Final inmate caught months after 10-man Louisiana jailbreak

Atlanta Police on Wednesday recaptured Derrick Groves, 28, after five months on the run. Groves was the last of 10 escapees from the Orleans Parish Prison in Louisiana to be recaptured after their May jailbreak. Police nabbed him in Atlanta after an extended manhunt in cooperation with Louisiana State Police, the FBI, U.S. Marshals, and other agencies.

Investigators used social media evidence and tips from members of the public to locate Groves, they said in a Wednesday news briefing. Officers found him hiding in a crawl space beneath a house, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said. They took him into custody after a brief standoff, according to police. Other people at the house may also face charges for assisting him, Murrill said. Authorities also found a pistol and 15 pounds of marijuana in plain sight, she said.

What’s next for Groves? He faces a charge of simple escape, though investigators may upgrade it to a more serious charge, Murrill said. Groves would be extradited to Louisiana for prosecution and may also face charges from Georgia and federal authorities, she said. He was previously convicted of double murder. When Groves escaped, he had been awaiting sentencing for two counts of manslaughter in a different case, she said.

Dig deeper: Read Lauren Canterberry’s report on how the inmates initially escaped prison.