Horrific Extortion Tragedy

Nude-photo blackmail scheme drove popular Texas A&M professor to suicide

Newly-released legal documents are shedding light on the mysterious death of James Aune — the well-regarded Texas A&M professor who leapt to his death from a campus parking garage in January, shocking students and colleagues alike.

Daniel Duplaisir, a 37-year-old Louisiana resident, has been arrested and will appear in a Houston federal court Tuesday for using an underage female relative to lure the educator into a sexual online relationship via the social networking and gaming portal MocoSpace.

Text messages reveal that Duplaisir was harassing the professor in the days and hours leading up to his suicide.

According to an FBI affidavit obtained by CultureMap, the young girl, whose name has not been released, told authorities that Duplaisir took nude photos and videos of her as part of an extortion scheme.

Working through a fake name and email account, she would collect phone numbers from male MocoSpace users. Duplaisir would finish the scam by calling the man under the guise of an angry father who needed money to pay for his daughter's therapy.

Text messages extracted from Aune's iPhone reveal that Duplaisir was harassing the professor in the days and hours leading up to his suicide.

Duplaisir sent text messages and emails claiming his daughter — who went by the name of "Karen" — was transgendered and in need of counseling after her explicit relationship with Aune. He threatened to go to the police and Texas A&M administration if the professor refused to pay $4,800.

Hours before Aune's death, Duplaisir went so far as to post an online professor review on Koofers.com, saying that Aune "taught Karen so much."

A minute before he jumped from an A&M parking facility, Aune texted Duplaisir one last message reading, "Killing myself now And u will be prosecuted for black mail." The suspect continued to send texts, eventually lowering his demand to $2,000.

The FBI documents also note that Duplaisir, who goes by the nickname "Smurf," was arrested in November 2011 for aggravated incest and oral battery after his daughter told social services he took naked pictures of her for a similar MocoSpace scam.

Watch the report from KHOU Ch. 11 in Houston:

Daniel Duplaisir — a.k.a. "Smurf" — was arrested in Nov. 2011 for a similar sexually-charged scheme involving his own daughter.

Daniel Duplaisir, blackmail, Texas A&M professor, James Aune

Photo courtesy of KHOU Houston Channel 11

Daniel Duplaisir — a.k.a. "Smurf" — was arrested in Nov. 2011 for a similar sexually-charged scheme involving his own daughter.

Animal News

Dallas animal shelter invites residents to host a pet during holiday

Dallas Animal Services animal shelter

DAS

Husky at Dallas Animal Services

Dallas Animal Services (DAS) is inviting the community to help bring pets “Home for the Holidays” by adopting or fostering during one of the shelter’s busiest times of the year.

DAS has achieved strong positive outcomes this quarter, including adoptions, foster-to-adopt placements, and underage foster placements, with 1,377 in October and 1,378 in November. The department is now working toward a December goal of 1,400 positive outcomes, with 588 completed so far this month.

“We are grateful for the support our community continues to show,” said Victoria Chittam Bennett, Assistant Director. “Every adoption opens a kennel for another pet in need, and the holidays are an especially meaningful time to welcome a new companion.”

This season, adopters will also have the chance to participate in the Friends of Dallas Animal Services (FODAS) 12 Days of Holiday Giveaways, fully funded and supported through donations from generous community supporters. For more information about this initiative, visit friendsofdas.org and watch out for announcements on social media.

Holiday staycations
Residents who may not be ready to adopt can still support DAS pets by participating in Silent Night Holiday Staycations, a short-term foster opportunity that gives dogs a relaxing break from the shelter during the holiday period.

Pickup dates are scheduled for December 20-21, with drop-off options on December 27-28 or January 3-4. Participants typically spend 1-3 hours at the shelter selecting a foster match, and contact with pets outside the home should be limited. Questions may be directed to DASFtA@dallas.gov.

“Holiday Staycations allow our dogs to decompress and show their personalities in a home environment,” said Amanda Earl, Assistant Director. “The insight we receive from these foster stays is invaluable in helping pets find permanent homes.”

DAS encourages the community to adopt, foster, volunteer, or share adoptable pets to help meet December’s lifesaving goals.
“Together, we can bring home the holidays for the pets relying on us,” said Director Paul Ramon.

For more information on adoptable pets, holiday programs, or ways to get involved, visit https://bedallas90.org/ or stop by the DAS Shelter at 1818 N. Westmoreland Rd.

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