Authorities investigating the death of Ken Urker, the partner of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, have not fully eliminated the possibility that foul play may have been involved.
Capt. Brennan Matherne, public information officer for the Lafourche Sheriff’s Office, told Oxygen that investigators are examining every possibility after Urker was discovered dead inside a Louisiana residence on Oct. 1.
“At this stage of the investigation, we have not uncovered any evidence of foul play,” Matherne said. “However, I cannot say it has been definitively ruled out.”
According to Matherne, deputies were called to a home in Raceland at approximately 6:15 p.m. When they arrived, Urker was already deceased.
“The death investigation remains ongoing,” Matherne added.
What Was Ken Urker’s Cause of Death?
An autopsy is now being conducted as officials work to establish Urker’s official cause of death.
“I can confirm that our office will be conducting a full post-mortem examination,” the coroner said in a statement to Oxygen. “At this time, I am not releasing any additional information. I will provide further information when appropriate.”
Blanchard, who shares daughter Aurora with Urker, told People that she suspected he died from a drug overdose after authorities allegedly discovered an unidentified substance at the scene.
“I don’t know if it was intentional or not,” she said, adding that Urker “was not in a good state of mind lately.”
Matherne did not address Blanchard’s comments about the suspected overdose, but said officials hoped to provide additional details as the investigation progresses.
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Gypsy Rose Blanchard Calls Ken Urker Her “Soulmate” After His Death
Blanchard also said Urker’s death, reportedly on his birthday, has left her struggling to process the loss.
“I can’t think,” she said. “I’ve screamed until my throat burns.”
Blanchard and Urker first met while she was incarcerated for a second-degree murder conviction connected to the 2015 death of her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard.
Urker reportedly reached out Blanchard in prison after learning about her story in Mommy Dead and Dearest, according to Page Six.
The pair eventually separated, and Blanchard married Louisiana teacher Ryan Scott Anderson in July 2022 while she was still in prison.
Blanchard was released from prison in December 2023.
She and Anderson divorced in 2024. That same year, Blanchard and Urker reunited and welcomed their daughter, Aurora Raina Urker, according to People.
“Ken was an amazing father and a man who was deeply loved,” Blanchard told the outlet. “He will forever be my soulmate and my red string, a connection that time, distance, and even death can never erase.”
She also said the intense attention surrounding their relationship had deeply affected Urker.
“Ken endured an unimaginable level of public scrutiny and relentless cyberbullying across social media platforms, including TikTok and Reddit,” she said. “The cruelty directed toward him was something no human being should have to endure. 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.”