Warning: This article contains a recollection of past crimes and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI: Gypsy Rose Blanchard, who was convicted for the 2015 murder of her mother Clauddine Dee Dee Blanchard in Springfield, Missouri, is slated for release from prison on parole in December after serving seven years of her 10-year prison term.
Gypsy's ex-boyfriend and accomplice Nicholas Godejohn, who is currently serving a life sentence, will continue to be in prison after Greene County Judge David Jones rejected his plea for a new trial.
Gypsy Blanchard's involvement in Clauddine Dee Dee Blanchard's murder
The case is closely tied to Gypsy, Blanchard's daughter, who was implicated in her mother's death.
Her involvement in the crime stemmed from a tumultuous relationship with her mother, who allegedly forced her into a wheelchair and held her captive for an extended period in their family home just north of Springfield.
Gypsy, now 25 years old, had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in July 2016. Godejohn, however, was convicted of first-degree murder and now his plea for a new trial has been turned down.
Gypsy Blanchard's sentencing
In light of the abusive circumstances surrounding Gypsy's life, Greene County Prosecutor Dan Patterson offered her a plea agreement in July 2015, that included a 10-year prison sentence, which is the minimum sentence for a second-degree murder charge.
However, the 25-year-old has now “been paroled” and is “coming out of prison in December of this year,” said family friend Titania Gisclair who grew up with Gypsy’s late mother.
Prosecutor Dan Patterson acknowledged the unusual and extraordinary nature of the case, emphasizing that, from a legal standpoint, it could have been pursued as a first-degree murder charge that would have mandated a life sentence without parole for Gypsy.
However, Patterson believed that such a sentence would not have been just, given the profound abuse Gypsy had suffered throughout her life.
"When you look at this case, it's a murder. And it's a first-degree murder," Patterson said. "But it's also one of the most extraordinary and unusual cases we have seen," reported News Leader.
In April 2019, Gypsy became engaged to a man she encountered while incarcerated. Their relationship began with him first writing her letters, followed by in-person visits.
Nicholas Godejohn's role in Clauddine Dee Dee Blanchard's murder
Gypsy and her then-boyfriend, Godejohn, who hails from Wisconsin, conspired together in planning the murder of the abusive Clauddine Dee Dee Blanchard.
Godejohn was the one who actually carried out the act of fatally stabbing Blanchard.
In 2015, he was convicted of first-degree murder, resulting in a life sentence without the possibility of parole, along with an additional 25-year sentence for armed criminal action.
Recently, Godejohn's legal team initiated efforts to have his 2018 murder conviction overturned, alleging inadequate legal representation.
This endeavor culminated in an evidentiary hearing convened in August 2022 before Greene County Judge David Jones. However, the judge subsequently denied his motion for a new trial.
