After nearly five months on the run, Derrick Groves, the final fugitive from a dramatic New Orleans jail escape, was apprehended Wednesday in Atlanta following a tense standoff with law enforcement.
Groves, 28, was one of ten inmates who escaped the Orleans Justice Center on May 16, 2025, in what authorities have called one of Louisiana’s most significant security breaches in recent history. The group fled by removing a toilet and crawling through a hole in the wall, leaving behind graffiti that read “Too easy LOL” and “We Innocent”.
While the other nine escapees were captured within weeks, Groves managed to evade authorities for months. His capture came after a coordinated effort involving the U.S. Marshals Service, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Louisiana State Police, and multiple local agencies. A tip to Crimestoppers led authorities to a residence on Honeysuckle Lane in southwest Atlanta.
According to Atlanta Police Deputy Chief Kelley Collier, SWAT officers deployed tear gas to flush Groves from hiding. He retreated to the basement, where a police K-9 eventually located him in a crawl space. Groves sustained minor scrapes but no serious injuries.
At the time of his escape, Groves was serving a life sentence for second-degree murder, stemming from a 2018 Mardi Gras Day shooting that killed two people and wounded several others. He had also pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter in an unrelated case.
Authorities believe Groves received outside help during his time on the run. His girlfriend, Darriana Burton, was arrested in June for allegedly aiding the escape. Investigators say she played an active role in planning and coordinating communications between Groves and others outside the jail. A jail maintenance worker was also charged for allegedly shutting off water to the toilet, facilitating the escape route.
Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams called Groves’ escape “a serious breach of public safety and a historic failure of custodial security.” He vowed to pursue every legal avenue to hold Groves accountable for both his crimes and his escape.
Groves is expected to be extradited back to Louisiana, where he will face additional charges related to the jailbreak. His arrest marks the end of a months-long saga that rattled New Orleans and mobilized law enforcement across multiple states.