Antoine Massey’s six-week run from justice ended abruptly when US Marshals surrounded an Airbnb in New Orleans, leaving only one dangerous escapee still at large after ten inmates orchestrated a brazen jailbreak that went undetected for over seven hours.
Key Takeaways
- Antoine Massey, the ninth of ten inmates who escaped from Orleans Justice Center on May 16, has been captured after six weeks as a fugitive.
- The escape involved inmates removing a toilet from a wall, creating a hole, and scaling a fence, leaving behind taunting graffiti reading “Too easy LOL.”
- The final fugitive, Derrick Groves, who was convicted of second-degree murder and attempted murder, remains at large with a $50,000 reward offered for information leading to his capture.
- Authorities believe Massey had outside assistance during his six weeks on the run, highlighting deeper security concerns at the facility.
- The jailbreak has already resulted in at least 16 arrests, including a jail maintenance worker, as part of a broader investigation into the security failure.
Dramatic Capture After Six Weeks on the Run
Antoine Massey, 33, was peacefully apprehended at a residence in New Orleans after evading law enforcement for six weeks. Authorities immediately airlifted Massey to a state correctional facility outside the city, ensuring he would face additional charges related to his escape. The capture marks significant progress in a manhunt that began when ten inmates broke out of the Orleans Justice Center on May 16, exploiting faulty infrastructure and lax security measures that allowed their absence to go unnoticed for more than seven hours.
“Deputy U.S. Marshal Brian Fair told CNN that Mr. Massey was taken in a “peaceful” manner without further incident.” – Deputy U.S. Marshal Brian Fair
BREAKING: Jail escapee Antoine Massey was recaptured Friday (June 27) in New Orleans, the US Marshals Service announced. Only Derrick Groves remains among the 10 fugitives who escaped on May 16 from the Orleans Justice Center jail. https://t.co/KTqK5lldUC pic.twitter.com/XoOf5eCDFH
— FOX 8 New Orleans (@FOX8NOLA) June 27, 2025
Brazen Escape Highlights Security Failures
The inmates’ escape method reflects shocking security deficiencies at the Orleans Justice Center. The group managed to open a malfunctioning cell door, tear a toilet from the wall, and crawl through the resulting hole before scaling a fence to freedom. Adding insult to injury, the escapees left behind graffiti reading “Too easy LOL,” highlighting their contempt for the facility’s security protocols. Even more concerning is that jail officials only discovered the missing inmates during the following morning’s headcount, giving the fugitives a substantial head start.
“It’s pretty obvious over the last six weeks, to remain a fugitive that long, he had assistance, he had help. Whether or not it was someone helped him with the Airbnb, we would have to think ‘yes,’ but who (it was) and all those things will be determined later,” LSP Superintendent Robert Hodges said, according to New Orleans’ Times-Picayune.
The investigation has already led to at least 16 arrests, including a jail maintenance worker, suggesting the escape benefited from both internal negligence and external support. Law enforcement officials are continuing to probe who might have helped Massey remain at large for such an extended period, with particular focus on who secured the Airbnb where he was ultimately found. This pattern of assistance raises troubling questions about the potential network supporting the final fugitive still evading capture.
Dangerous Murderer Still at Large
While authorities celebrate Massey’s capture, the most dangerous escapee remains free. Derrick Groves, serving time for second-degree murder and attempted murder convictions, has managed to evade the coordinated efforts of local, state, and federal law enforcement for six weeks. A combined reward of $50,000 has been offered for information leading to his arrest, reflecting the urgency and serious nature of the threat he poses to public safety. At the time of his escape, Massey faced comparatively less serious charges of domestic abuse battery, motor vehicle theft, and parole violation.
New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick has publicly urged Groves to surrender peacefully, but authorities are treating him as highly dangerous. President Trump’s administration has emphasized the importance of strengthening local law enforcement capabilities to prevent such security failures, which put communities at risk and strain police resources. The manhunt continues with increased intensity as officials worry about Groves potentially receiving the same outside assistance that helped Massey remain hidden for so long.
