. Toxicology results are needed before a final cause of death can be determined.
Urker and Blanchard met in 2017 while she was in prison and later became engaged. After the end of their relationship, they made contact again after her release and had a daughter, Aurora, in December 2024.
Blanchard murdered her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, in Missouri in 2015. She pleaded guilty to second-degree murder after she helped her then-boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, plan the murder. She argued that her mother had abused her for years and pretended she was seriously ill. She was sentenced to ten years in prison in 2016 and was released on parole after about eight years. Godejohn was later found guilty of first-degree murder and is serving a life sentence.
Urker's death has meanwhile brought renewed attention to Gypsy Rose's life after her release. After his death, she called on people to combat online bullying, but authorities have not yet confirmed any link between such bullying and his death.
The Act (2019) is the well-known drama series about Gypsy Rose and Dee Dee, in which Joey King plays Gypsy Rose and Patricia Arquette plays Dee Dee. It is based on true events. Mommy Dead and Dearest (2017) is a documentary that examines the actual murder case, Gypsy's relationship with her mother, the alleged abuse and the events surrounding Dee Dee's death. Gypsy Rose appears in the documentary herself. The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard (2024) is a Lifetime documentary series in which Gypsy tells her own story, about her childhood, her relationship with her mother and the events that led to the murder.
Sources: CBS News, People, People, NBC NewsABC News – Gypsy Rose's release from prison
This article is an automatic English translation of a Nuusflits article originally published in Afrikaans. Read the Afrikaans original.
