Missouri woman appears in court for mother's murder
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) - A Springfield woman charged with arranging her mother's death has pleaded not guilty.
Gypsy Blancharde, 23, entered the plea Monday during a brief hearing in Greene County Court.
She is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the June 14 stabbing death of 48-year-old Clauddinnea "Dee Dee" Blancharde at their home near Springfield.
The Springfield News-Leader reports Blancharde didn't speak during the hearing other than to her lawyer. She was returned to Missouri from Wisconsin on Friday.
Prosecutors allege Blancharde persuaded her 26-year-old boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, to kill her mother.
Godejohn is also charged with first-degree murder and is jailed in Wisconsin awaiting extradition.
Authorities have said the Blanchardes pretended that Gypsy was disabled and they had survived Hurricane Katrina so they could collect donations.
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