Disturbing new details have emerged about the sudden death of Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s longtime partner, Ken Urker, who was found dead inside his Louisiana home on his 34th birthday.
Urker was discovered unresponsive at his home in Raceland on Thursday, Oct. 1, after worried relatives requested a welfare check when he failed to show up for work and stopped answering his phone.
According to an incident report from the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, deputies responding to the home encountered a troubling scene that included syringes, a spoon containing what was described as a brown powdery substance and a holstered handgun.
Authorities have not yet determined Urker’s official cause of death.
The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office said investigators have found no evidence of foul play so far, while an autopsy has now been completed and toxicology testing remains pending.
Family Became Worried After Urker Missed Work
The welfare check was reportedly requested by Anita Blanchard, Gypsy Rose’s sister-in-law, after Urker did not show up for work and could not be reached.
A family friend had reportedly been attempting to get an answer at Urker’s door for more than an hour.
Gypsy Rose’s younger half-brother, Dylan Blanchard, eventually looked through a bedroom window and spotted Urker lying motionless on the bed.
Deputies entered the home through a window and found Urker cold to the touch, according to the report.
Emergency personnel determined that he was already dead.
Investigators Find Syringes and Brown Substance
Inside the bathroom, deputies reportedly discovered syringes and a spoon beside what the police report described as a brown, powdery substance.
Another syringe was allegedly located on a nightstand near Urker’s bed along with two shot glasses and a holstered handgun.
Investigators also documented a blood-stained paper towel on Urker’s left arm.
Despite the presence of the firearm, the sheriff’s office has specifically said there was no evidence that Urker suffered a gunshot wound.
Those details are significant because the precise circumstances surrounding Urker’s death remain under investigation. The presence of drug paraphernalia does not by itself establish how he died, and authorities have not announced an official cause or manner of death.
Autopsy Completed as Toxicology Results Are Awaited
Urker’s body was taken for a forensic examination following his death.
The Lafourche Parish Coroner’s Office confirmed that an autopsy was scheduled at the Jefferson Parish Forensic Center because Lafourche Parish does not have its own forensic pathologist.
The examination has since been completed, according to the coroner, but a final determination is expected to depend in part on toxicology testing.
Toxicology reports can take additional time because laboratories must test blood and other samples for alcohol, prescription medications, illegal drugs and other substances that could have contributed to a death.
Investigators have said there is currently no evidence pointing to foul play, although the case remains open while the coroner and sheriff’s office await additional findings.
Family Said Urker Had Been Struggling
The police report also contains troubling details about Urker’s emotional state shortly before his death.
Anita reportedly told authorities that Urker attended church with members of the family on Wednesday, Sept. 30, one day before he was found dead.
She said Urker appeared depressed and upset and had previously spoken about harming himself.
She also reportedly told a 911 dispatcher that he had been drinking that evening.
Gypsy Rose later said Urker had recently been struggling emotionally and drinking more heavily.
“He wasn’t in a good state of mind lately,” she told PEOPLE, adding that he had been using alcohol to cope.
Those statements describe what relatives said they observed, but investigators have not concluded whether Urker’s death was accidental, intentional or caused by another medical or toxicological factor.
Gypsy Rose Believes an Overdose May Be Involved
Gypsy Rose has publicly said she believes Urker may have suffered an overdose, although she acknowledged that she does not yet know precisely what happened.
She has also said Urker did not have a known history of serious drug problems and described him as a responsible father and partner.
Until toxicology testing is completed and the coroner issues a formal finding, an overdose remains a possibility rather than an officially established cause of death.
A Birthday Message Reportedly Went Unanswered
Urker died on what was his 34th birthday.
Gypsy Rose reportedly sent him a birthday message that day but received no response.
His sister Savannah also requested a welfare check after learning that something may have happened to her brother.
Another sister, Autumn, later confirmed his death during a TikTok livestream and said Urker’s final words to her had been, “I love you.”
Gypsy Rose said she was devastated after receiving confirmation that Urker had died.
“I’ve screamed until my throat burns,” she told PEOPLE while describing her reaction.
A Complicated Love Story That Began Years Ago
Urker and Gypsy Rose had known each other for years.
Their relationship began while she was serving a prison sentence for her role in the 2015 killing of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard.
Urker proposed during a prison visit in 2018.
The relationship later ended, and Gypsy Rose eventually married Louisiana teacher Ryan Anderson after her release from prison in December 2023.
That marriage did not last.
Gypsy Rose separated from Anderson in 2024 and subsequently rekindled her relationship with Urker.
The pair welcomed their daughter, Aurora Raina Urker, in December 2024.
Urker subsequently appeared alongside Gypsy Rose as she documented her post-prison life and growing family.
Gypsy Rose Calls Urker Her ‘Soulmate’
In an emotional statement following his death, Gypsy Rose remembered Urker as a devoted father and someone she considered the great love of her life.
“Ken was an amazing father and a man who was deeply loved,” she said.
She described him as her “soulmate” and said the connection they shared would remain with her despite his death.
Gypsy Rose also asked the public to give their daughter and both families privacy while they grieve.
“There are no words that can express the depth of this loss,” she said.
For now, several major questions remain unanswered.
Investigators have documented what was found inside Urker’s home, but the physical evidence alone does not establish how he died. The results of the autopsy and toxicology testing are expected to provide the clearest answers about what happened during his final hours.
The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the death alongside the parish coroner.
