Three Escapees Captured in Multi-State Manhunt After New Orleans Jailbreak, Two Remain at Large

Lenton Vanburen, Leo Tate and Jermaine Donald were captured Monday, May 26, 2025

Three inmates who escaped from the Orleans Justice Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, have been captured, bringing the number of recaptured fugitives to eight, according to Louisiana State Police. The prison break, which occurred over a week ago and involved 10 inmates, has triggered a wide-ranging investigation and manhunt that now spans multiple states.

Lenton Vanburen, one of the fugitives, was apprehended in Baton Rouge while sitting on a bench near a department store. Vanburen had originally been jailed for a parole violation, possession of a firearm by a felon, and illegal carrying of a weapon. He now faces additional charges related to the escape.

In a separate operation, Leo Tate and Jermaine Donald were captured in Walker County, Texas, after leading authorities on a high-speed chase. The pursuit ended near US 190 and Geneva, approximately 70 miles north of Houston, where both were taken into custody by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Law enforcement tracked the two escapees to the Houston area before closing in on their location.

These three were the first escapees found outside the New Orleans area. Authorities continue searching for the two remaining fugitives, Derrick Groves and Antoine Massey, who are considered armed and dangerous.

The inmates allegedly escaped using electric hair clippers fitted with multiple blades to cut through the walls of their cells. Investigators say the escape was aided by faulty cell locks, missing blankets, and the involvement of a jail employee.

The escaped inmates have been identified as Corey Boyd, Dkenan Dennis, Jermaine Donald, Derrick Groves, Antoine Massey, Robert Moody, Kendell Myles, Gary Price, Leo Tate and Lenton Vanburen

Sterling Williams, a 33-year-old maintenance worker at the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, has been arrested and charged with 10 counts of being a principal to simple escape and one count of malfeasance in office. He is accused of knowingly assisting the inmates during their breakout. His attorney claims Williams was simply following orders to turn off water to an overflowing toilet and denies any wrongdoing.

Trevon Williams, already in custody on unrelated charges, was rebooked Friday as a principal to simple escape. At least six other individuals are also under arrest for aiding the escapees or attempting to conceal the jailbreak. One of them is another inmate at the same facility.

Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances of the escape, with suspicions that other jail staff or inmates may have played roles in assisting or covering up the breakout. Officials are reviewing surveillance footage, jail communications, and call logs to identify additional suspects.

The escape has prompted intense scrutiny of the Orleans Justice Center's security measures. District Attorney Jason Williams and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill have visited the jail, where forensic analysis is underway. The Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections has deployed 10 veteran auditors to assess the facility’s operations.

A letter from the district attorney’s office requested the sheriff’s office preserve all records related to the incident, including surveillance footage and communications, and urged cooperation with forensic efforts. Former Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman noted that such an escape should have triggered alarms. He emphasized the difficulty of breaching the facility’s infrastructure, which includes five-inch-thick concrete walls reinforced with steel rebar.

The investigation remains active, as law enforcement intensifies the search for the remaining escapees and possible accomplices.