New Orleans officials have detained 14 individuals linked to a large jailbreak on May 16, successfully re-arresting eight out of the 10 fugitives from Orleans Parish.
Two fugitives — domestic abuse suspect Antoine T. Massey and four-time convicted killer Derrick Groves — remain at large.
“I am entirely confident that they will be apprehended, and we are diligently continuing our systematic efforts to bring them back into custody,” Attorney General Liz Murrill stated to Fox News on Thursday, emphasizing that both Massey and Groves are regarded as “armed and dangerous.”
Authorities this week reported the apprehension of Massey’s sister, 31-year-old Daishanae Massey, along with two other women, Lenika Vanburen and Diamond White. They all face charges related to assisting the escaped prisoners, who managed to remove a toilet from a cell wall and used the resulting opening to escape.
“As such, I am temporarily suspending my re-election campaign. I cannot spend a moment putting politics over your needs,” she said. “Now is the time to focus on security, accountability, and public safety. I look forward to continuing to collaborate with other agencies and community organizations to hear your valuable input and make necessary changes.”
Anyone found aiding an escapee will be charged as an accomplice, according to New Orleans authorities. The FBI is offering rewards of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of the escaped inmates. Crime Stoppers is also offering a $2,000 reward per inmate.
A violent offender warrant squad is searching for the escapees, along with the FBI and U.S. Marshals. More than 200 law enforcement officers are assisting with the search.
Fox News’ Samantha Daigle, Alexandra Koch, Peter D’Abrosca and Adam Sabes contributed to this report.
