Aunt of Orleans Parish jail escapee Derrick Groves urges him to turn himself in

The aunt of Derrick Groves, one of the five remaining Orleans Parish jail escapees, is calling on her nephew to turn himself in for his safety.

A New Orleans jury last October found Groves guilty of two counts of second-degree murder after he killed two men on Mardi Gras Day in 2024. He later pleaded guilty to two manslaughter charges in two other killings.

Groves, already serving two life sentences for the Mardi Gras murders, was awaiting his sentencing for the manslaughter charges when he escaped the Orleans Justice Center on May 16 with nine other inmates, five of whom have been re-apprehended.

His aunt, Jasmine Groves, is calling on him to turn himself in.

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“I’m praying to the Lord that he is protected, and I pray that they don’t try to kill him,” she told FOX 8 New Orleans.

Jasmine Groves told the outlet that her nephew has been stabbed three times in jail, and she noted that the inmates would have never been able to escape had the correctional facility been staffed properly.

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The Groves family was more comfortable when he was being housed at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, she told FOX 8.

“Just think about how horrible OPP [Orleans Parish Prison has] to be, if you have more of a settled mind with him at Angola,” Jasmine Groves said.

Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams told FOX 8 that he has felt particularly uneasy since he “found out from the media” that Derrick Groves “was a part of this jailbreak.”

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The other escaped inmates, some of whom are charged with violent offenses, were being held in a minimum-custody site at the Orleans Parish facility. The jail is only at 60% staffing, and at the time of the escape, four supervisors and 36 staff members were monitoring 1,400 inmates, authorities said.

Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson announced a temporary suspension of her re-election campaign in a statement Wednesday morning.

“As I said today, I take full accountability for the breach that occurred under my leadership,” Hutson said. “I am grateful to the community, our law enforcement partners and city and state leaders for helping us to secure the Orleans Justice Center and capture the remaining escapees.” 

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“We’ve taken immediate action, including suspensions, an arrest and full cooperation with the attorney general’s investigation.”

She added there is “a long road ahead” for her “to be fully satisfied that the [Orleans Justice Center] and my deputies have the proper resources to perform their duties to the fullest extent the people of New Orleans deserve.”

“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.”

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Three people have been accused of helping the inmates escape, including jail employee Sterling Williams, 33; and Louisiana residents Cortnie Harris, 32, and Corvanntay Baptiste, 38.

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.

The five men who remain on the run are:

• Lenton J. Vanburen Jr., 26, faces charges of illegal carrying of weapons, possession of a firearm or weapon by a felon, obstruction of justice and introducing contraband in prison.
• Jermaine Donald, 42, faces charges of second-degree murder, aggravated battery, possession of a firearm or weapon by a felon and obstruction of justice.
• Antoine Massey, 32, faces charges of domestic abuse involving strangulation, theft of a motor vehicle and a parole violation.
• Derrick Groves, 27, faces three counts of attempted second-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder and battery of a correctional facility employee.
• Leo O. Tate Sr., 31, faces charges of simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling, possession of a firearm or weapon by a felon, illegal carrying of a weapon, motor vehicle theft and multiple drug counts.

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’ Alexandra Koch, Peter D’Abrosca and Adam Sabes contributed to this report.