Last New Orleans Jail Escapee, Derrick Groves, Captured in Atlanta After Five-Month Manhunt

Fugitive Apprehended in Atlanta

Derrick Groves, the last of ten inmates who escaped from the Orleans Parish Justice Center in New Orleans on May 16, 2025, was captured in southwest Atlanta, Georgia, on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. His apprehension followed a brief standoff with law enforcement, bringing an end to a five-month, multi-agency manhunt that spanned state lines.

The Audacious Jailbreak

The mass escape occurred in the early hours of May 16, 2025, when ten inmates broke out of the Orleans Parish Justice Center. The escapees managed to pry open a faulty cell door, remove a toilet from an empty cell, and crawl through a hole behind it where plumbing fixtures were connected. They then scaled a barbed-wire fence and fled across Interstate 10. The absence of the inmates was not discovered until a routine morning headcount, hours after their escape. Graffiti found in the cell, including 'To Easy LoL', highlighted the perceived ease of the breakout. Authorities later cited faulty cell locks and understaffing as contributing factors, with the lone guard assigned to the cell pod reportedly getting food at the time of the escape. The incident also led to the arrest of a jail maintenance worker accused of aiding the escape by cutting off water to cells, allowing the removal of the toilet. Groves, 28 years old, was considered the most dangerous of the escapees, having been convicted of two charges of second-degree murder and two charges of attempted second-degree murder, and was awaiting sentencing for a 2018 Mardi Gras shooting that resulted in two deaths.

Five-Month Manhunt Concludes

Following the escape, a comprehensive manhunt was launched involving numerous federal, state, and local agencies. These included the U.S. Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations, Louisiana State Police, the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Atlanta Police Department, alongside Crimestoppers Greater New Orleans. A reward of US$50,000 was offered for information leading to Groves' recapture. While the other nine escapees were apprehended within six weeks, mostly within Louisiana, Groves remained at large for nearly five months, prompting speculation about potential outside assistance.

Standoff and Capture in Atlanta

The breakthrough in the search came from a tip received through Crimestoppers Greater New Orleans, which directed authorities to a residence on Honeysuckle Lane in southwest Atlanta. A SWAT team surrounded the home and, after deploying multiple gas canisters, located Groves hiding in a crawl space, possibly in the basement. He was taken into custody without injury. Deputy U.S. Marshal Brian Fair noted that Groves appeared 'prepared to hide for the long haul'. During the arrest, Groves was seen smiling and blowing a kiss as he was led to a patrol vehicle, reportedly stating, 'I guess they're taking me to jail.' Inside the residence, police also discovered a pistol and 15 pounds (6.8 kg) of marijuana. Groves was subsequently booked into the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta on a fugitive from justice charge and is expected to face additional charges related to his escape upon extradition to Louisiana.