Gladness Gideon
A manhunt is underway in Louisiana after ten inmates escaped from the Orleans Justice Center early Friday by squeezing through a hole behind a toilet, in a breakout that has exposed glaring lapses in jail security and raised suspicions of internal collusion.
According to the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, the escape began around 12:22 a.m. when the inmates tampered with the door of a cell before accessing an adjacent cell with a concealed wall opening. Surveillance footage captured the men slipping through a hole behind a toilet fixture, leading to a maintenance area and then exiting the facility through a loading dock.
From there, they reportedly scaled a barbed-wire fence—using blankets for protection—and fled toward nearby railroad tracks and Interstate 10.
By Friday evening, three of the escapees had been recaptured. Kendell Myles, who faces charges of attempted second-degree murder, was found hiding under a vehicle in a hotel garage in the French Quarter. Authorities later apprehended Robert Moody, although details of his capture remain undisclosed. A third escapee, Dkenan Dennis, was located along Chef Menteur Highway.
Eight inmates remain at large, including four facing second-degree murder charges: Corey Boyd, Lenton Vanburen, Jermaine Donald, and Derrick Groves.
READ ALSO: Jailbreak Shocker: 12 Inmates Escape from Kogi Prison in Daring Getaway
Sheriff Susan Hutson said that jail staff did not detect the escape until the 8:30 a.m. headcount. “It is almost impossible to escape from this facility without assistance,” she said, confirming that investigators suspect help from inside the jail. Faulty cell locks are also believed to have played a role in the breach.
Authorities initially believed 11 inmates had escaped, but later determined one had been transferred to another cell. Evidence collected near the jail—including discarded orange uniforms—suggests the escapees may have quickly changed clothes to avoid detection.
Law enforcement agencies at the local, state, and federal levels have been mobilized to track down the fugitives. Residents are being urged to remain alert and report any suspicious activity.
As the search intensifies, the incident has prompted renewed scrutiny of security protocols within one of the city’s most secure correctional facilities.
