By John Simerman
The Advocate
BATON ROUGE, La. — If he’s ever recaptured, Derrick Groves awaits two life prison sentences with no shot at parole.
It’s an incentive to remain free that appears ample for Groves, who on Wednesday completed his second month in hiding as the last, and some fear most dangerous, of the 10 Orleans Parish jail detainees who fled the lockup on May 16.
Authorities had little to say this week about a search that once numbered a reported 200 personnel. A variety of state and federal agents are still after Groves, who turned 28 while in hiding. But the tips have slowed, officials said, and Groves’ whereabouts remain a mystery.
“We continue to get tips on him from Crimestoppers and through the Marshals Service, and we’re actively looking at those,” said Deputy U.S. Marshal Brian Fair. “Some are in-state, some are out-of-state. Some are ‘I saw Elvis at the gas station tips.’ Others are a little bit better. We continue to investigate all of those tips.”
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Fair said support for the search is coming from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations as well as Louisiana State Police. He said it’s clear Groves has had help staying hidden, but “a person or persons have not been established” as suspects in that effort.
“We do believe he’s getting help from somebody, whether family or friends providing him aid, (or) giving him money while he’s on the run,” Fair said.
The reward from various agencies for information leading to Groves’ arrest is still $50,000. Darlene Cusanza, CEO of Crimestoppers GNO, did not return messages seeking comment.
A fugitive surviving off the grid for months is not so unusual, Fair said.
“Some people with survival skills will go camping, basically, for lack of better term. Head off into the wilderness. I don’t think Groves is doing that, but if people are letting you stay at their place and you’re not coming out much...” Fair said.
“Ultimately, I think we’re going to catch him. We only need to get lucky once. He’s got to look over his shoulder every day of the week.”
At the local level, the New Orleans Police Department referred questions about the search to the Louisiana State Police, the lead agency, which released a statement.
“With only one fugitive still at large, the Louisiana State Police continues to work alongside our local, state, and federal partners to investigate all information that may lead to the apprehension of Derrick Groves,” it read. “Our focus remains unwavering, and we will not stop until Groves is in custody.”
Recent research has found that 8 percent of escapees from jails or other lockups used violence against community members while on the lam, and 6 percent committed violence against authorities who recaptured them.
Unlike Antoine Massey, the last of the nine re-captured men to turn up, Groves has not announced his presence or declared himself the victim of injustice on social media since the group fled through a hole behind a ripped-out toilet, scaled a wall and crossed Interstate 10 to freedom.
Groves has been convicted of two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder, and has pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter in separate cases. He’d remained jailed locally for months awaiting his terminal sentence, after the judge recused herself and his defense lawyer received a suspension.
Darriana Burton, 28, a former Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office employee who has been described by officials as an associate and girlfriend of Groves, was arrested for allegedly helping to plan the escape. She’s one of several people outside of the escapees who are accused as accessories. A jail plumber, Sterling Williams, has been charged with helping facilitate the jailbreak.
We continue to support a coordinated, multi-agency effort to locate and apprehend Derrick Groves, as we have with the previous 9 captures including the one led by Sheriff Susan Hutson,” the sheriff’s office said Friday in a statement. “As we have stated before, we urge Mr. Groves to surrender peacefully before he or anyone else is harmed.”
In the meantime, Attorney General Liz Murrill said she’s working on recommendations from an investigation into deficiencies at the jail. Murrill put her support behind a request that went before the state Bond Commission on Thursday for $15 million to go to “emergency repairs and hardening of the Orleans Parish lockup.
That measure passed, an official with the commission said Friday.
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