Gypsy Rose Blanchard's partner and former fiancé Ken Urker has died at age 34. Urker was found dead in his home in Raceland on October 1. The date was his 34th birthday.
Blanchard told People that she believes Urker died from an overdose. She said she did not know whether it was intentional. The Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office says the official cause of death has not been determined.
An autopsy was completed October 2 and the case remains pending toxicology testing. Authorities said drug paraphernalia was found in the home and the death is being investigated as possibly drug-related.
Blanchard said that Urker had suffered through intense public scrutiny and cyberbullying before his death. She described the cruelty he endured as something no human being should have to go through.
Blanchard said that Urker was her soulmate and that their connection would never be broken by time or death.
She emphasized how much he loved their daughter Aurora and promised to make sure she knew her father’s true character. Aurora was born on December 28 2024 and is 21 months old. Blanchard said that there were no words to express how deep the loss was.
She asked for privacy and compassion for Aurora and both families during this difficult time. Blanchard mentioned that Urker had written her a letter of support after watching the HBO documentary Mommy Dead and Dearest. They began talking on the phone shortly after that and spent many hours together.
The couple got engaged while Blanchard was still in prison. Blanchard and Urker rekindled their romance after her release from prison in 2023.
They had been apart for a while, but reunited in the spring of 2024.
At that time Blanchard told TMZ that they were together and in a good place in their relationship. The couple celebrated their daughter Aurora’s first birthday in 2025 with a Ms. Rachel-themed party. Blanchard had previously married teacher Ryan Anderson in 2022 but their divorce was finalized in December 2024.
The news of Urker’s death came as a shock to many who followed Blanchard's journey after her prison release. The investigation remains open while authorities await toxicology results.