Galveston County man sentenced to life in prison found dead while on the run
GALVESTON COUNTY, Texas - A wanted man who was found guilty of sexually abusing a family member was found dead while on the run on Tuesday morning.
Richard Jay Duplessis was recently sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing a family member.
Richard Jay Duplessis (Photo courtesy of Galveston County Jail)
Officials said they were called out to a home in the 3500 block of Avenue S ½ regarding a possible suicide by hanging.
A caller told officers he was trying to locate the source of a foul smell when he saw an adult male, later confirmed to be Duplessis, appearing to have hung himself inside of the home.
Duplessis did not appear in court on the final day of his trial in Galveston County last week.
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Duplessis was previously arrested and indicted for Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child, officials say, According to the indictment, the abuse began in May 2021 and ended in February 2022.
A Galveston County jury is said to have heard testimony from two other victims who were previously sexually abused by the defendant when they were children.
The jury found Duplessis guilty, and he was sentenced to life in prison after less than 10 minutes of deliberation, court records say.