Five months after 10 inmates broke out of a Louisiana jail, the last escapee has been captured, Louisiana State Police confirmed on Wednesday. The escaped inmate, 28-year-old Derrick Groves, was taken into custody in Atlanta, Georgia, after a brief stand-off, police said.
Police released several gas canisters into a house where Groves was believed to be hiding, and then found him hiding in a crawl space, CBS News reported.
The 10 inmates, including Groves, had fled the Orleans Parish Justice Center in May by ripping a toilet from the wall and breaking metal bars around the hole before climbing down a hall and running across a highway.
The inmates had scrawled a few messages into the wall above the hole, including 'To Easy LoL' and another that appeared to challenge officers to catch them if they can. The escape was attributed to a 'perfect storm' of staffing issues and building design flaws, according to Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson.
Three of the inmates were captured within 24 hours, while several others were apprehended in the following weeks. Investigators were led to Groves by a tip that placed him in the Atlanta area. When police first approached the home, it appeared there was no one there, but they ultimately found Groves hiding in the basement's crawl space.
Groves was convicted of second-degree murder in October 2024 and had been sentenced to life imprisonment. He now faces additional charges linked to the escape, with Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill promising to ensure he is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Groves will be extradited back to Louisiana for processing.
Police released several gas canisters into a house where Groves was believed to be hiding, and then found him hiding in a crawl space, CBS News reported.
The 10 inmates, including Groves, had fled the Orleans Parish Justice Center in May by ripping a toilet from the wall and breaking metal bars around the hole before climbing down a hall and running across a highway.
The inmates had scrawled a few messages into the wall above the hole, including 'To Easy LoL' and another that appeared to challenge officers to catch them if they can. The escape was attributed to a 'perfect storm' of staffing issues and building design flaws, according to Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson.
Three of the inmates were captured within 24 hours, while several others were apprehended in the following weeks. Investigators were led to Groves by a tip that placed him in the Atlanta area. When police first approached the home, it appeared there was no one there, but they ultimately found Groves hiding in the basement's crawl space.
Groves was convicted of second-degree murder in October 2024 and had been sentenced to life imprisonment. He now faces additional charges linked to the escape, with Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill promising to ensure he is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Groves will be extradited back to Louisiana for processing.
