Shivangi Sinha
When the news about the murder of Dee Dee Blanchard surfaced, the community was in disbelief, considering both Dee Dee and her daughter Gypsy were cherished members. Their residence in Missouri, constructed by Habitat for Humanity, received support from numerous charitable organizations due to Gypsy’s health challenges. The documentary, ‘The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard,’ unveils the identity of the individual who entered Dee Dee’s residence, killed her in her bed, and details the apprehension of the perpetrator.
How Did Dee Dee Blanchard Die?
Dee Dee Blanchard, originally Clauddine Pitre, was born in 1967 near Louisiana and grew up with five siblings, notably being her mother’s favored child. At the age of 24, Dee Dee married Rod Blanchard, who was 17 and still in high school. They had a daughter whom they named Gypsy Rose Blanchard, but Rod and Dee Dee had already separated six months before Gypsy was born on July 27, 1991. Gypsy faced various health challenges throughout her life, including cancer and muscular dystrophy.
After Hurricane Katrina devastated their Louisiana home in 2005, Dee Dee traveled across various states with Gypsy and finally settled in Springfield, Missouri, in 2008. Dee Dee and her daughter, Gypsy, shared a Facebook account, and on June 14, 2015, a mysterious post appeared on their profile stating, “That B–ch is dead!” While some dismissed it as a potential prank or hacking, a few of Dee Dee’s concerned friends attempted to reach her without success.
Worried for her well-being, they contacted the authorities and requested a welfare check. Upon police arrival at the residence, there was no response, prompting the issuance of a search warrant. Upon entry, they discovered Dee Dee Blanchard brutally stabbed to death in her bed. Strangely, Gypsy was nowhere to be found, although her wheelchair and medications were still present in the house. The investigation later revealed that Dee Dee Blanchard had been killed on June 9, 2015, leading to the assumption that Gypsy had been abducted.
Who Killed Dee Dee Blanchard?
Upon receiving information from a family friend, the police were informed about Gypsy’s secret relationship with a man named Nicholas Godejohn. Using the IP address associated with the Facebook post, the police located Nicholas in Big Bend, Wisconsin. A raid on his residence led to the discovery of both Gypsy and Nicholas, who were subsequently taken into custody. During police interviews, Nicholas openly admitted to being the one who murdered Dee Dee, claiming he did so at Gypsy’s request. In contrast, Gypsy initially offered explanations, but under pressure, she confessed that she had indeed asked Nicholas to kill her mother because Dee Dee opposed their relationship.
Following Gypsy’s arrest, revelations emerged, painting a disturbing picture of her life as a victim of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy. This psychological disorder involves a caregiver, often a parent, exaggerating, fabricating, or inducing illness in someone under their care, often a child, to gain sympathy or attention. Gypsy had been subjected to various forms of abuse since infancy by her mother, Dee Dee. Despite being physically healthy, Dee Dee forced Gypsy to use a wheelchair and falsely claimed she suffered from muscular dystrophy. Dee Dee went to great lengths, even shaving Gypsy’s head and asserting she had leukemia.
Unnecessary surgeries and medications were part of the elaborate deception, leading to severe consequences such as the loss of Gypsy’s teeth and numerous health complications. Upon relocating to Missouri, Dee Dee manipulated medical professionals by providing them with an oral account of Gypsy’s purported medical history, citing the loss of documents in Hurricane Katrina. Despite the absence of proper documentation, many doctors accepted Dee Dee’s narrative, perpetuating the ongoing deception. She also told their family, friends, and neighbors that Gypsy suffered from mental illness and was not a stable child.
Gypsy endured not only physical but also emotional abuse at the hands of her mother, who went to great lengths to control and infantilize her daughter. Dee Dee even lied about Gypsy’s age, asserting she was born in 1995, supported by a fabricated medical certificate. As Gypsy reached an age where natural curiosity and desires emerged, she began engaging with boys online and even attempted to run away. However, Dee Dee managed to locate her and persuaded her to return, promising increased independence as a means of maintaining control. Upon Gypsy’s return, Dee Dee resorted to extreme measures, using restraints like handcuffs and a dog leash to confine Gypsy to her bed for extended periods.
Gypsy endured physical abuse as a means of coercion, leaving her feeling trapped and desperate. Dee Dee’s manipulation reached a breaking point, pushing Gypsy to seek an escape. At a sci-fi convention, Gypsy met Nicholas Godejohn, and together they constructed a fantasy world in which the plan to end Dee Dee’s life took shape. Nicholas agreed to participate, and after careful planning, he traveled to Missouri. On June 9, 2015, he entered the house while Dee Dee slept, instructing Gypsy to cover her ears. It was on this night that he killed Dee Dee and fled to Wisconsin with Gypsy.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard took responsibility for the Facebook post announcing Dee Dee’s death and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in July 2016. When she made her first court appearance, it was a remarkable moment for Gypsy’s family, as she had spent most of her life in a wheelchair, walking into the courtroom. The defense provided a detailed account of the extensive abuse Gypsy endured, shedding light on the circumstances that led her to plan her mother’s murder. Gypsy received a 10-year prison sentence, and in November 2018, she testified against Nicholas, acknowledging her role in her mother’s death. Nicholas was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Read More: Where is Gypsy Rose Blanchard Now?
