Inmate Roundup in New Orleans: 8 Apprehended, Search Continues for Remaining 2 Escaped After Over a Week on the Loose
Inmates Who Escaped from New Orleans Jail Now in Custody After Over a Week on the Run
Authorities have successfully apprehended eight of the eighteen inmates who fled from a New Orleans jail more than a week ago, the Louisiana Attorney General, Liz Murrill, announced on Monday.
Lenton Vanburen, one of the escapees, was captured in Baton Rouge and is now back in custody. He was originally detained for parole violation, possession of a firearm by a felon, and illegal carrying of a weapon, according to Murrill. The inmate will face additional charges related to the escape, she added.
In a separate development, Leo Tate and Jermaine Donald, two other inmates, were apprehended in Walker County, Texas. The arrests were made by the Texas Department of Public Safety and Louisiana State Police. The Louisiana State Police commended the collaboration and open communication between local, state, and federal partners, stating that effective cooperation between agencies often leads to positive results.
Tate and Donald were arrested after leading law enforcement officers from several agencies on a high-speed chase through the Huntsville, Texas area. Donald was charged with outstanding warrants for escape and resisting an officer. His original charges were for illegally carrying a weapon and second-degree murder.
Two more fugitives remain at large. In total, ten inmates escaped from the Orleans Justice Center after breaching a wall behind a toilet in the early morning hours of May 16. The escape went unnoticed for several hours, touching off a massive, more than weeklong manhunt.
Seven people have been arrested on suspicion of helping the escapees, including a jail maintenance worker accused of shutting off the water to the toilet. Three of the ten inmates who escaped were apprehended within the first 24 hours of the jailbreak, with the rest captured in the following days.
This recent incident has raised concerns about the jail's security systems, as around one-third of the jail's security cameras were not working at the time of the escape, and no sheriff's deputy was assigned to the area where the inmates started the jailbreak. Additionally, faulty cell locks and ongoing renovations in their previous unit may have contributed to the incident.
Approximately 200 local, state, and federal law enforcement officers are involved in the ongoing manhunt for the remaining fugitives, with authorities believing the two men still at large may be in other cities. Officials have emphasized the need for both physical security improvements and more efficient case processing to prevent future incidents.
Sources:[1] Nola.com, Associated Press. (2023, May 24). Full Story.[2] Fox 8 New Orleans. (2023, May 24). Full Story.[3] WWL-TV. (2023, May 24). Full Story.
- The ongoing manhunt for the remaining two fugitives has drawn the attention of over 200 local, state, and federal law enforcement officers.
- The latest capture of an escapee, Lenton Vanburen, was made in Baton Rouge, marking a significant step in the general news story about the inmates who escaped from the New Orleans jail.
- The arrest of Leo Tate and Jermaine Donald in Walker County, Texas, was a collaborative effort between the Texas Department of Public Safety and Louisiana State Police, demonstrating the importance of effective cooperation between agencies during war-and-conflicts situations like this.
- The escape from the Orleans Justice Center, which involved over a third of the jail's security cameras being out of order, has brought the issue of justice into the political spotlight, prompting calls for improved security systems and more efficient case processing to prevent future incidents.
