For 55 days, Derrick Groves has eluded authorities in a dramatic and troubling saga that has gripped Louisiana and shaken public confidence in the state’s criminal justice system. The 28-year-old convicted murderer is the last of 10 inmates who escaped the Orleans Justice Center in a daring, late-night breakout on May 16 — a coordinated operation that officials describe as one of the most sophisticated jailbreaks in recent memory.
On the night of the escape, around 1:00 AM, Groves and his fellow inmates exploited faulty cell locks and breached a wall behind a toilet. Using makeshift tools, they dismantled plumbing fixtures and cut through steel bars to forge a crawlspace. Before vanishing into the night, they scrawled graffiti on the wall — taunts such as “Too Easy LoL” and “Catch us when you can.”
After escaping the cellblock, the group scaled a security fence using blankets to guard against barbed wire, then fled across Interstate 10. Their absence went unnoticed for more than seven hours until the 8:30 AM headcount. By then, they were long gone.
Known on the streets as “Woo,” Groves has a long and violent criminal record. He dropped out of school in ninth grade and built a reputation as a heroin dealer in the Lower Ninth Ward, according to court documents. Between 2019 and 2024, he was linked to four killings and served time for drug trafficking.
In October 2024, he was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder for a 2018 Mardi Gras shooting that left two dead and several others injured. Armed with an AK-47, Groves opened fire on a family block party in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward. He later pleaded guilty to two additional manslaughter charges. Witness intimidation was a recurring theme in his cases, with several witnesses either attacked or too scared to testify.
Groves’ ability to remain hidden may be aided by his deep-rooted connections in New Orleans and the enduring distrust between law enforcement and many Black residents. That tension dates back decades, including the 1994 murder of Groves’ grandmother, Kim Groves, by a corrupt police officer — a case that drew national outrage and led to a $1.5 million civil rights settlement in 2018.
“For my family, it’s been like reliving a constant nightmare,”
Said Jasmine Groves, Derrick’s aunt. She claims the family has faced constant surveillance and repeated interrogations. She has publicly urged her nephew to surrender.
Groves’ defense attorney from a previous case, Tom Shlosman, believes the trauma of his grandmother’s murder and years in juvenile and adult lockup left deep scars.
“None of that’s going to affect a kid in any positive way,” Shlosman said. “It’s certainly not going to instill trust in law enforcement.”
Authorities link Groves to at least four other homicides over 18 months and multiple manslaughter charges. Federal officials have described him as a figure who “reigned terror in the Lower Ninth Ward for well over a decade.”
“He’s got nothing to lose. That’s a dangerous thing from anybody, much less somebody capable of causing mass harm.”
Said Assistant District Attorney Forrest Ladd.
Unlike some other escapees — all now recaptured — Groves has avoided social media and nightlife hotspots. Officials say he has likely changed his appearance and used a network of supporters to evade capture.
“Groves is intelligent, polite, and highly manipulative,” said Ladd. “He possesses a certain charisma, which I believe allows him to manipulate others, even behind bars.”
The hunt for Groves has become one of the most costly and extensive manhunts in Louisiana’s recent history. Authorities spend nearly $250,000 weekly on overtime; over 700 tips have poured in. At least 16 people have been arrested for aiding the escapees.
A $50,000 reward for information leading to Groves’ arrest has been offered — $20,000 from Crimestoppers, $20,000 from the FBI, and $10,000 from the ATF.
Investigators believe jail employees aided the escape. Sterling Williams, a maintenance worker, allegedly shut off water access to the inmates’ cells, allowing them to remove plumbing fixtures. Groves’ girlfriend, Darriana Burton — a former jail staffer — was arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit simple escape for helping plan the breakout.
While over 90% of prison escapees in the U.S. are recaptured within a year, criminal justice experts warn that Groves’ intelligence and support system may prolong his time on the run. As of now, he remains the sole fugitive still at large from the May 16 escape.
The longer Groves remains free, the more complex and dangerous the manhunt becomes — a vivid reminder of what happens when a violent man with nothing to lose slips through the cracks of a broken system.
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