Five-Month Manhunt Ends: Escaped Louisiana Double Murder Convict Captured in Atlanta Crawl Space

After five months on the run, authorities have captured Derrick Groves, the last of ten inmates who staged a daring jailbreak from a New Orleans correctional facility in May. The dramatic manhunt came to an end Wednesday afternoon when U.S. Marshals found Groves hiding in a crawl space of a suburban Atlanta home, officials confirmed.

According to Deputy U.S. Marshal Brian Fair of the Eastern District of Louisiana, Groves was apprehended shortly after 2 p.m. ET, following a multi-agency operation involving the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Atlanta Police Department’s SWAT team.

“He was located and taken into custody without incident,” Fair told reporters. “The operation went exactly as planned thanks to coordination across multiple jurisdictions.”

Groves, who had been convicted of a 2018 double homicide, is now back in federal custody and awaiting transport to Louisiana, where he faces new charges related to his escape.

A Tip That Broke the Case

Authorities say the arrest was the result of a Crime Stoppers Greater New Orleans tip received earlier this summer. The anonymous information suggested that Groves had fled across state lines and was possibly sheltering in or near Atlanta.

“We’ve been receiving tips all summer,” Fair said. “We don’t want to endanger anyone or compromise the safety of our informants, so we’re not disclosing the exact time frame.”

Once investigators verified that Groves could be in Georgia, marshals in Louisiana shared intelligence with their Atlanta counterparts. Surveillance teams tracked movements in a quiet residential area on the city’s south side for several weeks. When evidence indicated Groves was inside a particular house — described as “possibly a rental property” — law enforcement obtained a warrant.

At 2 p.m. Wednesday, SWAT officers breached the property. Within minutes, Groves was found concealed in a crawl space beneath the home, dirty but unharmed. Officials say he offered no resistance.

“He knew it was over,” one law enforcement source said. “When they pulled him out, he just put his hands up.”

From New Orleans to Atlanta: The Escape That Stunned Officials

The capture closes a chapter on one of Louisiana’s most audacious prison breaks in recent memory. On May 14, 2025, ten inmates escaped from the Orleans Parish Correctional Center after exploiting what investigators later described as “multiple layers of security failure.”

Groves, considered the most dangerous of the group, was serving a life sentence without parole for the fatal shootings of two men outside a Gentilly nightclub in 2018. Surveillance footage reportedly showed the inmates slipping through a service corridor and scaling a rear fence during a shift change — an event that raised serious questions about staffing and oversight within the facility.

Nine of the escapees were captured within days, scattered across Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi. Groves, however, managed to vanish.

“We always knew Groves was resourceful,” Fair noted. “He had connections and knew how to stay off the grid. But eventually, everyone makes a mistake.”

Months on the Run

Federal investigators pieced together Groves’s movements through a combination of witness interviews, phone data, and surveillance footage. He reportedly relied on friends and family members for temporary shelter and may have used fake identification while traveling.

While authorities declined to specify how long he had been in Atlanta, one official familiar with the case said Groves may have been “living quietly” in the rented property for several weeks.

“He wasn’t out on the streets,” the official said. “He was lying low, trying to blend in.”

Investigators also suspect Groves received help from at least one individual in Georgia. Charges of harboring a fugitive could follow as the investigation continues.

‘Public Safety Is Our Priority’

The U.S. Marshals Service praised the teamwork that led to the arrest.

“This capture demonstrates the persistence and cooperation of law enforcement across state lines,” Fair said. “Our goal from day one was to protect the public and bring Groves to justice safely.”

Following the arrest, Groves was transported to a secure federal facility in Atlanta for processing. He is expected to be extradited to Louisiana within days, where he will face escape and flight charges in addition to his existing murder convictions.

The Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office issued a brief statement Wednesday evening thanking federal authorities for their efforts and pledging a “comprehensive review” of the escape that embarrassed the department earlier this year.

Community Relief and Lingering Questions

In New Orleans, the capture brought relief to residents who had followed the months-long manhunt with unease.

“I can finally sleep,” said Tanya Brooks, who lives near the jail where the breakout occurred. “It’s been scary knowing someone like that was still out there.”

Yet the case has also intensified scrutiny on Louisiana’s correctional system. Lawmakers are demanding answers about how ten inmates — including a convicted murderer — were able to walk out of a secure facility.

For now, though, federal officers say they’re just relieved it’s over.

“Five months, ten fugitives, one goal,” Fair said. “Today, that goal was met.”