Gypsy-Rose Blanchard Disputes Ex-Fiancé's Death Was Suicide

Gypsy-Rose Blanchard has stated with "100 percent certainty" that her ex-fiancé Ken Urker did not die by suicide. Urker, who was 34, died on October 1. His official cause of death is pending toxicology results, according to authorities.

Blanchard, 35, has created a Change.org petition in Urker's memory, advocating for stricter measures against online harassment by social media platforms. She believes the "extreme cyber bullying" Urker endured significantly impacted his mental health, leading him to use drugs and alcohol as coping mechanisms. She observed Urker reading negative comments and watching demeaning clips online, which she says had a profound negative impact on him.

The petition calls for social media sites to improve systems for reporting harassment patterns, incorporate human review for cases, and ensure transparent evidence preservation. Blanchard stated the petition's focus is not on the cause of death itself, but on the severe online harassment leading up to it.

Urker was found deceased at a home in Raceland, Louisiana, on October 1, which was his birthday. The Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office confirmed they were contacted at 6:15 p.m. that day. Urker's sister-in-law, Anita Blanchard, reportedly contacted 911 for a wellness check, noting Urker had missed work and was in a "dark place" mentally.

Blanchard and Urker first met when he was her pen pal while she was incarcerated. He initially reached out after viewing the 2017 documentary "Mommy Dead and Dearest." Urker visited Blanchard while she was in prison, and they became engaged in October 2018, though they separated the following year.

After a subsequent relationship and marriage to Ryan Anderson, from whom she separated after her release from prison in late 2023, Blanchard rekindled her relationship with Urker in 2024. They welcomed a daughter, Aurora, on December 28, 2024.

Following Urker's passing, Blanchard described him on social media as "an amazing father and a man who was deeply loved." She referred to him as her "soulmate" and stated that "a part of him will always remain with us" through their daughter. She vowed to ensure Aurora knows her father's love and true character beyond public perception.