Introduction

Gypsy Rose Blanchard is a name that many people recognize. She was lied to by her mother in many ways during her childhood, which later led to a disturbing, gruesome ending. People always argue, is Gypsy Rose Blanchard the victim? Or is she the villain? In this article, I’m going to be looking into the Gypsy Rose case, and the truth between this mother-daughter relationship.

Who is Gypsy Rose and Dee Dee Blanchard?

Gypsy Rose was born in Raceland, Louisiana, on July 27, 1991, with her mother Clauddine (Dee Dee) Blanchard. Gypsy did have a father named Rod Blanchard, but her parents split up before she was born, causing Dee Dee to keep Rod at distance from their family. Although Rod’s relationship with his daughter was limited, he still managed to maintain child support while remaining in contact with Gypsy. 

Life full of lies

By the time Gypsy was born, Dee Dee started making up symptoms and sicknesses that Gypsy had. Some of these illnesses included leukemia, muscular dystrophy (leading to a wheelchair), severe asthma, epilepsy, brain damage, hearing/vision problems, allergies, digestive issues that required a feeding tube, speaking issues, and more. These illnesses resulted in medicines and diagnoses from doctors. You’re probably wondering, how was this all made up while doctors were involved. Dee Dee would take Gypsy to different hospitals for different ‘symptoms’ and if any doctor questioned her or got skeptical about Gypsy’s illnesses, she would find another hospital. Due to hurricane Katrina in Louisiana in August of 2009, the Blanchards moved to Missouri. This natural disaster was just another reason Dee Dee could make claims to doctors, explaining that all of her old medical records were lost due to Katrina. Gypsy was also home-schooled, keeping her isolated from other kids and adults. On top of all of these made up diseases, Dee Dee manipulated Gypsy with her age, always claiming she was younger than she actually was. For example, on her 18th birthday, Dee Dee told everyone Gypsy was actually 14 years old.

Unfolding

Once Gypsy was around 13-14 years old, she had been secretly using the internet while Dee Dee was out and began researching the illnesses she had been told by her mother that she had. After searching the internet and becoming more knowledgeable about her sicknesses, she compared many of the symptoms she found online to how she really felt and realized many of the conditions she was finding didn’t go along with her body or how she was actually feeling. Another important moment is when Gypsy realized she could walk. There is no exact timeline for this; she was always able to physically walk but Dee Dee would force her to use a wheelchair when they were out in public while telling others she had muscular problems. In many recent interviews, Gypsy claimed she would sometimes get off her wheelchair while she was home and walk when no one was watching. From this point out, Gypsy knew her muscles worked properly and she wasn’t actually paralyzed. In 2010, around the age 19, Gypsy privately looked through paperwork and documents that showed the actual year she was born – 1991. This was a major event that affected so much of the unfolding lies because Dee Dee always told people Gypsy’s birth year was 1995. 

Nicholas Godejohn

As we know, when Gypsy was growing up, she rarely had any friends or even anyone else to talk to besides her mom due to the factors of homeschooling and more. This was until 2012, when technology started getting larger, which caused Gypsy to buy her own computer. She kept the computer hidden by telling her mother it was a gift from charity. Because of this, Dee Dee let Gypsy keep it. During the night, Gypsy would go on dating websites, which led to her meeting Nicholas Godejohn. The couple’s relationship grew fast and after a few years of talking, both of them arranged their first meet up in March of 2015 at the movies. Gypsy informed Nicholas about all the secrets her mom had been manipulating her about; he knew everything. On account of this, they both knew Dee Dee wasn’t going to allow them to be together. They decided to stage an encounter in front of Dee Dee; this was a part of the plan so the couple could end up staying together with her approval. During the movie, Gypsy and Nick snuck away to the theater bathroom, but the couple was caught by Dee Dee. She took Gypsy home and punished her right away. She took away her computer and access to the internet, this way she wouldn’t be able to talk to Nick. Gypsy felt trapped. She would still try and message Nick secretly, but she was still being manipulated and controlled. Moments like these made her begin making plans to leave her mother for good. Gypsy desired freedom. 

Planning and Killing

Online messages about a plan to kill Dee Dee were exchanged between Gypsy and Nick during spring 2015. These messages contained ways Gypsy could escape, which led to the idea about killing Dee Dee in order for Gypsy to truly leave. Eventually, the real plan formed in May. The proposal contained Nick traveling from Wisconsin (where he lived) to Missouri. Gypsy gave him details, like how he would enter the house and what he should do to kill her mother. In June, the plan proceeded and Nick arrived in Missouri by bus on June 9th. Later that night, he went to the home of the Blanchards and waited outside for a signal from Gypsy, alerting him that Dee Dee was asleep. Once asleep, Nick entered the house and as Gypsy hid in the bathroom, he stabbed Dee Dee Blanchard 17 times, causing her death. Once they had confirmed together that Dee Dee was dead, the couple traveled together back to Big Bend, Wisconsin (again by bus) and stayed together in Nicholas’ home. 

Discovery and Arrest 

Days later, on June 14, Clauddine (Dee Dee) Blanchard was found by Greene County Sheriff deputies that were called by family and friends due to a frightening Facebook post from Dee Dee’s account that stated “That B**** is dead!” Once police were alerted to this, they tracked the IP address of this post and the address led to…no surprise…Big Bend, Wisconsin. Both Nick and Gypsy were taken into custody immediately by Wisconsin police. Nick was charged with first-degree murder while Gypsy was charged with second degree that same month. On July 5, 2016, Gypsy pleaded guilty to second degree murder on behalf of the role she played in the death of her mother. She received a 10-year prison sentence instead of going to trial, while, on the other hand, Nick did not plead guilty and chose to go to trial. In November of 2018, he was found guilty of first degree murder, and a little over a year later in February 2019, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Life Now

At the age of 32, Gypsy was released from the Chillicothe Correctional Center on December 28, 2023, at 3:30 AM. She was granted parole, being released 3 years earlier than she was supposed to be; she served approximately 85% of her sentencing. While serving her time, she got married to a man named Ryan Scott Anderson on July 21, 2022, in a small prison ceremony. Unfortunately, shortly after her release date, they separated in March 2024. After their divorce, Gypsy was spotted with former friend/lover- Ken Urker. After the couple’s reconnection, they became public in July 2024 and announced that they were going to be expecting a baby. Gypsy gave birth to her first child, Aurora Raina Urker, in December of 2024. “Life After Lock Up” was a big documentary that premiered in June of 2024. Gypsy gained a lot of attention from this series that documents her marriages, divorce, family, freedom, and more. 

Conclusion

A lot of you may be asking, why? Why did Dee Dee lie to people for so long? It was revealed that Dee Dee was so controlling due to her disorder called “Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another” (also known as FDIA), which caused her to force Gypsy into acting ill for attention, financial advantages, and more.  The case of Gypsy Rose Blachard shows years of abuse and manipulation that came from her mom, leading to a tragic crime. As many people thought of Dee Dee as a caring mother, it was secretly a situation of control. If you weren’t familiar with this case before, you sure are now. What do you think? Was Gypsy in the wrong? Or was she just tired of all the authority that came from her mother?

References

“Murder of Dee Dee Blanchard: Law: Research Starters: EBSCO Research.” EBSCO, www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/murder-dee-dee-blanchard. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026. 

Read People’s Cover Story on Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s Prison Release after Murdering Mom: “Ready for Freedom,” people.com/gypsy-rose-blanchard-people-cover-story-exclusive-interview-8423037. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026. 

The Story of Gypsy-Rose Blanchard and Her Mother, www.biography.com/crime/gypsy-rose-blanchard-mother-dee-dee-murder. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026. 

Snapped: Killer Couples – Killer Couples: Nicholas Godejohn Opens up about Gypsy Rose Blanchard | Imdb, www.imdb.com/video/vi2550184985/. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.