Last of 10 New Orleans jail escapees from May is captured under a house in Atlanta

A monthslong search for the only Louisiana inmate still on the run after an audacious May jailbreak ended Wednesday when authorities say they found him hiding in a crawl space beneath an Atlanta home, bringing the last of the 10 escapees into custody.

Derrick Groves, 28, was convicted of murder and facing a possible life sentence before the inmates escaped through a hole behind a toilet in a New Orleans jail. He had the most violent criminal record of the group and authorities offered a $50,000 reward for tips leading to his capture.

A SWAT team spent hours searching the house for Groves after obtaining a warrant, Deputy U.S. Marshal Brian Fair said.

“They couldn’t find him, they had to deploy gas multiple times into the house and basement,” Fair said. “Based on how long it took a seasoned, well-trained SWAT team to get him out, he had planned to hide for a while.”

A police dog eventually located him, Atlanta police Deputy Chief Kelley Collier said. In video provided by the department, Groves — shirtless, shoeless and shackled at his wrists and ankles — blew a kiss and grinned at the camera as he was led into a police car.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry applauded law enforcement for putting all 10 escapees “back where they belong: BEHIND BARS,” in a post on X.

The tip that led to his capture came through New Orleans Crimestoppers, Fair said.

Several people appeared to be helping Groves and could face charges for aiding and abetting, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said at a press conference Wednesday, adding that Groves is scheduled to be in court in Georgia Thursday for a hearing on extradition.

The home’s garage door was collapsed inward Wednesday afternoon as police blocked off the scene. The brick house on a sloping lawn surrounded by trees is in a neighborhood beside Tyler Perry Studios, one of the nation’s largest movie production facilities. Inside the home, police also found a pistol and 15 pounds (6.8 kg) of marijuana, Murrill said.

Groves’ attorney, Peter Freiberg, said he had not yet spoken with his client and declined to comment. He was appointed to represent Groves by the Orleans Public Defender conflict panel.

“Literally all I know is the alert from the city of New Orleans saying he was arrested in Atlanta,” Freiberg said.

The other nine inmates were recaptured within six weeks of the May 16 breakout, most inside Orleans Parish city limits.

Escapee’s mother reacts to his capture

“I’m all messed up, I’m just trying to talk to him,” said Groves’ mother, Stephanie Groves, who spoke to The Associated Press after learning about the arrest online.

Fighting tears, she said she had urged her son to surrender peacefully and didn’t know why he went to Atlanta. She said her family had been followed and watched by law enforcement since the breakout.

“I’m just glad it’s over with,” she said. “Of course he was going to get caught.”

Groves had been convicted of second-degree murder in 2024 for opening fire on a family block party on Mardi Gras day, killing two people and injuring others. He faces life imprisonment without parole.

The jailbreak in New Orleans

Groves and the nine others yanked open a faulty cell door, squeezed through a hole behind a toilet, scaled a barbed-wire fence and vanished into the night. It was one of the largest jailbreaks in recent U.S. history.

Their absence wasn’t discovered until a morning headcount hours later. Inside the cell, investigators found an arrow drawn toward the hole and a taunting message: “To Easy LoL.”

Officials later blamed ineffective cell locks and said the lone guard monitoring them was getting food during the escape. But authorities insist the escape may have been an inside job.

A jail maintenance worker was arrested for allegedly helping them escape by turning off water to the toilet. His lawyer said he was simply unclogging it and was unaware of the plot. Another former jail employee, identified as Groves’ girlfriend, is accused of helping coordinate the breakout.

Search for the fugitives

Hundreds of officers scoured New Orleans, using phone records and hundreds of tips to quickly track down some of the men.

At least 16 people, many of them friends or relatives, were arrested on felony charges of helping the fugitives before or after the jailbreak by providing food, cash, transport and shelter.

One escapee was captured in Baton Rouge after allegedly hiding in a vacant house his friend had been hired to paint. Two others were caught in Texas after a high-speed car chase. Antoine Massey, one of the last fugitives to be recaptured, allegedly posted photos and videos on social media while on the run.

Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson, who has largely blamed the breakout on the lockup’s ailing infrastructure, has faced heavy criticism from state and local officials over her handling of the escape and management of the jail.

Escapees face additional charges

Many of the men were in jail awaiting sentences or trials over violent crimes, including murder. The nine other men pleaded not guilty to escape charges in July, appearing via video from Louisiana State Penitentiary.

“Everyone is entitled to due process,” Murrill said. “But there’s a video of these detainees running out of the jail in the middle of the night. They were not heading to court hearings.”

Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams hailed the end of the search and said prosecutors “will pursue every available legal avenue” against Groves.

All 10 men are charged with simple escape, punishable by two to five years in prison, on top of their original counts.

Groves was booked into the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta on Wednesday afternoon. He’s charged with being a fugitive from justice, jail records show.