Last Fugitive from Notorious Louisiana Jailbreak Captured in Atlanta

Tue Oct 21 2025 00:39:19 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Derrick Groves, the final escapee from a massive jailbreak in New Orleans, has been apprehended in Atlanta after nearly five months on the run. His mother expresses a mix of relief and concern for his safety.

Derrick Groves, the last of the ten inmates who escaped a New Orleans jail in May, has been arrested in Atlanta. U.S. Marshals confirm he was found hiding in a crawl space after a brief standoff. Groves's mother expresses relief but worries about her son’s future after a violent criminal history.

ATLANTA (AP) — Derrick Groves, the sole remaining fugitive from a dramatic jailbreak in Louisiana, has been captured in Atlanta after eluding law enforcement for nearly five months. Officials confirmed his arrest on Wednesday, with the U.S. Marshals detailing that he was found hiding in a crawl space in a house.

Groves, 28, was convicted of murder and faced a potential life sentence prior to his escape. The authorities had offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to his recapture.

Following the dramatic events of May 16, when he and nine others managed to escape from the New Orleans jail by crawling through a hole behind a toilet, Groves had become the last of the escapees to remain at large. Most of the other escapees were apprehended within weeks of the breakout.

His mother, Stephanie Groves, reacted to the news with a mix of emotions, expressing her concerns for his safety and her desire for him to surrender peacefully. I’m just seeing it on the internet. I woke up to it on the internet, she said, holding back tears.

Authorities noted that Groves had the most violent criminal record among the escapees, with his capture marked by a brief standoff involving the U.S. Marshals and local SWAT teams.

The escape itself has drawn attention for its audacity; the inmates exploited security loopholes, leaving behind a message that read, To Easy LoL, pointing toward their escape route.

Following the jailbreak, law enforcement conducted extensive searches and established criminal charges against individuals believed to have assisted the fugitives. Groves's return to custody ends a prolonged manhunt and draws further scrutiny over the security measures in the New Orleans jail.

The jailbreak has raised significant questions about the oversight and management of the facility, with Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson facing criticism for the conditions that allowed the escape to occur.

The other nine escapees are currently facing additional legal charges stemming from the jailbreak, as they pleaded not guilty to escape charges earlier this year. The fallout from this incident continues to evoke discussions about prison safety and the handling of violent offenders.