'She can walk': Murder suspect Gypsy Rose Blanchard investigated for fraud

A dead woman's daughter and her boyfriend have been charged with killing her in her home just north of Springfield and then posting about the act on Facebook, but that is only part of the story.

The bizarre case took another turn on Tuesday morning when Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott announced at a press conference that the daughter, Gypsy R. Blanchard – who friends and neighbors believed to be disabled – can walk without assistance and the family has been running a long financial fraud scheme.

Arnott began Tuesday's press conference by saying: "Things are not always as they appear."

"We really don't know the true background of this family," Arnott said. "This is a tragic, tragic event surrounded by mystery and public deception."

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Arnott said it could not be confirmed that the mother and daughter were victims of Hurricane Katrina, long believed to be the reason the family came to Springfield and lived in a Habitat for Humanity home. He said the mother and daughter received financial donations under false pretenses and authorities do not even know Gypsy's true age, only that it is somewhere between 19 and 23.

Gypsy R. Blanchard and her boyfriend Nicholas P. Godejohn, 26, of Big Bend, Wis., were charged Tuesday with first-degree murder in the death of Gypsy's mother, 48-year-old Clauddinnea "Dee Dee" Blanchard.

Both defendants are in custody in Wisconsin and will soon be extradited to Missouri, according to Arnott. Their bonds have been set at $1 million.

A probable cause statement says that Gypsy and Godejohn took "several thousand dollars" From Dee Dee's safe before fleeing to Wisconsin.

Neighbors say Dee Dee did not work, and Arnott said authorities are investigating a "long financial fraud scheme" involving the family.

Friends became concerned on Sunday when a Facebook post made to a joint account for Gypsy and Dee Dee took credit for killing Dee Dee. According to a probable cause statement, authorities traced the post to Godejohn's residence in Wisconsin.

Dee Dee was found stabbed to death in her home just north of Springfield on Sunday night.

Gypsy Blanchard and Godejohn were detained Monday in Wisconsin after a brief standoff with Waukesha County Sheriff's deputies, the statement says.

Arnott said Gypsy and Godejohn stayed in Springfield for one or two days after Dee Dee's death before leaving for Wisconsin by bus. Arnott said the couple can be seen on surveillance video at several local businesses with Gypsy walking under her own power and sometimes wearing disguises.

Arnott said Godejohn traveled by bus to Springfield not long before Dee Dee's death. He said he did not know how long Godejohn and Gypsy have been in a relationship or how they met.

Gypsy told authorities she cleaned up some of the blood using baby wipes after Dee Dee was stabbed to death, and then called a Yellow Cab to pick up her and Godejohn from the home on the 2100 block of North Volunteer Way just north of Springfield, according to the statement.

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Gypsy told authorities she made the vulgar posts to Facebook so that her mother's body would be found sooner, the statement says.

Authorities also say Gypsy was responsible for a second Facebook post claiming that an attacker had "slashed" Dee Dee and "raped her sweet innocent daughter."

Neighbors believed Gypsy needed a wheelchair and suffered from muscular dystrophy and leukemia.

The Greene County Sheriff's Office originally reported Gypsy as missing, but after she was located Monday morning in Wisconsin, Sheriff Arnott said he could not rule her out as a suspect.

Less than 24 hours later, Gypsy was charged with murder.

Arnott said detectives have been shocked as the case has progressed and they learned more about what was happening with the mother and daughter, who are not connected to the rest of their family in Louisiana.

"It's a very twisted story trying to sort out what is true and what's not and as far as motives and how that all links back," Arnott said. "We just know there is a lot of deception."

Arnott declined to comment on any motive for the killing, saying that will come out when the case goes to trial.

In a bond recommendation document, prosecutors call the killing a "planned and deliberate murder."

Godejohn told authorities he asked Gypsy if she was sure she wanted him to kill Dee Dee and she told him yes, the probable statement says. Godejohn said Gypsy was hiding in the bathroom while he killed Dee Dee, the statement says.

Godejohn told authorities he mailed the knife he used to stab Dee Dee to his residence in Wisconsin after the act so he would not get caught with it, the statement says.

Arnott cautioned people against donating any money to the family in the coming weeks until investigators can sort out the extent of the alleged fraud.

"That is what is tough about living in Springfield, Missouri is we are a giving community, we surround people with love and finances that we believe that needs it," Arnott said. "However, a lot of times we are deceived, and I think this is might be the case."

Larry Peterson, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Springfield, said he was shocked by Tuesday's news.

"The main thing is we are just really, deeply saddened by the whole situation that we're all learning about," Peterson said. "Right now, we continue to offer our thoughts and prayers to our homeowners and residences of the habitat community."

Peterson said he stands by Habitat for Humanity's selection process and it appears as though the Blanchards met that criteria. He said it is too early to speculate if Habitat had been duped by the family.

Neighbors described Dee Dee as a friendly and caring woman. More than 60 people attended a vigil for Dee Dee on Monday evening on the square in downtown Springfield.

Gypsy and Godejohn were also charged Tuesday with felony armed criminal action.