Could you find yourself ensnared in a web of lies so tangled that murder seemed like the only escape? That's the harrowing question at the heart of today's episode, where we go through the emotionally charged final chapter of Gypsy Rose Blanchard's story. We unravel the complexities of the courtroom drama that followed her mother Dee Dee's murder, scrutinizing the emotional testimonies, Gypsy's poignant court appearances, and the trove of evidence that pivoted the fate of Gypsy and her boyfriend, Nick.
The narrative intensifies as we revisit the welfare check that unearthed Dee Dee's demise, the cab rides sketching a deceitful timeline, and the forensic DNA analysis that solidified the prosecution's case. The chilling confessions, Facebook messages, and psychological evaluations unveiled in the trial against Gypsy and Nick paint a vivid portrait of a life distorted by manipulation and control, culminating in a desperate bid for emancipation through the darkest of deeds.
As we trace Gypsy's path towards potential parole, the weight of her past actions and the shadow of Dee Dee's influence loom large. With Nick sentenced to life, Gypsy confronts her reality—engagement behind bars, candid reflections, and the unwavering support of her stepmother. Her search for redemption is a testament to the human spirit's resilience amidst the chaos wrought by those we trust most. Follow us for more gripping true crime tales at Crime Connors Source on Instagram and share your case suggestions as we continue to shed light on the stories that both shock and compel us.
Could you find yourself ensnared in a web of lies so tangled that murder seemed like the only escape? That's the harrowing question at the heart of today's episode, where we go through the emotionally charged final chapter of Gypsy Rose Blanchard's story. We unravel the complexities of the courtroom drama that followed her mother Dee Dee's murder, scrutinizing the emotional testimonies, Gypsy's poignant court appearances, and the trove of evidence that pivoted the fate of Gypsy and her boyfriend, Nick.
The narrative intensifies as we revisit the welfare check that unearthed Dee Dee's demise, the cab rides sketching a deceitful timeline, and the forensic DNA analysis that solidified the prosecution's case. The chilling confessions, Facebook messages, and psychological evaluations unveiled in the trial against Gypsy and Nick paint a vivid portrait of a life distorted by manipulation and control, culminating in a desperate bid for emancipation through the darkest of deeds.
As we trace Gypsy's path towards potential parole, the weight of her past actions and the shadow of Dee Dee's influence loom large. With Nick sentenced to life, Gypsy confronts her reality—engagement behind bars, candid reflections, and the unwavering support of her stepmother. Her search for redemption is a testament to the human spirit's resilience amidst the chaos wrought by those we trust most. Follow us for more gripping true crime tales at Crime Connors Source on Instagram and share your case suggestions as we continue to shed light on the stories that both shock and compel us.
Welcome back crime connoisseurs. I'm your host, grace D. Last week we covered some wild twist and turns, and this week it's just as wild. I did not want to break this episode into another part, so it is full warning about an hour long. There's just so much information and detail in this case that I did not want to leave anything out. So, to recap, gypsy shot at Dee Dee, but quickly found out that the gun was actually a BB gun.
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Afterward, gypsy joined an online Christian dating site where she met Nick Godajan. The two quickly fell for each other and kept their relationship a secret for three years. They finally met in person in March 2015. They arranged for Nick to come to Springfield to meet Gypsy and Dee Dee at the movie theater to see the new Cinderella movie, hoping that if Dee Dee believed that they had met for the first time in person, dee Dee would allow the two to date and they wouldn't have to be a secret anymore. However, their plan did not work and it only made Dee Dee mad. This was when Gypsy's final plot to escape from Dee Dee's abuse of control came to be. After thinking of every option to escape Dee Dee, each one ended with Dee Dee being able to find Gypsy and force her back home. All but one Gypsy asked Nick to kill Dee Dee. The two went back and forth on ways to carry out the murder Poison, arson, a gun and then they finally settled on a knife. Gypsy stole money from Dee Dee's safe, mailed it to Nick in a greeting card, and Nick bought a bus ticket from Wisconsin to Springfield, missouri.
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On June 9th 2015, nick arrived in Springfield and a few hours later Gypsy and Nick carried out their murder plot. The two left Springfield two days later and went to Nick's home in Big Bend, wisconsin. The guilt of Dee Dee's murder was starting to get to Gypsy and she made a post on their shared Facebook account. That got the attention of Fluked Ones, who alerted the authorities of their concerns, and the police found Dee Dee's body. The FBI traced the IP address from the post to Nick's home. The Waukesha County police were dispatched to Nick's home, where there was a bit of a standoff. The two eventually surrendered and were taken to the hospital. The two eventually surrendered and were taken into custody in Waukesha County, where detectives interrogated them before extraditing them to Springfield, missouri, where they were held on a $1 million bond. Buckle up Buttercups, because we're in for a wild ride. This is the final part of the Gypsy Rose Blanchard saga.
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On June 29, 2015,. Gypsy Blanchard made her first court appearance. During her arraignment, she entered the Pat courtroom and pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the stabbing death of her mother, claudine Dee Dee Blanchard. Gypsy's father, rod, was at the arraignment and saw his daughter for the first time in 12 years. Rod and his wife, christie, hired a defense attorney for Gypsy. Rod Christie and attorney Mike Stanfield all met for the first time on July 15, 2015, at the Blanchard residence. Mike said he wanted to see the crime scene for himself as early as possible and while in the home, the three of them found a stolen prescription pad from the hospital in the medicine cabinet. Gypsy was led into the courtroom wearing a black and white striped jail uniform. She sat down and looked straightforward. Throughout the arraignment she did not speak other than whispering a few words to her lawyer before being led out of the courtroom. Mike Stanfield told Judge Ron Carrier that he wanted Gypsy's case to be severed from Nick's case. Green County prosecutor Dan Patterson argued this and said he wanted Gypsy and Nick's cases to stay joined together. Judge Carrier ruled to separate the cases on July 20 at a motion hearing. Nick's attorney also filed a motion for a change of judge and Judge Carrier agreed to that.
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The state's case began with two separate witnesses from the Green County Sheriff's Office to their involvement in the investigation into DD Slang. A supervision sergeant with the Green County Sheriff's Office, jim Stanley, said he entered into the Blanchard's home only to discover DD's body. He sat at the witness stand and the shuffling of crime scene photos was the only noise in the courtroom. Gypsy rocked back and forth in her chair, staring straight ahead. The prosecutor showed a series of photos of the crime scene. They asked the deputy to describe the more gruesome ones. Stanley then described aloud a series of photos taken of DD's body in a pool of black dry blood, the numerous stab wounds to her body and a deep cutting mark on the back of her neck. Patterson asked Stanley if he had checked DD for vital signs upon fighting her. Quote no respiration, no pulse, end quote. Gypsy began crying softly. Stanley finally said quote, she was deceased. End quote. Gypsy began visibly shaking as she sobbed. Stanley also noted the discovery of an envelope at Nick's residence containing an 11-inch knife and bloody blue latex gloves In his cross-examination of the witness, mike Stanfield, noted that volunteer.
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The name of the street where Gypsy has lived for years was misspelled on the envelope. Detective Stan Hancock, a Criminal Investigation Division's detective, discussed the content of a backpack and suitcase found in Nick's home as well as eight pages of Facebook records. Stanfield and Patterson argued over the validity of the Facebook records for some time, although they were eventually accepted as evidence. In his cross-examination, stanfield asked if Detective Hancock had found any records specifically showing Gypsy asking Nick to kill her mother. Detective Hancock stated he had, but did not want to say anything without exact wording. The last witness, michael Costello, was a computer forensic examiner for the Springfield Police Department.
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Patterson submitted a series of text messages that Costello had pulled from phones he believed belonged to Gypsy and Nick. Here are some of the messages that Patterson read aloud, which he said were from Gypsy to Nick. Quote I will text you. We are doing this tonight. Will you need an anxiety med to calm you after? You may not need to put on the gloves because we will sink it. So it's never found. End quote. Here are several messages that Patterson said were from Nick to Gypsy. Quote honey, you forget. I am ruthless and my hatred for her will force her to die. It's my evil side doing it. He won't mess up, he enjoys killing End quote. Near the end of the hearing, patterson read a particular message which he said was from Gypsy to Nick. Quote we will be happy soon After this night. We will never bring it up, end quote. Stanfield did not cross-examine Costello and shortly after Judge Ronald Carrier ruled there was enough evidence to move the case forward closer to a trial, an arraignment was set for July 31st.
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On July 5th 2016, gypsy Rose Blanchard pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for her part in her mother's murder. She agreed to a 10-year prison sentence and admitted to her role in planning of the killing of her mother, claudine Dee Dee Blanchard. In an interview with News Leader after the hearing, green County prosecutor Dan Patterson said he believed he could have secured a first-degree murder conviction in this case, meaning Gypsy would have spent the rest of her life in prison, but he did not believe that that was fair. Because of the abuse that Gypsy suffered at the hand of her mother, he said he felt like 10 years in prison. The minimum sentence for a second-degree murder conviction was more appropriate. Dan Patterson said quote when you look at this case, it's a murder and it's a first-degree murder, but it's also one of the most extraordinary and unusual cases we have seen. End quote.
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Mike Stanfield, gypsy's attorney, said he was able to uncover decades worth of abuse that Dee Dee Blanchard inflicted on Gypsy as part of an elaborate fraud scheme. This was also covered during Lifetime's prison confessions with Gypsy Blanchard, where her former pediatrician was presented with never-before-seen medical records. Mike Stanfield said quote essentially Gypsy's mother was holding her prisoner. Her mother would not allow her to spend any time alone with any other human being. Her mother, when they went to the doctor, did all the talking. End quote. When the judge asked Gypsy how far she went in school during the hearing, she said second grade. Stanfield said he didn't believe his client had any formal schooling past kindergarten.
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Nick Godajan was still facing a first-degree murder charge in connection with the killing. His trial was scheduled for November 2016. Gypsy would have to serve eight and a half years behind bars before she'd be eligible for parole. Stanfield said Gypsy's health had proved in the year that she had been in the Green County jail and not in her mother's care. He told Buzzfeed that Gypsy was so malnourished that in her first year of being in jail she gained 14 pounds, in contrast to his other clients who lost weight. In that situation For months, mike Stanfield traveled to Louisiana to try to recover Gypsy's medical records, which is how he was able to uncover decades worth of abuse. After it came out how Didi treated Gypsy all those years, sympathy for her as the victim of a violent murder quickly shifted to Gypsy as a long-term victim of child abuse.
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In October 2016, nick waved his right to a jury trial during a hearing on charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Nick's trial was rescheduled to February 6th through 8th 2017. This was a push by his defense attorney. Nick's attorney wanted to introduce evidence about his mental capacity. Part of that evidence was that Nick has been diagnosed in the past with Asperger's syndrome, a mild form of autism. They also wanted to argue that if Nick is guilty, he's guilty of second-degree murder, not first-degree murder, because of his mental capacity. They argued that Nick doesn't have the mental capacity for the required elements under state law that are necessary for a first-degree murder conviction, mainly whether he deliberated before the murder.
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The following month, on November 30th, at a pretrial hearing, green County Court Judge Holden ruled that a defense hired psychologist could testify at the trial of Nick Godajon. The psychologist did two mental evaluations of Nick at the Green County Jail. He said that Nick thought he was doing the right thing when he killed Didi because he wanted to rescue Gypsy from her mother. Didi and Gypsy's relatives believed Didi required Gypsy to act as if she was sick and pretended to be younger than she was so they could get sympathy and aid from charities and social service agencies. People who knew them thought Gypsy couldn't walk and possibly was fatally ill. The psychologist said Nick is on the autism spectrum and spends most of his time on the internet and playing video games. He described him as more like a child than an adult. Nick's IQ is 82 and he functions at the level of a 10 or 11 year old. The psychologist's findings could result in Nick being found guilty of a lesser charge than first-degree murder, which requires someone to contemplate before killing another person.
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Nicholas Godajon's trial started on November 12th 2018 and lasted four days. Before the jury was brought into the courtroom, the attorneys argued some pre-trial motions before Judge David Jones. Nick's attorney, dwayne Perry, asked the judge to prevent the jury from seeing parts of Nick's recorded confession to detectives where he said he considered raping Dee Dee before killing her. Perry argued that statement was not relevant because Nick did not act on the rape idea. Nathan Chapman, the assistant Green County prosecutor, argued that the statement should be used at the trial because it shows premeditation, a necessary component of first-degree murder. The judge allowed the evidence to be shown at trial. There was also discussion about other possible sexual evidence that might come up at trial, like Nick and Gypsy having sex in the home after the homicide and text messages exchanged between the two.
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The prosecution went through a timeline of events depicting what happened before and after Dee Dee's murder. They described the Facebook posts that suggested Dee Dee was dead, how Gypsy had been raped, finding Dee Dee's body to finding Gypsy and Nick in Wisconsin at Nick's family home. Prosecutor Chapman said he intended to prove Nick deliberated several times before killing Dee Dee and should be found guilty of first-degree murder. Chapman began by describing Nick standing outside of Dee Dee's bedroom door holding a knife and thinking about his actions before killing. Chapman told the jury quote the only thing that stood between him being with Gypsy was Claudine. End quote. He then described several incidences where he believed Nick deliberated before the murder, like when Nick was standing outside the bedroom door, when he took the long bus ride to Springfield and even a year prior when Gypsy first brought up the idea of killing her mother. Chapman talked about Nick's confession of stabbing Dee Dee in the back and neck, he and Gypsy having sex, mailing the knife to his house and taking a Greyhound bus back to Wisconsin.
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Andrew Mead, one of the public defenders representing Nick, made his opening statement to the jury. Mead painted Nick as an autistic man with few friends who only had one real job in his life, holding a sign outside of a pizza shop and spending most of his time on the internet. Mead said quote that was his outlet to the world end. Quote. He told the jury how Nick met Gypsy online in October 2012 and fell madly in love. He then described the abuse that Gypsy suffered at the hands of her mother, which included Dee Dee forcing her daughter to pretend she was disabled and undergo unnecessary medical procedures. Mead said it was Gypsy who formulated the plan for the killing to escape her mother. He said Gypsy arranged for Nick to come down to Springfield and stole the murder weapon. Quote. Nick was happy to do whatever Gypsy wanted. He was always compliant. Mead said the defense planned to show that Nick wasn't able to formulate the necessary mental state to commit first-degree murder because of his autism. He said the defense was not disputing that Nick killed Dee Dee, but that they do not believe first-degree murder is the appropriate charge.
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Current and former Green County Sheriff's Office deputies were the first two witnesses to take the stand. First, Deputy Mike Robertson testified about going to the Blanchard House on Volunteer Way in June 2015 to check the well-being of Dee Dee and Gypsy. At that time, neighbors had not seen the pair for days and there was an unsettling post on their joint Facebook page. Robertson said he did not see any signs of forced entry. Next up was Jim Stanley, a former sergeant in the Sheriff's Office in 2015. Stanley testified about obtaining a search warrant for the home and going inside to find Dee Dee's body, as well as a wipe paper, towels and blood evidence. Photos shown by prosecutors showed the Blanchard House was cluttered with papers and boxes throughout the home.
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Tom Vandenberg with the Green County Medical Examiner's Office was the third witness called to the stand. Dr Vandenberg testified that he went to the Blanchard Home on Volunteer Way in June 2015 to examine Dee Dee's body. Dr Vandenberg said Dee Dee was found face down on a bloody mattress in the home. She had a parent stab wounds on her back and the back of her head. There were 17 total stab wounds and two large cuts. The two wounds pierced her body cavity, including her lungs, diaphragm, heart and liver. According to Dr Vandenberg, dee Dee had been dead for at least 24 to 36 hours. Before authorities found her Jours were given folders of photographs that showed Dee Dee's injuries. However, those photographs were not shown to the courtroom audience. The cause of death was determined to be stab wounds. I was able to get access to view the photos and I will link them in the source material in the show notes. Due to their graphic nature, I will not post them on the Instagram account.
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Up next, two cab drivers testified about rides they provided early in the morning hours of June 10, 2015 to and from the home where Gypsy and Dee Dee Blanchard lived. Sherry Messer said she picked up a white male at the Days Inn Hotel on North Glenstone Avenue at 1.57 am. Messer testified quote I'm very talkative with my passengers, especially people that I pick up at an airport or a hotel. End quote. She recalled that the man said he was from Wisconsin and he spoke with an accent, though she didn't know what kind of accent. Messer said quote. He said he was here to meet his girlfriend end quote. She said she pulled up to the house on Volunteer Way about 10 minutes later and parked on the street. According to Messer, the man asked her to wait for a few seconds as he was on the phone texting his girlfriend to see what door she wanted him to use and then he got out quote. He didn't go to the front door, he went to the rear of the home end quote.
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The other cab driver, John Harmon, testified that he picked up two people in his cab a few hours later, shortly before 6 am. Harmon said there was a man wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt and a woman wearing a skirt quote. It looked like possibly she had a wig on end quote. He said it was a quiet ride to the Days Inn Hotel. He dropped them off at 5.55 am and the woman paid him.
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Detective Mahoney testified about her interrogation with Nick. She told the court about her interaction with him, saying quote. He was pleasant, he had a blanket, he was handcuffed, he was kind. End quote. Then the prosecution played a video lasting about 90 minutes showing Mahoney's interrogation of Nick, according to Facebook messages shown at trial more than a year before DeeDee was stabbed to death, detective Joseph Fletcher, with the Green County Sheriff's Office, testified about investigating Nick's Facebook account. Some of the messages reviewed by Fletcher were shown on a TV screen for jurors. The messages from May 2014 showed Nick had planned, with Gypsy, to kill DeeDee Blanchard. At one point, nick messaged his friend asking quote how crazy do you think Gypsy is? End quote.
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On the second day of trial, detective Jody Krop, with the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department, took the stand. Detective Krop led a search of Nick Godajohn's home in Big Bend, wisconsin, in the days after DeeDee was found dead in Springfield, missouri. With Detective Krop on the stand. The state showed photographs documenting items seized during the search of his home, including a cell phone, a computer tower, a black wig and a baggie filled with cash. The detective also seized some clothing, such as a hoodie, shoes and a t-shirt featuring creepy clowns that all had suspected blood on them. The next witness was now retired Waukesha County Sheriff's Department Detective Alan Voss. The state used Voss to admit into evidence many of the items seized during the search of Nick's home in Big Bend, wisconsin. The defense objected when prosecutors tried to admit a computer tower into evidence. The attorneys briefly entered a side room before the judge allowed the item into evidence. Prosecutors also admitted into evidence an envelope seized from the house. Prosecutors have said the defendants mailed the murder weapon from Springfield to the home in Wisconsin after the homicide. The envelope was not opened in the courtroom.
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The third witness of the day was Lieutenant Stan Hancock with the Green County Sheriff's Office. He was the lead investigator in the case. With Hancock on the stand, the prosecutors played surveillance video of Nick and Gypsy together at the Days Inn Hotel and the Greyhound bus station on June 11, 2015 and June 12, 2015. Prosecutors believed the couple tried to get on a bus from Springfield to Wisconsin on June 11 after killing Dee Dee, but had to stay an extra night before leaving on June 12. Nick was the one who handed the money to the clerks at the hotel and the bus station. Lieutenant Hancock also testified about opening an envelope found at Nick's home in Wisconsin and finding a knife and gloves. The knife, which is suspected to be the murder weapon, was presented to the jury. After Hancock's testimony, the court took a break for lunch.
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When the trial resumed, a DNA analysis expert took the stand. Aaron Exner testified that he worked in the Missouri State Highway Patrol's crime lab, exner, explained to the jury what DNA is and how DNA samples are compared. Exner testified that a blood smeared paper towel roll found in the Blanchard's home had DNA that almost certainly came from Nicholas Gotajon. Exner said that he also tested a serrated knife that had DNA from Nick Gotajon, dee Dee Blanchard and Gypsy Blanchard. Michael Costello, the computer forensic analyst with the Springfield Police Department, also took the stand. But before Costello took the stand, the judge warned the jury this testimony could take a long time. Nick's attorney objected to Costello's testimony. Costello said he assisted in the investigation into Dee Dee's death by examining two computers and a phone owned by Nick. The examinations showed Nick searched for bondage equipment, knives, handcuffs and more. The judge allowed Costello's testimony to be given.
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Michael Costello read aloud hundreds of text messages sent between Gypsy Blanchard and Nick Gotajon in May and June. For the most part, the text messages were about love, sex and planning a life together in rural Wisconsin, but as June 10, 2015 approached, the texting turned to topics of knives and duct tape. The day before the killing, nick texted Gypsy that his evil side would need duct tape. Nick and Gypsy often referred to each other's sinister alter egos in the texts. Nick was Victor, the 500-year-old vampire, or his evil side, and Gypsies was Ruby. Nick said his evil side enjoys killing. He asked Gypsy whether her mom was a light sleeper and if her bedroom floors squeaked. Some of the text and the days and weeks earlier were ordinary, while others were sexual, including a long string of messages about bondage. Gypsy asked Nick if he would give her her first orgasm and if he would finger her on the bus ride. She texted him. Quote you make my girly parts tingle. End quote. Nick sat silently as the text were read, squinting at the TV screen.
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On the third day of trial, the attorneys and Judge Jones spent a good part of the morning in the side room. When they were finished, the jury was brought into the courtroom at about 10.28 am and the defense called Gypsy Rose Blanchard as its first witness. Gypsy testified that her mother would not allow her to date. Quote she controlled every aspect of my life. End quote.
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Gypsy said her mother forced her to use a wheelchair even though she didn't need one. That started what she was about eight years old. Gypsy said her mother told her she had cancer, muscular dystrophy, seizure disorder and other ailments. She said she began realizing that she was healthy at around age 19. Gypsy said Didi did this for attention and financial benefit. Gypsy testified she tried to run away from her mother in the spring of 2011, but Didi caught her in about four hours, she said. As a punishment, didi chained her to the bed, hit her, punched her and starved her. Gypsy said she came up with the idea of killing her mom. Quote I wanted to be free of her. Hold on me end quote.
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Gypsy admitted how she convinced Nick to help her kill her mother, stating quote I talked him into it end quote. She said she felt like it was necessary because she did not think anyone would believe her if she reported her mother's abuse to the police. Gypsy said her mother had legal documentation that would show she was incompetent. She said she paid for Nick to come to Springfield, stole the knife from Walmart and provided him with the gloves before the murder. She also said it was her idea to mail the knife back to Wisconsin after the killing. Gypsy said she never considered that the police would find her after they executed their plan and she intended to live the rest of her life in Wisconsin with Nick.
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During cross examination. Gypsy said, during their role playing, that she was the slave and Nick was the master. She testified that Nick would send her scripts to read when they made videos. She also said it was Nick who chose stabbing as the method to kill Didi. Gypsy said she sent Nick a picture of the knife before the murder and he approved of the weapon. She testified that Nick came up with a plan of what to tell authorities if they were caught after the murder. The plan was to say that Gypsy had been kicked out of her house by Didi and had called him to pick her up. After Gypsy answered the last questions from the attorneys, the attorneys went into a side room with the judge to make a record. Nick and Gypsy Blanchard sat silently in the courtroom as the attorneys were away. After Gypsy's testimony, the court broke for lunch. After the break, judge David Jones ruled against a defense motion regarding jury instructions.
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The first witness of the afternoon session was Dr Kent Franks, a Springfield psychologist, who evaluated Nick twice, once in December 2015 and again about seven months later. Dr Kent Franks testified that Nick has an IQ of 82, which he said is low average. Dr Franks said Nick struggles with his memory and processing speed. He said he diagnosed Nick with autism spectrum disorder. Dr Franks also discussed Nick's upbringing. He said Nick went through school in special education classes and spent a lot of time alone as a child, living with his single mother. Nick had one close friend, one girlfriend and one job holding a sign outside of the pizza shop for about 13 months before meeting Gypsy. Dr Franks said quote he doesn't have any work skills. End quote, adding that Nick was on disability. He said Nick also struggles with personal hygiene, often forgetting to shower or brush his teeth. Dr Franks said it would be difficult for Nick to deliberate because of his autism spectrum disorder.
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Deliberation is a necessary component of first degree murder, which is the charge that Nick is facing. During cross examination, prosecutor Patterson questioned Dr Franks about other messages on Nick's Facebook account. Patterson asked Dr Franks if he had ever reviewed sexting Facebook messages that Nick had sent to another woman in 2014 when he and Gypsy were boyfriend and girlfriend. Dr Franks answered that he did not. Dr Franks was excused and while the jury was out of the courtroom, nick told Judge Jones he would not testify in his own defense during the guilt phase of his trial. With that, the defense rested and prosecutors called Dr Robert Denny, a clinical psychologist, as a rebuttal witness. Dr Denny said he examined Nick and diagnosed him with autism spectrum disorder level 1. That is a less severe version of autism spectrum disorder than what Dr Kent Franks diagnosed him with.
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After this it was nearly 5.30pm and the judge ended trial for the day. The next day, the final day of trial, dr Denny returned to the stand for cross-examination by Nick's defense team. Upon being questioned by Attorney Dwayne Perry, dr Denny reviewed the trivial details of psychological tests, nick's scores on these tests and what these different tests mean. Dr Denny said Nick scored below average on these tests. After the defense's cross-examination, prosecutors said they had no more rebuttal evidence. The lawyers then went over the jury instructions. The trial was recessed until about 12.15pm. Jury instructions were read aloud and then closing arguments were made. Nick's attorney, dwayne Perry, filed a motion for judgment of acquittal a standard procedure at the end of a criminal trial and Judge David Jones denied the motion.
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Great Green County prosecutor Nathan Chapman went first in his closing arguments he told the jury that he believed first-degree murder was the appropriate conviction because Nicholas Gotajohn had thought about killing DeeDee more than one year before. Chapman said that even though the murder was Gypsy's idea, nick is still responsible for his actions. Chapman said quote. Yes, he was asked to do it, but he took it from there. End quote. Chapman said Nick was not tricked into killing DeeDee. He asked the jurors not to let DeeDee's abuse that she inflicted on Gypsy affect their decision-making, saying, quote all that matters is what the defendant did on June 10, 2015,. End quote. Chapman continued quote DeeDee Blanchard deserved to be held accountable in a court of law for her abuse of her daughter, not as she was sleeping in the middle of the night. End quote.
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Nick's attorney, dwayne Perry, went next in closing arguments. He asked the jury to find Nick not guilty of first-degree murder and consider a lesser charge. Perry described Nick as a low-functioning person with autism and capable of true deliberation. He said Nick was manipulated into committing the homicide by Gypsy. Quote she talked him into doing it. End quote. Perry said Nick thought of himself as Gypsy's rescuer. Quote Nick was so in love with her and so obsessed with her that he would do anything, and Gypsy knew that. End quote.
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Green County prosecutor Dan Patterson was the last to give his closing arguments. Patterson said that Nick's motive to kill DeeDee wasn't to rescue her daughter. He said Nick was motivated by being with Gypsy and having sex with her, which he did after the murder. Patterson also pointed to evidence that he said shows deliberation, like text messages asking whether DeeDee was a light sleeper, and an interview that Nick did with a journalist where he said he waited for a minute outside of the bedroom door thinking about whether to commit the homicide. Quote you know that he did it. You know that he coolly deliberated. End quote. Patterson asked for a first degree murder conviction. The jury also had the option of second degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. The jury began deliberating at 2.12 pm. After two hours and 10 minutes, judge David Jones announced that the jury had reached a verdict. On November 16, 2018, the jury found Nicholas Godajon guilty of first degree murder and armed criminal action. In an interview with Dr Phil in November 2017, dr Phil asked Gypsy if she was glad that DeeDee was dead. She replied quote I'm glad that I'm out of that situation, but I am not happy she is dead. End quote.
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On February 22, 2019, nick was sentenced to life in prison without parole and a 25 year sentence for armed criminal action. Before his sentence was read, nick was given an opportunity to speak to the courtroom. He said all he ever wanted was to be with Gypsy and that he'd never known true love or relationship with any woman. He said quote it's missing. It's always been a missing link. That's the reason. That's, I guess, when I got so deep into this situation, I fell in love so deeply. End quote. Nick said he believes in the saying that love is blind. Saying quote I admit it, I was blind in love. End quote. In April 2019, people Magazine reported that Gypsy was engaged. The magazine reported that she had yet to reveal her fiance's name. They became friends after he began writing to her in the Chilokothi prison. By this time, gypsy was 27 years old. Also that month, the push to release Gypsy early from prison started. At the time, more than 96,000 people had signed an online petition to release Gypsy.
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Gypsy met Ken, her fiance, in 2017. Once after she was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison for her involvement in Dee Dee's murder, he wrote to her at Chilokothi Correctional Center in Missouri shortly after he saw HBO's documentary about her case. Mommy, dead and Dearest. Gypsy said quote I thought he sounded like a cool guy so I wrote him back. We became pen pals and started talking on the phone. He was easy to talk to and we had so much in common. End quote. Ken proposed to Gypsy during a visit to the prison in 2018.
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They planned to marry in January 2020, but the engagement was called off four months before exchanging vows. Gypsy and Ken briefly reunited, but their wedding was still postponed. The couple then called it quits again. With over 250 men who had written to her while in prison, one letter stuck out because of its humor, so she wrote back to the person. That person was Ryan Anderson, a special education teacher in Louisiana. By May 2020, the two had become pen pals, writing back and forth and eventually falling in love. Ryan visited Gypsy in the Chillicothe Correctional Center because it was important for him to meet her in person. The two sat and talked for four hours on that first visit. Gypsy said the connection between the two of them was so seamless and easy. Four months after meeting Ryan in person, gypsy called him and asked about their relationship, and she told him she had romantic feelings for him. In January 2021, nick had asked a judge to set aside the criminal case. According to court records, he requested in post-conviction relief filings by his attorney.
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Producers from Lifetime's Prison Conventions with Gypsy Blanchard spent 18 months interviewing Gypsy on the phone and in person at Chillicothe Correctional Center. Filming takes place on December 8, 2021, less than 24 hours before her parole hearing. In her interview with the producers, gypsy admitted that when she first was arrested she had a lack of remorse and it wasn't even until a few years later that she began to miss her mom and understand that she was not coming back. The interviewer asked quote, do you think she loved you? End quote. Gypsy replied quote, I think she loved me in her own way. I think when she had me she loved me, and I think as a child she loved me, but I don't think she too much cared for whenever I'd grow up. End quote.
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Gypsy was anxious and nervous before her parole hearing because it was the only one that she would receive. She told the interviewers that ever since she got to prison, the end goal was to get paroled. Gypsy said she regrets not standing up for herself more. There was a lot of emotional abuse on top of the physical abuse. She said quote, I didn't understand her reasonings, but I trusted her. She was my best friend and I loved her and I never questioned her as a child. End quote. According to Gypsy, didi felt like her biggest failure was her failed marriage with Rod, and Didi blamed Gypsy, saying she wasn't the son he wanted. Gypsy tells producers that when she got to prison she started vaping, then she switched to real cigarettes and then that led her down a path of bad choices that she regrets. When discussing the night of the murder, gypsy now says she wished she had stopped it and that Didi didn't have to die.
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Gypsy started using drugs again in prison. At one point she owed another inmate $50 for drugs and Gypsy didn't have the money. She called her stepmom, christie, and asked to borrow the $50 to replace the stereo she broke belonging to another inmate. Christie told the producers that in their family when you break or lose something that you borrowed from someone else, you make it right and replace it. So because of that, christie gave Gypsy the $50.
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Gypsy started to feel guilty about lying to Christie and she ended up telling her that she had lied and what the money truly was for. Christie was upset but also understanding. Christie knew the life that Gypsy had lived with Didi, the pain and the lying, and she told Gypsy she had forgiven her. So, given Gypsy's upbringing with Didi, she wasn't surprised when Gypsy lied to her. She said that since Gypsy came forward about lying and apologized, it was a step in the right direction. Christie says that it'll take some time, but Gypsy is on her way to breaking the bad habits instilled in her and on the path to making the right choices. Christie's love and pain for Gypsy can be seen and heard when she's talking with the producers. You can tell that Christie really cares for Gypsy as if she is her own.
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During the interviews, gypsy stated that it was only after Didi's death that she realized the extent of her mother's deception. According to Munchhausen Biproxy Syndrome expert Beatrice Yorker, gypsy is the only documented case where a victim of Munchhausen Biproxy Syndrome has killed their perpetrator to get out, she said quote. That should tell all of us how desperate Gypsy was to escape her mother. End quote. Gypsy said she enjoyed more freedom in prison than in her life that she shared with Didi. People wondered why Gypsy went as far as to have Didi killed. They figured that since she could walk, she could get up out of her wheelchair, disproving Didi's claims that she was sick and paralyzed, and expose her lies In regards to Gypsy's life and actions. Dr Mark Feldman, an expert on Munchhausen Biproxy Syndrome, said quote the control was total, in the same sense that the control of a kidnapped victim sometimes is total. Her daughter was, in essence, a hostage and I think we can understand the crime that occurred subsequently in terms of a hostage trying to gain escape. End quote.
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Gypsy entered her parole hearing on December 9, 2021. Her stepmom, christie, spoke on Gypsy's behalf as a family member, since her dad, rod, could not be at the parole hearing due to his job. When asked by the parole board how she feels about her sentencing, she said quote this is not a 10-year sentence. This is something I have to live with for the rest of my life. End quote. The parole hearing lasted 45 minutes. Six days later, on December 15, 2021, the parole board notified Gypsy of their decision. Gypsy would be granted parole for her earliest release date of December 28, 2023.
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Five months after receiving the news that she was granted parole, ryan Anderson bought an engagement ring. On the third visit, ryan said he snuck the ring into the prison by putting it on his chain. He took Gypsy's hand and popped the question Gypsy and Ryan were going to get married secretly, but a guard told them quote you can't get married in secret. You can't do that to your dad. Gypsy end quote. The two agreed and Gypsy called Christie to tell her they wanted to get married. Christie was shocked and wanted her to wait.
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The original plan was for Gypsy to get out of prison and move in with Rod and Christie. According to Gypsy, if she were to get paroled, it had to be to a family member. Rod would have liked her to wait, but he wanted her to be happy, especially after all that she had been through. Rod said quote it's just a piece of paper. She can always get divorced. They don't have any kids or any assets. I just want her to be happy. End quote.
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In the prison confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, gypsy's half-sister, mia, expressed that she wasn't too sure about her sister getting married. Quote she doesn't know what it's like to live with a man and I'm just worried it'll end in divorce. I don't want to make her feel like I don't support her or that she's still being controlled, but I never met him. End quote. Once she met Ryan, she said their conversation had put her at ease, but that didn't stop her from worrying about Gypsy getting married so quickly. Ryan helps raise his nephew with his mom. He said he plans to take care of Gypsy when she gets out and that Gypsy has saved him as much as he has saved her.
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On July 21st 2022, gypsy Rose Blanchard and Ryan Anderson got married at the prison. Ryan is a sixth grade social studies teacher. His previous teaching position was with a Christian organization. When they found out he was in a relationship with Gypsy, they asked him to resign, stating that their relationship was a safety issue with the children. It broke his heart because he loved the school and the kids, but he's in a better place now.
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In August 2022, nick's attorney filed an appeal for him asking Green County Judge David Jones to set aside his 2018 murder conviction based on poor representation. An evidentiary hearing was set for August 9th and it was scheduled for two days. In October 2022, three months after the wedding, gypsy and Ryan had fought about her ex-boyfriend. During the fight, gypsy called Ryan controlling and said that he was like Dee Dee. After the fight, gypsy said that she needed help and a therapist, and that maybe he needed one too. So Ryan got himself a therapist and he got one for Gypsy as well. On March 1st 2023, judge Jones denied Nick's set aside or correct judgment and sentence.
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Nick is hoping for a new trial again. His latest public defender, tyler Coyle, appealed for a new trial in December 2023. His attorney claimed that Nick could not understand what he did due to his mental capacity. They also argued that his public defenders didn't do enough during his criminal trial. Coyle said, quote Mr Gotajan was alleging that the only reason that he was found guilty in his jury trial was because he had ineffective assistance of trial counsel. End quote. Earlier that month, coyle filed yet another appeal on Nick's behalf. He argued that his mental state did not meet the requirements for first degree murder. The jury should have only found him guilty of second degree murder. Coyle said it will be up to a panel of three judges to decide if Nick will get another day in court. Quote if he were to get a new trial, then it would start over and there wouldn't be any finding of first degree or second degree. It would just have to go back to a new trial. End quote. There is no timeframe in which a decision could be made. The court can take as long as necessary to review his request.
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On December 28, 2023, gypsy Rose Blanchard was released from the Chillicothe Correctional Center. Upon her release, gypsy said she hoped to meet Taylor Swift. She told TMZ that Taylor Swift inspired her throughout her life. A six-hour lifetime special the Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard premiered on January 5, 2024 and featured interviews with Gypsy from prison. Her case was also the subject of the 2019 Hulu mini-series, the Act, starring Patricia Arquette as Dee Dee Blanchard. In the lifetime special, the producers gave Gypsy's former pediatrician, dr Steele, the never-before-seen medical records of Gypsies. When they asked Dr Steele if there was anything he could say to Gypsy, what would it be? He said very emotionally quote I'm sorry, I failed you, I'm really sorry. End quote. You could feel his pain, especially because he did try to help Gypsy. On January 9, 2024, gypsy released an e-book titled Released, which included a collection of interview transcripts and journal entries telling her side of the story. Her book was published through Penguin Random House Publishing. At this time, there's still no word on Nick's appeal for a new trial, and that is the case of Dee Dee and Gypsy Rose Blanchard.
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This case can tend to be one that is considered controversial because there are many people out there who believe that Gypsy is not a victim and that she is this cold, calculated, manipulative person, and she does have those traits. It is how she was brought up. Some people don't see her as a victim, but sadly, her mother put her through unnecessary medical procedures. That's abuse in and of itself and it was while she was a child and I feel bad for the child. Gypsy has started to take responsibility for her actions and her part in the murder of Dee Dee. Some people believe that it's fake and only time will tell. When I watched the interview that she did in the prison confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, there was a lot of pain that you could just sense and feel that she was going through. So I'd like to believe that she does have remorse and she does feel the guilt and that she is on her way to a healthy lifestyle, to a better life, and she will get there with the help of her husband and her family. Rod and Christie and Mia are all very supportive of Gypsy and doing what they can to help her have the best life that she can.
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With that being said, I hope you all enjoyed the saga that was Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Dee Dee Blanchard. Be sure to follow on Instagram at Crime Connors Source, wherever you get your podcast. All source material can be found in the show notes. If you have a case suggestion, click the link in the bio in the Instagram account and fill out the form to let me know or shoot me an email at CrimeConnors Source at gmailcom, and be sure to put case suggestion in the subject line. In the meantime, keep it classy, connors Source, and I'll catch you on the next case.