When Derrick Groves, a convicted murderer who escaped from New Orleans’ Orleans Justice Center, was seized by authorities in Atlanta on Oct. 8, 2025, the city’s streets buzzed with disbelief.
In a dramatic turn that lasted 146 days, the 28‑year‑old escaped inmate was nabbed at the corner of Ponce de Leon Avenue NE and Moreland Avenue NE in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood, thanks to a tip to Crime Stoppers Atlanta. The capture set the stage for an extradition hearing the very next morning at the Atlanta Judicial Circuit Courthouse.
The escape began on May 15, 2025, during the 3:15 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. shift change at the Orleans Justice Center. Ten inmates, including Groves, overpowered two correctional officers—Marcus Thompson (badge #734) and Lisa Chen (badge #882)—using sharpened toothbrush handles as improvised weapons. The coordinated breakout involved nine other detainees: Quincy Coleman, Devante Bryant, Jamel Williams, Michael Johnson, Terrell Williams, Darnell Johnson, Marquell Banks, De’Anthony White, and Kelvin Johnson.
Officials later linked the escape to a 2024 DOJ audit (Report #24‑087‑NCS) that flagged staffing shortages and lax security protocols. In the fallout, Louisiana officials tightened internal controls, but the escaped group vanished before a full response could be mounted.
On Oct. 8, 2025, at 2:47 p.m. Eastern Time, a citizen called the Crime Stoppers Atlanta hotline (404‑577‑TIPS) reporting a man matching Groves’ description staying at the Palm Tree Inn motel (345 Ponce de Leon Ave NE). The tip went straight to the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, led by Deputy U.S. Marshal James McPherson. Marshals, backed by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s extraterritorial unit, coordinated a swift takedown.
Special Agent David R. Miller of the GBI confirmed the operation was “non‑violent” and that Groves offered no resistance. He was handcuffed on the street and escorted to the Fulton County Superior Court’s holding facility pending the extradition hearing.
The hearing was set for 11:00 a.m. on Oct. 9, 2025, in courtroom 1404 of the Atlanta Judicial Circuit Courthouse (136 Peachtree St NE). Presiding was Judge Amanda Williams of the Fulton County Superior Court.
Representing Groves was Atlanta‑based defense attorney James C. Rawls of the Law Office of James C. Rawls, LLC. The State of Georgia was represented by Assistant District Attorney Sarah H. Smith. After a brief deliberation, Groves chose to waive extradition, effectively fast‑tracking his return to Louisiana and avoiding a formal 30‑day extradition process mandated by Georgia Code § 17‑12‑1.
With the waiver filed at 11:42 a.m., the U.S. Marshals prepared a transport order (USM‑5A‑20251009‑774). Groves was scheduled to be flown back to New Orleans the same evening, with an estimated arrival at the Orleans Justice Center by 8:00 p.m. Central Time on Oct. 10, 2025.
Groves now faces a stack of pending cases. Georgia authorities have also filed a theft‑by‑receiving‑stolen‑property charge (O.C.G.A. § 16‑8‑7) related to a 2023 Chevrolet Malibu reported stolen from DeKalb County on Sept. 22, 2025. However, those charges will be held in abeyance until Louisiana concludes its own proceedings, per the Interstate Agreement on Detainers Act.
The episode has reignited debate over prison security standards in Louisiana. Lawmakers are urging the state to allocate additional funding for staff training and surveillance upgrades at the Orleans Justice Center, a facility already under scrutiny after multiple audit findings.
For now, Groves will return to the prison that originally held him, awaiting sentencing on the new charges. The case serves as a reminder that even a coordinated jailbreak can be unraveled when tip lines, federal task forces, and local agencies work in concert.
A citizen called the Crime Stoppers Atlanta hotline after spotting a man matching Groves’ description at the Palm Tree Inn motel. The tip was relayed to the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, which coordinated the rapid arrest at the intersection of Ponce de Leon Avenue NE and Moreland Avenue NE.
Beyond his original life‑without‑parole sentence for the 2023 murder of Antoine Williams, Groves is now charged with aggravated escape (5‑to‑40 years) and an armed robbery of a Baton Rouge convenience store where $217.50 was taken. A pending theft‑by‑receiving‑stolen‑property charge in Georgia will be held in abeyance until Louisiana finalizes its case.
Waiving extradition allowed Groves to avoid a formal Georgia proceeding that could have delayed his transfer by up to 30 days. By accepting the waiver, he expedited his return to Louisiana, where his primary prison term will be served.
The jailbreak underscored serious security gaps identified in a 2024 DOJ audit. Lawmakers are now urging increased funding for staffing, surveillance upgrades, and staff training at the Orleans Justice Center to prevent a repeat of this coordinated escape.
The Georgia charge (felony theft by receiving stolen property) will stay on hold while Louisiana prosecutes the more serious offenses. If Louisiana imposes a life sentence, the Georgia charge may never be adjudicated, but it remains on record for potential future proceedings.
Written by Zimkita Khayone Mvunge
View all posts by: Zimkita Khayone Mvunge