What happens when the justice system isn’t fast—or harsh—enough for a grieving parent? In this episode of Siblings in Crime, we dive into two true stories of vigilante justice that shocked the world. First, we follow the case of Gary Plauché, the Louisiana father who calmly waited at an airport with a revolver in his boot—then shot his son’s abuser on live television.

Then, we cross the ocean to West Germany, where Marianne Bachmeier walked into a courtroom and gunned down the man who murdered her 7-year-old daughter. Both parents took the law into their own hands. Both were arrested.

And both were asked the same question: Was it justice… or just revenge?

Sources:

Gary Plauché & Jody Plauché Case:

• Plauché, Jody. Why, Gary, Why? (2019)
• People Magazine – “Jody Plauché Speaks Out”
• Propensity Podcast – Episode on Jody Plauché
• ESPN – “A Father’s Justice” by Mike Fish
• News.com.au – “Gary Plauché’s Son Speaks About Vigilante Killing”
• The Guardian – Jody Plauché Interview
• AllThatsInteresting – “The Gary Plauché Story”

Marianne Bachmeier Case:

• Wikipedia – “Marianne Bachmeier”
• HowStuffWorks – “Marianne Bachmeier’s Courtroom Shooting”
• The Evidence Locker Podcast – Ep. 68: Vigilante Mother
• Morbidology – “Marianne Bachmeier: The Vengeance of a Mother”
• AllThatsInteresting – “The Vigilante Justice of Marianne Bachmeier”
• Medium – “The Mother Who Avenged Her 7-Year-Old Daughter”