Autumn Urker says her brother Ken slept with a gun beside him every night in the final days before his death.
Ken Urker, 34, died on October 1 at his Louisiana home — his birthday — leaving behind 1-year-old daughter Aurora with ex-girlfriend Gypsy Rose Blanchard, 35. Autumn, his sister, said in an interview published Thursday that Ken had begun carrying a weapon and keeping it within reach while he slept because he was receiving death threats and had been doxxed. The outlet reviewed text messages that Autumn said came from Ken, in which he described those exact fears.
Autumn was careful to draw a line between the online threats and Blanchard herself. She clarified that Ken did not arm himself out of fear that Blanchard would physically harm him. Still, Autumn placed blame for the cyberbullying squarely on Blanchard, whose public profile and turbulent history with Ken drew intense scrutiny to their relationship.
Blanchard had her own evidence to share. Earlier in the week, she posted screenshots from a Reddit forum where users had mocked Ken’s appearance, sexuality and the status of their relationship. She also launched an online petition called Kenan’s Law, aiming to change how social media platforms handle repeated harassment reports.
The tension between the two women predates Ken’s death. Autumn said she had warned her brother about Blanchard, but her advice “fell on deaf ears,” She said Ken had confided in her and friends about his stress, including problems with Blanchard, before he died.
The night before his death, Autumn spoke with Ken by phone. He made plans to check in with loved ones the next day.
“I told him that the kids were going to call him on FaceTime to wish him a happy birthday later and he’s like, ‘Alright, have them call me,'” Autumn said. She insisted she does not believe her brother took his own life.
“I don’t think he would ever do this to Aurora or my mother, and the family doesn’t think he did this on purpose, either,” she shared. Autumn further slammed what she called the “narrative” that Ken died by suicide, calling it “very hurtful” to their family.
“I’m trying to respect my brother and give him dignity,” she said. “That’s why I’m being open, because that’s not fair to him.”
Blanchard has publicly stated she believes Ken died of an overdose. Reports said exclusively that the pair broke up one month before his death because he was struggling with mental health problems, though they were peacefully co-parenting Aurora and remained in constant communication about their daughter.
The family invited Blanchard to Ken’s private memorial viewing in Louisiana last weekend, but Autumn’s presence there was complicated. She said she regrets not arriving on time and ended up saying her “goodbyes” from the parking lot. She will “absolutely” attend his funeral.
The invitation itself came with strings attached, according to Autumn. She claimed her mother was “in tears” over the necessity of maintaining peace with Blanchard for access to Aurora.
“When I spoke with my mother, she was in tears telling me that we have to be nice to Gypsy or she won’t let her see Aurora,” Autumn said. “My mom is a very forgiving person and I’m just not at that stage right now.”
Despite the friction, Blanchard will attend Ken’s Texas funeral. A source said exclusively that “Gypsy and his family are fine and have been grieving together” and that “she has been welcomed to his Texas funeral.”
The public clash between Autumn and Blanchard erupted immediately after Ken’s death. Autumn had accused Blanchard of lying about how Ken was found dead after he failed to respond to her happy birthday text. Blanchard fired back through the outlet, stating that “it is no secret that Autumn did not approve of Ken’s relationship with me, and there has been significant tension between us.”
Blanchard spent nearly eight years in prison for her role in the 2015 murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, who had subjected her to years of fabricated illnesses and medical abuse. She was released in December 2023 and soon reconnected with Ken, whom she had first become engaged to while incarcerated before that relationship ended. They reunited after her release and welcomed daughter Aurora in December 2024, though they had separated again by the time of his death.
Autumn Urker said she will be at Ken’s funeral in Texas.