After nearly five months on the run, convicted killer and escapee Derrick Groves was finally arrested in Atlanta this week, ending one of the most chaotic manhunts in recent memory.
Groves, who escaped from a New Orleans jail back in May alongside nine others, had evaded capture for 151 days — until law enforcement received a tip placing him in a house in southwest Atlanta. When U.S. Marshals and local SWAT teams stormed the home, Groves tried to hide in a crawlspace beneath the floorboards.
Police deployed gas and a K-9 unit before finally pulling him out. The arrest was reportedly calm — but not without drama. According to witnesses, Groves smiled and even blew a kiss to cameras as he was escorted away in cuffs.
“I guess they’re taking me to jail,” he said when asked by an officer where he was headed.
Groves had previously been serving life sentences for a double murder at a 2024 Mardi Gras block party. His escape involved removing a toilet, sneaking through a hole in the wall, and scaling a fence — a plan so bold it left guards stunned and jail officials scrambling.
During the manhunt, his girlfriend — a former jail employee — was arrested for allegedly helping him escape by smuggling in contraband and coordinating from the outside.
Groves has now waived extradition and will be returned to Louisiana, where officials may upgrade his charges to aggravated escape — which carries heavier penalties.
For now, the last chapter of this wild saga seems to be closing — but the fallout for the jail system, and everyone who helped him, is just beginning.





