Ken Urker, Partner of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, Dies at Age 34

Ken Urker, the partner of high-profile figure Gypsy Rose Blanchard, has died at the age of 34, according to officials in Louisiana. The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office reported that deputies responded to a residence in Raceland around 6:15 p.m. on Thursday to find Urker deceased. Captain Brennan Matherne confirmed to CBS News that an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death is currently underway.

Urker had celebrated his 34th birthday just one day prior. TMZ was the first outlet to break the news of his passing.

In a statement provided to People magazine, Blanchard, 35, described the event as a shock. The couple, who share a 21-month-old daughter named Aurora, met while Blanchard was incarcerated for her role in the 2015 murder of her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard. Blanchard stated that Urker died from an overdose and noted that he had been struggling mentally and had recently become a target of cyberbullying.

“Ken was an amazing father and a man who was deeply loved,” Blanchard told the publication. “I’m in disbelief. I can’t think. I’ve screamed until my throat burns.”

On Instagram, Blanchard honored Urker as her “greatest love story” and expressed that he would be remembered forever. She attributed part of the tragedy to online harassment, writing that the “cruelty directed toward” him was something no individual should endure. She added, “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.”