Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing
A man whose father shot his abductor dead live on TV has spoken out about his abuse and kidnapping ordeal more than four decades on.
Jody Plauché has opened up about how he 'cannot and will not condone' his father Gary's actions, despite the dad being hailed as a hero for killing karate teacher Jeffrey Doucet.
Although he is thankful that the sexual abuse he had been suffering as an 11-year-old came to a stop as a result of Doucet's death, he believes Gary gave the abuser 'the easy way out'.
Advert
"I didn’t want Jeff dead," Jody, now 52, told the Daily Mail. "I just wanted him to stop."
In February 1984, Doucet abducted the young lad after spending a year 'grooming' the entire Plauché family in a bid to get close to Jody.
Jody says in hindsight, the karate instructor's behaviour towards him was 'textbook pedophilia', which eventually led to him being 'abused almost every day' up until the kidnapping.
"He didn’t just groom me, he groomed my whole family," Jody explained. "He gained my trust as well as their trust and had us all fooled."
The author, who penned a book about his trauma titled "Why, Gary, Why?": The Jody Plauché Story, explained he vividly remembers his parents warning him and his sibling of people like Doucet in their younger years.
His mother told the boys it was important to raise the alarm about any inappropriate behaviour immediately, while he claims his dad Gary promised he wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone who laid a finger on them.
Which is why Jody stayed quiet about the abuse he was suffering at the hands of Doucet - as he explained he 'didn't want to upset' his mother and father.
"Maybe if I’d told them right at the start, then maybe Daddy wouldn’t have killed Jeff," he said.
"Once my dad found out all the things he’d done to me and made me do to him, that was the line that drove my dad over the edge, I think - it was those details."
Doucet was 25 years old when he fled the state of Louisiana with Jody, driving the child to a motel in California where he abused him.
Jody has now revealed that he was not frightened during the journey and was in fact excited by the idea of seeing the Hollywood sign and visiting Disneyland - while the two-days of travel meant Doucet 'couldn't abuse' him for 48 hours.
"He was so preoccupied with where we were going next and the fact he’d abducted a kid, that he hardly touched me at all," Jody explained, adding that he was forced to dye his blonde hair black when they arrived in California.
Doucet's kidnap plot was only foiled as he had allowed the child to make a call to his mum, which gave police the opportunity to trace their location.
Jody recalled how he could hear 'the relief' in his mother's voice when he informed her he was OK, before '12 police officers came bursting in' the motel room a short time later.
He confessed he had intended to 'continue to lie' to cops until they carried out a rape kit on him, the proof of which he 'wouldn't be able to deny'.
"But I could also tell Jeff that it wasn’t me who told," Jody went on. "So many people think I lied to protect Jeff, but I was lying to protect me... I fully expected Jeff would get out of prison after a few years, because I didn’t understand how everything worked at that age. It turns out Jeff would’ve likely gone to prison for the rest of his life, but Daddy gave him the easy way out."
The young lad was returned to his family and on 16 March, 1984, Doucet was flown into Louisiana's Baton Rouge Airport under police escort - where Jody's dad was lying in wait.
Among a host of news crews who were also anticipating Doucet's arrival, Gary had disguised himself in a baseball cap and sunglasses.
The dad then shot his son's abuser in the side of his head at close range as a host of people tuned into the news segment from home - which left Doucet in a coma, before he died the following day.
Gary spent a weekend in prison over the killing, but ended up getting a suspended sentence for manslaughter, as well as probation and community service.
He was hailed as a hero by parents for taking matters into his own hands, however, Jody revealed he would have preferred to see Doucet face justice via the legal system.
"I think for a lot of people who have not been satisfied by the American justice system, my dad stands as a symbol of justice," Jody said. "I understand why he did it, absolutely.
"And I know my dad, and when he said he would kill anyone who touched me, I knew he’d kill him. But I cannot and will not condone his behaviour.
"To this day, Jeff going to jail for the rest of his life is still my preferred sentencing for him."
Jody later forgave his father, who passed away in 2014, and says they barely spoke of Doucet again.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, 10am-8pm Monday to Friday. If you are a child seeking advice and support, call Childline for free on 0800 1111, 24/7.
Topics: Crime, True Crime, Parenting, US News
Olivia Burke