Ten inmates escape new orleans prison in ‘shawshank’-style breakout, leaving behind taunting message.
Convicted killer Groves still missing after New Orleans prison escape
A daring prison break from the Orleans Justice Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, has left law enforcement scrambling for answers.
Ten inmates, including a convicted murderer and a teenage murder suspect, escaped in a bold, calculated operation that echoed *The Shawshank Redemption*.
The breakout occurred in the early hours of May 16 and was not discovered until seven hours later. Three inmates have been recaptured, but seven, including high-risk offender Derrick Groves, remain at large.
Groves’ violent past alarms public
Three of the escapees have since been recaptured: Dkenan Dennis, Robert Moody and Kendell Myles.
Derrick Groves, 27, was convicted of a double homicide in 2018. His victims, Jamar Robinson and Byron Jackson, were killed during Mardi Gras celebrations. He received a life sentence in 2023 after a unanimous guilty verdict in his retrial.
FBI Special Agent Lyonel Myrthil said at the time:
“There was no doubt in the minds of anyone involved in this case that Groves would continue his bloody rampage on the streets of New Orleans if he weren’t stopped.
“We hope this guilty verdict and the life sentence that accompanies it will give the community renewed confidence and hope in law enforcement.”
Now that Groves has escaped custody, fears are mounting that he may return to violent crime unless swiftly apprehended.
How inmates escaped orleans jail
The prison break began around 12:22 a.m. Surveillance footage shows inmates prying open a cell door while the sole guard was reportedly away. They worked for 21 minutes before gaining access to the cell.
Once inside, the group removed a toilet from the wall, exposing a hidden exit point. Behind the toilet, they left a mocking three-word message:
“To easy LOL”—with an arrow pointing toward the escape route.
Their method drew comparisons to fictional escapes seen in *The Shawshank Redemption* and *Prison Break*.
The timeline of the escape shows security lapses at multiple checkpoints
12:43 a.m. – Inmates enter the breached cell and begin tampering with infrastructure.
1:00 a.m. – They exit through the jail’s loading dock.
1:19 a.m. – Inmates are seen using blankets to scale a barbed-wire fence near a construction zone.
Shortly after – They crossed Interstate 10 and disappeared into a nearby neighborhood.
The Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office later found discarded clothing believed to belong to the escapees, but no other leads.
Three inmates recaptured, but high-risk offenders remain on the run
Authorities confirmed that three escapees have been caught:
- Dkenan Dennis
- Robert Moody
- Kendell Myles
Still missing are:
- Derrick Groves– convicted murderer
- Corey Boyd (19) – facing second-degree murder charge
- Four additional unnamed inmates
Additionally, police have launched a manhunt with assistance from state and federal agencies. Community alerts have been issued across the region.
Residents in New Orleans are on high alert as police work to track down the remaining fugitives. The Sheriff’s Office has asked citizens to report suspicious behavior and to avoid engaging escapees directly.
Authorities are also investigating how the jailbreak occurred under supposedly secure conditions. Internal reviews and accountability measures are underway.
The Shawshank-style escape from Orleans Justice Center has exposed significant security flaws and reignited fear over violent criminals re-entering society.
The taunting message “To easy LOL” reflects not just mockery but potential insight into deeper systemic failures.