**Trigger Warning: This article discusses topics of sexual abuse and violence, which some readers may find distressing.**
In a tragic yet widely publicized case from the 1980s, a father took justice into his own hands after his son endured horrific abuse.
Jody Plauché, then an elementary school student, suffered years of grooming and se.xu.al a.bu.se at the hands of his karate instructor, Jeffrey Doucet. The situation escalated in February 1984 when Doucet abducted Jody and took him to a motel in Anaheim, California.
For two agonizing weeks, Jody was missing. His whereabouts were finally discovered when Doucet allowed him to make a phone call to his mother from the motel where he was being held. Authorities quickly tracked them down and intervened.
By March 1, Jody had safely reunited with his family, while Doucet was taken into police custody.
He was extradited to Louisiana to stand trial for his alleged crimes, but he never made it to the courtroom.
Upon landing at Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, Doucet was shot in the head, leaving him in a coma. He succumbed to his injuries the following day.
The shooter was soon identified as Jody’s father, Gary Plauché.
At the time of Doucet’s arrival, local news station WBRZ was filming the scene. Gary, attempting to keep a low profile, was spotted wearing a cap and pretending to be on a call.
The news crew ended up capturing the exact moment Gary pulled the trigger, sending Doucet collapsing to the floor.
