October 9th 2025.
After an extensive five-month manhunt, authorities finally captured Derrick Groves, the last of the 10 inmates who escaped from the Orleans Parish Justice Center in Louisiana. The dramatic end to the search occurred on October 8th, when a SWAT team found Groves hiding in a crawl space beneath a home in southwest Atlanta. The fugitive, who was serving a life sentence, had evaded capture for so long that it was clear he had planned to hide for an extended period of time.
The deputy U.S. Marshal in charge of the operation, Brian Fair, confirmed that they had to use gas multiple times to flush Groves out of the house and into the deep crawl space in the basement. This level of premeditation and evasion tactics displayed by Groves highlighted the severity of the situation and the danger he posed to the public. A video released by Atlanta police showed Groves, shirtless and in shackles, blowing a kiss and grinning as he was led to a patrol car. He was then booked into the Fulton County Jail and is now awaiting extradition back to Louisiana.
Groves' capture marks the end of a massive multi-state operation that began on May 16th, 2025 when 10 inmates managed to escape from the Orleans Parish Justice Center. Groves, who was convicted of second-degree murder and manslaughter for a shooting at a Mardi Gras block party, was the last of the escapees to be found and apprehended.
The inmates' escape was a daring one, involving squeezing through a hole behind a toilet, scaling a barbed-wire fence, and leaving a taunting message on a cell wall. The message, which read "Too Easy LOL," only added to the shock and concern surrounding the incident. The escape also revealed significant security weaknesses at the facility, causing state leaders to condemn the situation.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry praised the operation, stating, "All 10 escapees are back where they belong: BEHIND BARS." Even Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams confirmed that his office would pursue all legal avenues against Groves. Williams stated that Groves' escape was a "serious breach of public safety" and a "historic failure of custodial security."
Federal investigators discovered that Groves and the other escapees had significant help from at least 16 people, who have since been charged with assisting the fugitives. This assistance included providing them with cash, food, and shelter. Among those arrested were Groves' former girlfriend and a maintenance worker accused of shutting off water to the cell toilet during the breakout.
The controversy surrounding the delay in alerting the public to the escape has prompted new state action, with Louisiana lawmakers proposing a bill that would require state and parish officials to immediately inform victims and the public after an inmate's escape. As for Groves, he is expected to face new charges related to the jailbreak upon his return to Louisiana.
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