News cameras were already rolling to capture the kidnapper's return to Louisiana. They ended up capturing something else entirely.
The Abduction
In 1984, Jeffrey Doucet, a 25-year-old karate instructor in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, had been sexually abusing his 11-year-old student, Jody Plauché, for roughly a year. On February 19, 1984, Doucet abducted Jody, taking him across the country to California, where he continued to assault him. Doucet eventually allowed Jody to place a collect call to his mother, and the call was traced to a motel in Anaheim, where police rescued Jody and arrested Doucet.
The Shooting
On March 16, 1984, Doucet was extradited back to Louisiana to face charges. As he was led in handcuffs through Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, Jody''s father, Leon Gary Plauché, was waiting near a bank of payphones, having learned the timing of Doucet''s arrival from a local news employee. Wearing a cap and sunglasses, Plauché stepped forward as Doucet passed and fatally shot him once in the head at close range, an event captured live by a local news crew that had also come to film Doucet''s arrival. Doucet died the next day.
The Case
Plauché was initially charged with second-degree murder but pleaded no contest to manslaughter. Psychological evaluation found he had been in a temporary dissociative state driven by the trauma of learning about his son''s abuse. Judge Frank Saia sentenced him to seven years, suspended, with five years of probation and 300 hours of community service, stating that incarcerating Plauché would serve no purpose given the minimal risk he posed to the community.
Aftermath
Gary Plauché died in October 2014 at age 68. Jody Plauché, who has said he initially felt anger toward his father over the shooting, later became an advocate on child abuse issues and published a memoir, "Why, Gary, Why?," in 2019, reflecting on the case decades later.
FAQ
Did Gary Plauché go to prison?
No. He received a suspended sentence, five years of probation, and community service rather than incarceration.
What happened to Jody Plauché?
He has spoken and written publicly about the case as an adult, including a 2019 memoir, and has been involved in advocacy around child abuse issues.
Was the shooting captured on camera?
Yes. A local news crew that had come to film Doucet''s arrival at the airport captured the shooting live.