Would-be Cruise extorter is dead

A man who agreed to plead guilty of attempting to extort more than $1 million from Tom Cruise for the actor’s stolen wedding photos was found dead in his home, Phoenix authorities said.

Investigators said it appeared that David Hans Schmidt, 47, who was under house arrest, had committed suicide.

He was found dead in his town house after police noticed a tracker placed on him had not moved, Lt. Anthony Lopez said.

Schmidt was arrested in July after federal authorities said a co-defendant obtained photos of Cruise’s wedding to Katie Holmes in Italy last year from the event’s official photographer, court documents show.