Jody remembered how Doucet asked his mother to lend him her car for a short drive, thereby manipulating his way out of town. Rather, they traveled across state lines, making stops at the houses of different relatives, taking out loans, and taking a bus to Los Angeles.
Doucet’s downfall ultimately occurred on February 29, 1984, when he allowed Jody to make a collect call to his mother.
Following the call, the operator gave law authorities the location, and they followed the two to a motel close to Disneyland. Doucet was taken into custody, and Jody was saved.
After I hung up, the operator returned and informed my mother of the charges and the time of the call. Then, [a member of] the Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Department snatched up the phone and declared, “Look, this is a kidnapping.” Jody remembered, “I need to know exactly where that phone call came from.”
The investigation back home in Louisiana was nasty. According to Jody, he was examined medically and questioned by police “like he was a suspect.” Doucet was sent back to stand trial, but he never showed up.
Gary Plauché was waiting on March 16, 1984, as Doucet was escorted in handcuffs through the Baton Rouge airport.
