Gypsy Rose Blanchard Speaks Out After Partner Ken Urker’s Death, Says He Overdosed (Exclusive)

Angelique Brenes, Danielle BacherFri, October 2, 2026 at 4:05 AM UTC

22

Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Ken UrkerCredit: Gypsy-Rose Blanchard/Instagram -

Gypsy Rose Blanchard tells PEOPLE exclusively that partner Ken Urker overdosed after his death at age 34

Blanchard says she does not know what he took or whether the overdose was intentional

She says that Urker was “an amazing father” who will “forever be my soulmate”

Gypsy Rose Blanchard is breaking her silence after the death of her partner, Ken Urker, revealing exclusively to PEOPLE that she believes that he overdosed.

“I don’t know if it was intentional or not,” Blanchard tells PEOPLE exclusively. “He was not in a good state of mind lately.”

Blanchard says Urker died in his bed at his home in Raceland, Louisiana. She says she does not know what he took and that police have not told her.

“I’m in disbelief. I can’t think,” she says. “I’ve screamed until my throat burns.”

Urker was found dead at the Louisiana residence on Thursday, Oct. 1, his 34th birthday, a source close to the family confirms to PEOPLE.

Credit: Ken Urker/Instagram

The Lafourche Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a residence in Raceland at approximately 6:15 p.m., where he was found dead upon arrival. The sheriff’s office has said an investigation into Urker’s death remains ongoing.

TMZ was first to report the news.

In her statement to PEOPLE, Blanchard describes Urker as a devoted father to their daughter, Aurora, and the love of her life.

“Ken was an amazing father and a man who was deeply loved. He will forever be my soulmate and my red string, a connection that time, distance, and even death can never erase,” she tells PEOPLE exclusively.

Blanchard says Urker endured intense scrutiny throughout their relationship and was subjected to harassment online.

Advertisement

“Ken endured an unimaginable level of public scrutiny and relentless cyberbullying across social media platforms, including TikTok and Reddit. The cruelty directed toward him was something no human being should have to endure,” she tells PEOPLE. “I believe the tremendous weight of that scrutiny and harassment had a profound impact on him, and I hope his passing serves as a reminder that there is a real person behind every screen, every headline, and every comment.”

Blanchard says she wants her daughter to know her father for the person he was, rather than through the lens of online commentary.

“Above all, Ken loved our daughter, Aurora. She is a beautiful reflection of his enduring spirit, and through her, a part of him will always remain with us,” she tells PEOPLE. “I will make sure she grows up knowing how deeply her father loved her and who he was beyond what strangers on the internet chose to say about him.”

Blanchard is also asking for privacy for those closest to Urker as they grieve.

Credit: Ken Urker/Instagram

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

“There are no words that can express the depth of this loss. I ask for privacy and compassion for our daughter, our families, and everyone grieving Ken during this incredibly painful time,” she tells PEOPLE. “He will be deeply missed, forever loved, and never forgotten.”

Urker and Blanchard’s relationship began years before they became parents.

The two first connected while Blanchard was incarcerated for the murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard. Urker proposed in October 2018, and although the couple later called off their engagement, they reunited in August 2019.

The couple eventually went their separate ways for several years. During that time, Blanchard married Ryan Anderson, and the pair later split. Blanchard announced her separation from Anderson four months after she was released from prison in December 2023.

Blanchard and Urker reconciled in April 2024. Eight months later, they welcomed their daughter, Aurora Raina Urker.

on People

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”