More than a week after 10 inmates staged a bold escape through a cell wall at a New Orleans jail, two of the fugitives remain at large, triggering an expanded manhunt that now spans multiple states.
They appeared in court on Tuesday, where they were formally advised of their rights and charges, as shown in footage obtained by CNN affiliate KHOU. Both are being held without bond and are awaiting extradition hearings, Lt. Ken W. Foulch of the Huntsville Police told CNN.
With eight of the escapees now back in custody, the search intensifies for the final two at-large inmates — Antoine Massey and Derrick Groves. Authorities have labeled both men as armed and dangerous.
Who Are the Remaining Escapees?
A Seasoned Escape Artist
Antoine Massey, 32, is no newcomer to jailbreaks. According to reporting by nola.com, a faulty lock gave Massey and five other juveniles access to metal shackles, which they used to smash a window and flee. He remained on the run for more than two weeks before authorities tracked him down along an interstate in eastern New Orleans.
Massey’s run-ins with escape-related charges didn’t stop there. In 2009, he was charged with attempted simple escape in Orleans Parish. While details surrounding that incident remain unclear, CNN has reached out to the sheriff’s office for more information.
Years later, in 2020, Massey again managed to break free — this time from a detention center in northern Louisiana. According to Chief James Mardis of the Morehouse Parish Sheriff’s Office, Massey and another inmate cut through and crawled under a chain-link fence in the facility’s exercise yard in broad daylight. The two were reportedly picked up by a vehicle with Texas license plates. Massey was captured later that day in Texas.
With this latest escape, Massey has once again eluded law enforcement, prompting heightened concern from officials given his extensive record of fleeing custody.
As the manhunt continues, law enforcement agencies across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas remain on high alert, urging the public to report any sightings and to exercise caution.
Antoine Massey’s reputation as a serial escapee continues to raise questions about how he was housed in the New Orleans jail — particularly given his record of evading custody. According to Matt Dennis, an employee with the company responsible for electronic monitoring, Massey has twice removed his GPS ankle monitor. Speaking to CNN affiliate WDSU, Dennis referenced court documents from late 2023, which stated Massey had “tampered with and/or removed” his court-mandated GPS tracking device.
That sentiment was echoed by Chief James Mardis of the Morehouse Parish Sheriff’s Office, who dealt with Massey’s 2019 escape from a detention center.
While it’s still unclear how central a role Massey may have played in orchestrating the recent jailbreak, Orleans Parish officials have called the May 16 escape a “coordinated effort.” Graffiti left on the cell wall read “To Easy LoL,” a mocking reference to how effortlessly the escapees appeared to breach jail security.
Authorities believe the plan was aided by a combination of broken infrastructure, smuggled materials, and potential inside assistance. At least 13 individuals are suspected of helping the inmates either before or after the escape, as of Tuesday morning. That growing list of alleged accomplices is giving investigators a clearer picture of how elaborate and organized the jailbreak may have been.
However, Williams’ attorney, Michael Kennedy, contends that the maintenance worker was simply responding to a routine plumbing issue.
“Yes, someone said they would shank him,” Kennedy told the Associated Press, “but it wasn’t delivered in a particularly threatening way — more like an offhand comment.”
Kennedy also argues that Williams is being unfairly scapegoated for a broader failure in jail security. “My client was doing his job,” he said. “Jail officials are trying to pin this on him to cover their own embarrassment over what was clearly a major security lapse.”
As the investigation unfolds, authorities continue to track down leads on the remaining two escapees, including Massey, whose long history of escapes has once again put him at the center of a growing controversy over jail oversight and public safety.
Convicted in Deadly 2018 Mardi Gras Shooting
The second escaped inmate still on the run is 27-year-old Derrick Groves, who was being held at the New Orleans jail following his conviction late last year in a double homicide that took place on Mardi Gras Day in 2018.
According to the district attorney’s office, Groves was identified as one of the shooters who unleashed gunfire with AK-47-style assault rifles during what was meant to be a festive family celebration. The tragic shooting turned the holiday gathering into a scene of chaos and loss, claiming two lives and sending shockwaves through the community.
Convicted Murderer Derrick Groves Remains at Large as Manhunt Continues
Derrick Groves, the second fugitive still at large from the recent New Orleans jail escape, was serving time for a deadly Mardi Gras shooting in 2018.
Groves was convicted for his role in a brutal attack during what should have been a joyful Mardi Gras celebration. Prosecutors said he was among the shooters who fired AK-47-style rifles into a crowd, turning a family-friendly holiday gathering into a horrific scene of violence.
Family Pleads for Peaceful Surrender
Groves’ aunt, Jasmine Groves, spoke to CNN affiliate WDSU, urging her nephew to turn himself in.
“I want him to surrender safely,” she said, hoping that deadly force won’t be used. The ongoing manhunt has included helicopters and numerous police units tracking possible leads across multiple states.
‘Their Circle Is Tightening’
Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams told CNN’s Jake Tapper that investigators are aggressively following leads and receiving valuable tips from the community.
“Our digital forensics team has been analyzing hours of jailhouse calls using AI tools to identify who the escapees were contacting before the breakout—trying to piece together where they may have headed next.”
Williams emphasized that the net is closing around Groves and the other fugitive, Antoine Massey, as those who assisted the jailbreak are being apprehended. He also stressed the importance of uncovering the full scope of the plan.
“It’s not just about capturing the escapees. We also need to understand how they got out, who helped them, and how to prevent this from happening again,” he said.
Increased Security for Courts and Witnesses
Williams, who previously expressed concern about safety, has now called for enhanced security at the New Orleans courthouse, especially for jurors and witnesses involved in ongoing criminal trials.
“This escape is going to have a ripple effect,” he warned. “We need to make sure every person who steps into the courthouse to serve or testify knows they are protected.”
A Legacy of Infamous Escapes
As the search for Massey and Groves nears the two-week mark, their case joins a long list of headline-grabbing jailbreaks that have captivated the public over the decades:
Though presumed drowned, some believe they made it to freedom and lived in hiding.
Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán: The notorious Mexican drug lord escaped Puente Grande prison in 2001 by hiding in a laundry cart. After being recaptured in 2014, he broke out again through a mile-long tunnel from a maximum-security prison, only to be recaptured in 2016. He is now imprisoned in Colorado.
Their cross-country journey involved wigs, disguises, and cash. Vicky White died from a self-inflicted gunshot during their capture.
Ted Bundy: The infamous serial killer escaped custody twice in Colorado before being recaptured in Florida after a spree that left more victims in his wake. His final arrest came six weeks later in Pensacola. Bundy was executed in 1989.
The Current Escape: An Inside Job?
The jailbreak from the Orleans Parish jail appears to have been a coordinated and highly organized operation. Investigators say the 10 inmates broke through a wall behind a metal toilet in a handicapped-accessible cell, possibly aided by faulty infrastructure and internal help.
So far, authorities believe at least 13 individuals were involved in aiding the escape, either before or after the inmates fled. Among those arrested was Sterling Williams, a jail maintenance worker accused of turning off water to the cell, allegedly under threat from inmate Antoine Massey. Williams’ attorney maintains he was simply performing routine maintenance and is being made a scapegoat.
Ongoing Effort to Recapture Two Dangerous Fugitives
With eight of the 10 inmates now back in custody, the manhunt for Groves and Massey continues to escalate. Authorities have described both men as extremely dangerous and urged the public to remain vigilant and report any sightings. Law enforcement agencies across state lines remain involved in the operation, with hopes of bringing the two fugitives in without further incident.