Louisiana deputies find jail escapees hiding in dumpster

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office on Monday took back into custody two males who had fled from the local jail, the office said Tuesday on social media. Travon Johnson, 21, and Avery Guidry, 19, were found hiding in a dumpster by a Dollar General store when officials found them. Johnson and Guidry had escaped Saturday. Officials on Wednesday morning were still searching for two other escapees who fled by the same route later on Sunday: Omarion Hookfin, 19, and Jamarcus Cyprian, 20.

How did the men escape? According to the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office Chief of Operations Jimmy Travis, inmates created a gap in a corroded wire fence and passed other fences and a wall. Officials were unaware of the escapes until a civilian called Sunday and reported seeing escapees, Travis told reporters. Travis said structural issues at the facility and understaffing contributed to the escape from the Tangipahoa Parish Jail.

How were the men found? Officials failed to detect that the inmates were missing but received a call about the escapees’ whereabouts, Travis said. Local police and the sheriff established a search perimeter and used a drone to locate the escapees.

Why were the men in jail? Cyprian was serving time for armed robbery and weapon charges. The other three men were being held as suspects in a 2022 homicide, the sheriff’s office said.