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Life Without Parole: The 5 Shocking Updates On Nicholas Godejohn Now After Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s Freedom

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Nicholas Godejohn remains one of the most compelling and controversial figures in modern true crime, currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the 2015 murder of Clauddine "Dee Dee" Blanchard. As of late 2024, the central question surrounding his case—whether he was a cold-blooded killer or a manipulated victim of a desperate situation—has been reignited following the high-profile release of his former girlfriend, Gypsy Rose Blanchard. His current reality is starkly different from Gypsy Rose’s new freedom, confined to a maximum-security prison while his legal team pursues a desperate, long-shot appeal for a retrial.

The latest updates focus heavily on his legal maneuvers and the psychological arguments presented during his trial, which his defense team continues to leverage in a bid for a reduced sentence. The disparity in sentencing between Godejohn (life without parole) and Gypsy Rose (10 years, served 85%) has fueled public debate, prompting his attorneys to file a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus. This article dives into the most current status of Nicholas Godejohn, his life inside prison, and the ongoing legal battle that seeks to overturn his first-degree murder conviction.

Complete Biography and The Mental Health Defense

Nicholas Paul Godejohn's life before the murder was characterized by isolation and a history of mental health challenges that would later become the core of his defense strategy. The details of his background were largely obscured until the trial brought them into the public eye.

  • Full Name: Nicholas Paul Godejohn
  • Date of Birth: May 20, 1989
  • Age (as of late 2024): 35
  • Birthplace: Big Bend, Wisconsin
  • Hometown: Big Bend, Wisconsin
  • Crime Committed: First-Degree Murder of Clauddine "Dee Dee" Blanchard
  • Date of Crime: June 10, 2015
  • Conviction Date: November 14, 2018
  • Current Sentence: Life Imprisonment without Parole
  • Current Location: Potosi Correctional Center, Missouri

The defense at Godejohn's trial centered on the argument of diminished capacity, asserting that his mental state made him incapable of the "deliberation" required for a first-degree murder conviction.

The Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis

A key component of the defense was the testimony of a psychologist who diagnosed Godejohn with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Level 1. The defense argued that his ASD made him highly vulnerable to manipulation by Gypsy Rose Blanchard, who he viewed as his "soulmate." His low-average IQ and difficulty with social cues and complex emotional situations were presented as factors that allowed Gypsy Rose to coerce him into committing the murder. He was convinced that the murder was the only way to "save" Gypsy Rose from her mother's years of medical abuse, a form of child torture known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MBP) or Fictitious Disorder Imposed on Another (FDIA).

The Path to First-Degree Murder and Life Sentence

The relationship between Nicholas Godejohn and Gypsy Rose Blanchard began online, where they communicated for years on a secret dating site. Gypsy Rose, desperate to escape her mother’s control, convinced Godejohn that Dee Dee was an abusive monster who needed to be eliminated.

In June 2015, Godejohn traveled from Wisconsin to Springfield, Missouri, where he met Gypsy Rose in person for the first time. Following a plan they had meticulously crafted, Godejohn entered the Blanchard home and fatally stabbed Dee Dee Blanchard while Gypsy Rose hid in the bathroom. The couple then fled to Godejohn’s home in Wisconsin.

While Gypsy Rose Blanchard pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received a 10-year sentence, Godejohn's case went to trial. The prosecution successfully argued that Godejohn’s actions—including traveling across state lines with a weapon, planning the escape, and the act of stabbing itself—demonstrated premeditation and deliberation.

In November 2018, a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder. The following year, Godejohn was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Nicholas Godejohn Now: The Fight for a Fair Retrial

Nicholas Godejohn is currently incarcerated at the Potosi Correctional Center, a maximum-security prison in Mineral Point, Missouri. Unlike Gypsy Rose Blanchard, who was released on parole in late 2023, Godejohn's life sentence means his only path to freedom is through a successful appeal or clemency.

His legal team has consistently argued that the trial jury failed to properly consider the evidence of his diminished capacity and the extent of Gypsy Rose's manipulative influence. The stark contrast between their sentences is a major focal point for his appeal efforts.

The Habeas Corpus Petition Update

The most significant and recent legal development in Godejohn’s case is the filing of a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus. This is a crucial and often final step in the appeals process, arguing that Godejohn is being illegally detained because his constitutional rights were violated during his trial. The core of the Habeas Corpus argument is expected to challenge the effectiveness of his trial counsel and the jury's failure to consider the mental health evidence.

The filing of this petition, which occurred in the wake of Gypsy Rose’s release, has drawn renewed attention to the case, with Godejohn’s supporters arguing that if Gypsy Rose, the mastermind, is free, the man she manipulated should not be condemned to die in prison.

While the legal process for a Habeas Corpus petition is long and difficult, it represents the last major hope for Godejohn and his family. The outcome of this petition, which is currently moving through the federal court system, will determine if the case is ever reopened for a retrial or if the life sentence is upheld.

The Future: Why the Godejohn Case Remains Relevant

The case of Nicholas Godejohn and Gypsy Rose Blanchard continues to be a crucial touchstone in the discussion of true crime, parental abuse, and the complexities of the justice system. The legal system’s handling of the two defendants—one serving life for the act, the other free for the planning—has sparked national debate about culpability, manipulation, and diminished capacity.

For Nicholas Godejohn, his "now" is defined by the walls of the Potosi Correctional Center and the slow, grinding wheels of the federal court system. He has no parole date, and his current sentence means he will spend the rest of his natural life incarcerated unless his Habeas Corpus petition succeeds in securing a new trial. His life sentence is a permanent reminder of the tragic consequences that resulted from the intersection of Munchausen syndrome by proxy and a desperate, manipulated online relationship.

nicholas godejohn now
nicholas godejohn now

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