CHILLICOTHE, MO – Gypsy Rose Blanchard, 32, was released from Chillicothe Correctional Center early Thursday morning, according to a Missouri Department of Corrections spokesperson. Released at 3:30 a.m., Blanchard served 85% of her 10-year sentence for her role in the murder of her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard.
Blanchard and her former boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, 34, confessed to planning the murder of Dee Dee Blanchard. The motive stemmed from Dee Dee’s coercive behavior, where she forced Gypsy to feign serious illnesses since childhood. This ruse, believed to be driven by Munchausen syndrome by proxy, involved deceiving charities for financial gain. Gypsy was made to use a wheelchair and portray symptoms of leukemia, muscular dystrophy, and brain damage, despite being healthy.
This prolonged deception led to the 2015 murder, where Godejohn stabbed Dee Dee Blanchard 17 times. Gypsy Blanchard accepted a plea deal for second-degree murder, while Godejohn, who refused plea offers, was convicted of first-degree murder and armed criminal action after a trial. He is currently serving a life sentence without parole. Gypsy Blanchard’s release follows her parole approval after nearly a decade behind bars.