Man accused of killing his girlfriend's mother will be sent to Missouri to face charges
WAUKESHA COUNTY -- The Big Bend man accused of killing his girlfriend's mother will be sent to Missouri to face murder charges. 26-year-old Nicholas Godejohn was in court in Waukesha County Monday morning, June 29th -- where he waived his right to an extradition hearing.
23-year-old Gypsy Blancharde of Springfield, Missouri and Godejohn are facing charges — accused in the death of Blancharde’s mother, 48-year-old Clauddinnea “Dee Dee” Blancharde. They were charged jointly on June 16th with murder in the first degree and armed criminal action.
Dee Dee Blancharde was found dead in her home on June 14th.
According to the criminal complaint, on that date, officials were called to Blancharde's home in Missouri to check on the well-being of Clauddinnea Blancharde and her daughter, Gypsy. This, after concerned friends found a strange Facebook update from the mother and daughter’s shared account.
During a search of the residence, authorities found Clauddinnea face-down on her bed with multiple stab wounds to her back area. Authorities say Gypsy was not located at the residence.
According to the complaint, officials were able to trace the Facebook post to a location registered to Nicholas Godejohn in Big Bend. Shortly before 3:00 a.m., the Greene County Sheriff’s Office in Missouri requested a welfare check at the address in Big Bend.
Law enforcement presence in Big Bend
When Waukesha County Sheriff's deputies arrived on scene, they located Gypsy Blancharde and Nicholas Godejohn at the residence, and after a brief standoff, they were detained.
Gypsy Blancharde and Godejohn are accused of mailing the murder weapon to Wisconsin, and then boarding a bus bound for Big Bend.
According to the criminal complaint, Godejohn admitted to stabbing Clauddinnea several times in the back. Godejohn told investigators he knew what he had done was wrong, but he did it for Gypsy, because she asked him to.
Gypsy and Dee Dee Blancharde
The complaint indicates Gypsy was at the home at the time of the killing, and even helped clean up the blood.
Gypsy Blancharde
Prosecutors say Gypsy admitted to making the Facebook post. Gyspy allegedly posted the comment because she wanted her mother found more quickly by law enforcement officials.
Following the stabbing, they took several thousand dollars from a safe inside Clauddinnea’s bedroom and left the home in a cab, authorities say, before boarding the bus for Big Bend.
Gypsy Blancharde was arraigned in court in Missouri on Monday, June 29th. She appeared in a striped jumpsuit, and did not speak during her arraignment. Blancharde's attorney says his client's mother may have been part of a scam to make it seem as though she and Gypsy were disabled.
"We are still trying to understand exactly how large the activities were that Dee Dee was involved in," Michael Stanfield said.
Gypsy's attorney requested his client's trial be separate from Godejohn's -- after they were charged jointly.
Crime scene in Missouri - Dee Dee Blancharde
Greene County, Missouri Sheriff Jim Arnott spoke about the possibility this case involves a "long financial fraud scheme" shortly after Dee Dee Blancharde was found dead.
"We have uncovered the appearance of a long financial fraud scheme along with this tragic event," Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott said.
Details emerged that Gypsy Blancharde and her mother may have lived a secret life. In previous news reports, Gypsy was reported to suffer from muscular dystrophy and leukemia, and used a wheelchair. In an interview about their new Habitat for Humanity House in 2008, after she and her mother moved to Missouri from Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, her age was listed as 12, according to KY3.
Sheriff Arnott said there are many questions about the Blanchardes' background, including possible financial fraud, and doubt that they were Hurricane Katrina victims as they previously claimed. Investigators are looking into the many “twisted details” as the sheriff calls them, in this case.
The investigation has revealed Gypsy Blancharde, who reportedly always used a wheelchair, didn't take one from Missouri to Big Bend, and she can walk just fine.
Below, you'll see an interview with Gypsy Blanchard and Dee Dee Blanchard from 2008 -- discussing Hurricane Katrina and their new Habitat for Humanity home.
At a news conference held after charges were filed, Sheriff Arnott said this murder investigation has uncovered "a long history of mystery and public deception" -- citing multiple birth dates for Gypsy on a probable cause statement used as the basis for charges in this murder case.
Sheriff Arnott even went so far as to caution the public to be careful about donating to GoFundMe.com accounts set up to help the family.
"We really don`t know the true background of this family," Sheriff Arnott said.
Godejohn was convicted of disorderly conduct after pleading no contest back in 2013.
A criminal complaint in that case indicated Godejohn was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and disorderly conduct in connection with an incident that occurred at the McDonald's restaurant in the 1600 block of E. Main Street in Waukesha on March 11th, 2013. The carrying a concealed weapon charge was eventually dismissed by prosecutors.
The complaint indicates police were dispatched to the McDonald's restaurant for a report of male acting disorderly. Officers were advised Godejohn was viewing pornography on his laptop at the restaurant, and touching himself inappropriately.
When police arrived at the restaurant and spoke with Godejohn, they found a large folding knife in his pants pocket.
Godejohn was ordered to pay a fine in this case, and surrender the weapon to the Waukesha Police Department.