If you’ve heard about Derrick Groves recently, you’re not alone — his name has been all over the news after one of the boldest jail escapes in modern U.S. history. From double-murder charges to a months-long manhunt that ended in Atlanta, Groves’ story sounds like a crime drama that actually happened. Let’s unpack what led to his imprisonment and how he was finally caught.
The Crimes That Put Derrick Groves Behind Bars
Before his daring breakout, Groves was already facing life in prison. He had been charged with second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder for a 2018 Mardi Gras Day shooting in New Orleans that killed two people and injured others.
Witnesses said Groves and an accomplice opened fire during a crowded block party. After multiple delays and retrials, Groves was convicted in 2024 and awaited sentencing at the Orleans Justice Center, the city’s main jail.
While serving time there, he had also faced disciplinary problems, including battery against a corrections employee — further cementing his reputation as a violent and unpredictable inmate.
The May 2025 New Orleans Jailbreak
On May 16, 2025, ten inmates — including Groves — escaped from the Orleans Justice Center in a shocking breach of security.
Investigators later discovered that the prisoners had yanked open a faulty cell door, removed a toilet from the wall, and crawled through a hole in the cell to reach an unsecured area. From there, they made it past a damaged section of fencing topped with barbed wire.
Adding insult to injury, messages were scrawled on the wall above the hole where they escaped:
“Too easy LOL” and “We innocent.”
Within hours, three of the inmates were recaptured, and several others were caught over the following weeks. But Derrick Groves — considered the most dangerous of the group — disappeared completely.
How Groves Evaded Capture for Four Months
Groves remained on the run for nearly five months, making him the last remaining escapee from the 2025 New Orleans jailbreak.
Authorities say he relied on help from people on the outside, including his girlfriend, Darriana Burton, who was arrested and charged for aiding the escape. Investigators revealed that Burton exchanged video calls and text messages with Groves before the breakout. In one monitored call, Groves hinted he would set up a “follow-up call” that wouldn’t be recorded — implying they would discuss the escape plan privately.
Another accomplice, Sterling Williams, a jail maintenance worker, was accused of turning off the water supply to help the inmates remove the toilet. Williams denied wrongdoing, saying he only shut off the water because a toilet in an unused handicapped cell was clogged.
By the end of the investigation, more than a dozen people had been arrested in connection with helping the escapees.
The Capture in Atlanta
Groves’ run finally ended on October 8, 2025, after a CrimeStoppers tip led U.S. Marshals to a home in southwest Atlanta.
Authorities surrounded the property and engaged in a tense standoff before Groves was discovered hiding in a crawl space under the house. He was taken into custody without injury, ending one of the most extensive manhunts of the year.
When officers searched the residence, they reportedly found a firearm and roughly 15 pounds of marijuana, suggesting that Groves had continued criminal activity even while on the run.
All ten escapees from the New Orleans jailbreak are now back in custody.
Did You Know?
The 2025 Orleans Justice Center escape is one of the largest multi-inmate jailbreaks in U.S. history — ten inmates escaping through a single cell, aided by outsiders, with one fugitive remaining free for nearly five months.
What Happens Next
Groves has been extradited back to Louisiana, where he faces additional charges for escape and related offenses. The Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office said it will pursue every available penalty for those who helped him flee.
Meanwhile, the jailbreak has triggered a full review of the jail’s security procedures, staffing levels, and maintenance oversight, after it was revealed that broken equipment and weak supervision played key roles in the escape.
A Personal Take
Stories like this make you realize how fragile prison security can be when even a small oversight turns into a national spectacle. It’s hard not to think of the “Too easy LOL” graffiti — a taunt that now represents the serious systemic issues inside the jail. Groves’ case isn’t just about one criminal’s choices; it’s about what happens when vigilance slips.
Derrick Groves is in jail today for double murder, attempted murder, and escape from custody. His case serves as both a cautionary tale of criminal ambition and a wake-up call for correctional systems nationwide.
What do you think — should his escape lead to tougher prison reforms or stricter sentences for those who help inmates flee? Let’s discuss.