Does Nicholas Godejohn Think Gypsy Rose Blanchard Manipulated Him?

In 2015, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard was found facedown, stabbed to death in her Missouri home. The murder led law enforcement on a search for her daughter, Gypsy Rose, who was missing at the time, and thought to be wheelchair-bound and suffering from several illnesses.

The brutal nature of Dee Dee’s death wasn’t the only shocking discovery investigators uncovered. Her daughter could walk, and was not suffering from leukemia or muscular dystrophy. Investigators found Gypsy on the run with her boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, who she met on a Christian dating site.

Want to know more about the Gypsy Rose Blanchard case? Watch a special episode of "Killer Couples," available now on Oxygen.com.

In a new episode of “Killer Couples: Gypsy Rose & Nick: A Love to Kill For,” Godejohn speaks out about his relationship with Gypsy and his psychological issues.

“I was basically a good description of a recluse,” Godejohn said on the show. “I kept to myself. The reason I kept to myself is because I didn’t really have the social skills…”

His learning disability hindered him from being able to communicate, according to Godejohn.

Dr. Marc Feldman, author of the book “Dying to Be Ill: True Stories of Medical Deception,” also appears on “Killer Couples”. 

“Gypsy learned at the feet of the master, and she learned that people can be manipulated, and she found an individual who was in love with her,” Feldman said in the episode. 

Dr. Feldman explained his perspective on Godejohn and Blanchard’s relationship in an interview with Oxygen.com.

“Gypsy was trapped in this situation,” Feldman said. “There was no hope that she could see for escape, other than violence, and I think that made her a somewhat manipulative person, especially for how she interacted with Nicholas Godejohn.”

Gypsy got Godejohn to do her bidding, according to Feldman. 

“She was the one who was trapped in an unfortunate situation and wanted to escape, but he ended up being the mechanism for the murder of Dee Dee, and that does show some real skill in manipulating another person, even though Nicholas had his own psychological problems, even before he met Gypsy,” Feldman said.

Godejohn was diagnosed with autism in elementary school, according to his father, Bobby, who spoke out on “Killer Couples.”

Clinical psychologist Dr. Robert Denney was called by the prosecution during Godejohn’s trial. He testified that Godejohn scored a 28 on an autism assessment, while other people with traits associated with autism normally score above 32.

Gypsy pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and is serving a 10-year sentence with the possibility for parole. Meanwhile, Godejohn is set to serve life in prison, after his first-degree murder conviction.. 

Dr. Feldman added that he thinks it’s debatable whether Gypsy deserved 10 years of incarceration. 

“I think there had to have been some penalty, because, after all, she did spend over a year putting the pieces in place for the murder of her mother,” Feldman said. “This wasn’t sort of an instant decision, and in a real sense, she groomed Nicholas to be the instrument by which Dee Dee was killed.” 

Feldman said he believed Godejohn’s sentence may have been too harsh in comparison. 

“I don't know if Nick himself didn't want his mental status brought up at trial, but he clearly has some level of impairment. It may be a significant level of impairment,” Feldman said. 

Godejohn shared his take on Gypsy’s role in Dee Dee’s murder.

“I did feel that she was not taking responsibility for her actions, but at the same time, due to the way I know she was raised, I can’t blame her,” Godejohn said on the show.

To learn more about the relationship and psychology behind the former lovers, tune into “Killer Couples: Gypsy Rose & Nick: A Love to Kill For,” July 13, 7/6c only on Oxygen.