Published July 09. 2025 11:33AM
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Nearly two months after 10 inmates escaped from a New Orleans jail by crawling through a hole behind a toilet, authorities have recaptured all but the man with the most violent rap sheet: Derrick Groves.
Following the May 16 jailbreak, law enforcement tracked down three escapees within 24 hours and most of the others within the next few weeks. While some of the fugitives roamed through nightlife hot spots and another made Instagram posts, Groves has so far kept a low profile.
The 28-year-old New Orleans native has the most at stake, authorities say. Last year, a jury convicted Groves of killing two people after he opened fire on a family block party with an assault rifle in what prosecutors said was a feud with rival drug dealers.
Groves faces life imprisonment without parole, but administrative delays have kept him in jail for years rather than a more secure prison facility.
“He’s got nothing to lose,” said Forrest Ladd, an Orleans Parish assistant district attorney who prosecuted Groves. “That’s a dangerous thing from anybody, much less somebody capable of causing mass harm.”
How likely is it Groves will be recaptured?
More than 90% of people who escape from U.S. correctional facilities are recaptured within a year, said Bryce Peterson, adjunct professor of criminal justice at John Jay College.
This handout photo shows, Derrick D. Groves, one of the inmates who escaped from a New Orleans jail. (Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office via AP)