Search for Escaped Inmate Ends with Capture in Georgia
After a lengthy five-month search, authorities have successfully apprehended the last of the inmates who escaped from a New Orleans jail on May 16. Derrick Groves, a 28-year-old fugitive, was unearthed hiding in a crawl space beneath a house in southwest Atlanta.
The capture followed a tip to Crimestoppers Greater New Orleans, leading U.S. Marshals and Atlanta Police to Groves. He reportedly had a standoff with police, delaying his capture. Deputy U.S. Marshal Brian Fair shared that it took nearly three hours to locate him, requiring multiple gas deployments by the SWAT team.
Footage of the arrest showed Groves blowing kisses to officers as he was escorted to a patrol car. He had previously escaped alongside nine others from the Orleans Parish Justice Center, all of whom have since been recaptured. Their escape involved squeezing through a hole behind a toilet and climbing over a barbed-wire fence.
At the time of his escape, Groves was awaiting sentencing for the 2018 Mardi Gras killings of two men, where he had acted as one of the gunmen. He faces serious charges, including two counts of second-degree murder, which carry mandatory life sentences.
Groves is set to appear in a Georgia court soon, where he will have the opportunity to waive extradition back to Louisiana. If he chooses not to, legal proceedings will commence to return him to face justice.
New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams emphasized the commitment to pursue all legal measures to ensure Groves is held accountable for his actions, reinforcing the importance of public safety and justice.
