Ken Urker, Gypsy Rose Blanchard's Partner, Dies at 34
Ken Urker, the partner of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and the father of her young daughter, has died at 34. He was found dead at his home in Raceland, Louisiana, on Thursday, October 1, which was also his birthday.
His death was first reported by TMZ and People. The Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office later confirmed it.
What Authorities Have Said
Deputies were called to a home in Raceland at about 6:15 p.m. Thursday. According to FOX10 News, Urker's brother, Dylan, had found him unresponsive.
"We responded to a residence in Raceland today after receiving a call at 6:15 p.m. Kenan Urker, 34, was found dead upon arrival. At this time, we are continuing the death investigation," a spokesperson for the sheriff's office said.
Officials have not released a cause of death. Blanchard has said she believes Urker died of an overdose, according to PinkNews, though she added that she had never seen him use drugs. Authorities have not confirmed her account, and the investigation is ongoing.
Urker's sister shared the news during a TikTok livestream Thursday night. She said his last words to her were "I love you," People reported.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard's Tribute
Blanchard, 35, paid tribute to Urker after his death, calling him a devoted dad.
"Ken was an amazing father and a man who was deeply loved," she said, according to Cheat Sheet. "[He] will forever be my soulmate and my red string, a connection that time, distance, and even death can never erase."
Blanchard also said Urker had been the target of cyberbullying before his death.
A Love Story That Began in Prison
Urker, a bartender originally from Texas, first reached out to Blanchard in 2017 while she was serving her prison sentence in Missouri. He wrote to her after watching the HBO documentary "Mommy Dead and Dearest," which explored her case.
The two became engaged in October 2018, while Blanchard was still behind bars. They split in August 2019.
Blanchard, who had married Ryan Anderson while she was incarcerated, was released on parole in December 2023. She and Anderson separated in 2024, and by April of that year she and Urker had rekindled their relationship.
Their daughter, Aurora Raina Urker, was born in December 2024. She is now 21 months old.
Blanchard has described Urker as kindhearted, with a love of fantasy books and sports, especially the Dallas Cowboys. He also appeared alongside her on Lifetime's reality series "Gypsy Rose: Life After Lockup," which followed her life after prison.
Who Is Gypsy Rose Blanchard?
Blanchard became one of the most talked-about figures in true crime after the 2015 killing of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, in Springfield, Missouri.
For years, Dee Dee had claimed that her daughter suffered from serious illnesses, including leukemia and muscular dystrophy. She kept Gypsy in a wheelchair and subjected her to unnecessary medical treatments. Investigators later came to believe Dee Dee had Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a form of abuse in which a caregiver invents or causes illness in someone in their care.
Gypsy's then-boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, stabbed Dee Dee to death in a plan the two had made together. Gypsy pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Godejohn was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life.
Her story inspired the Hulu series "The Act," and since her release she has built a large following on social media and in reality television.
Getting Help
Anyone struggling with substance use, or worried about a loved one, can call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357. It is free, confidential and open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
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