Derrick “Woo” Groves captured in Atlanta after 145 days on the run — ending $1M manhunt that gripped Louisiana [VIDEO]

The last remaining fugitive from the Orleans Parish Jail breakout has been captured, closing a five-month nationwide manhunt that exposed deep cracks in New Orleans’ jail system — and turned into a meme-fueled saga online.

After nearly five months on the run, Derrick “Woo” Groves, the last fugitive from the infamous May 2025 New Orleans jail escape, was captured in Atlanta this afternoon (October 8). This was following a tense SWAT standoff that brought an end to one of Louisiana’s most expensive manhunts in decades.

Groves, 31, had been on the run for 145 days after escaping the Orleans Parish Jail alongside nine other inmates. Authorities say the group exploited a faulty cell door. Thus, cutting through metal bars before scaling a razor-wire fence. As a result, it was the largest breakout the facility has seen in over thirty years.

The Louisiana Department of Corrections spent more than $1 million in overtime, surveillance, and reward money during the manhunt. So, Groves’ eventual capture marks the final chapter in a saga that embarrassed local officials and captivated social media.

The dramatic video of his arrest — filmed by Atlanta news crews and police — shows Groves shirtless, handcuffed, and smirking as he’s escorted out of a suburban home. In one moment, he appears to blow a kiss at the cameras before being loaded into a patrol car. Therefore, unbothered after nearly half a year of evasion.

Inside the Escape: How It All Began

The breakout occurred on May 16, when ten inmates slipped out of the Orleans Justice Center in the middle of the night. Jail officials later confirmed that a malfunctioning cell door and lax supervision made the escape possible — a system failure worsened by staff shortages and outdated security infrastructure.

Groves was already serving time for two counts of second-degree murder. It was tied to a 2018 Mardi Gras shooting that left two people dead and several others injured. His criminal record and alleged gang ties made him the most dangerous of the fugitives. As a result, he was the most wanted.

Over the following months, all nine of his co-escapees were caught in various Southern states. Four were found in Louisiana, two in Texas, and two more in Florida. Groves, however, managed to disappear completely. Therefore, leading to national speculation about how he stayed ahead of law enforcement.

By late summer, the U.S. Marshals Service had upped the reward for information leading to his arrest to $250,000, and online theories claimed he’d fled the country. But the truth was simpler — and more ironic: he’d been hiding in Atlanta. The irony being it is one of the most surveilled cities in the country.

The Tip That Brought Him Down

According to officials, Groves’ capture came after a tip from a New Orleans associate, who recognized him while visiting Atlanta. Police say Groves had been living quietly on the city’s southwest side, working odd jobs and using aliases.

Atlanta SWAT and the U.S. Marshals surrounded a small home on Continental Way around 11 AM, deploying flashbangs before entering. Groves barricaded himself briefly but eventually surrendered without violence around 1 PM.

He was transported to the Fulton County Jail before being extradited to New Orleans, where he now faces additional charges for escape, resisting arrest, and unlawful evasion — offenses that could add another 50 years to his sentence.

District Attorney Jason Williams, who prosecuted Groves’ 2018 murder case, called the arrest a “major relief” and admitted to having “genuine fear” when Groves first escaped. “This was a dangerous man,” Williams said. “Our community can breathe easier knowing he’s off the streets.”

Why Atlanta?

Groves’ decision to hide out in Atlanta sparked widespread ridicule online. Law enforcement sources believe he chose the city because of existing family connections and its large transient population, which made it easier to blend in.

But on X (formerly Twitter), users wasted no time roasting his choice. Atlanta’s reputation as “the world’s worst place to hide from the internet” became the running joke.

“Of all places to hide, this man really picked Atlanta,” one post read, racking up over 600 likes.

Another user quipped, “You can’t breathe wrong in Atlanta without somebody filming it — he was doomed.”

Others turned the capture into meme material, joking that Groves’ mistake was “underestimating Ratlanta’s snitch-to-population ratio.”

Despite the humor, some posts revealed admiration for how long he stayed free. “145 days is wild tho,” one user wrote. “He almost made it to Thanksgiving.”

The Video That Broke the Internet

The short video that accompanied Groves’ capture quickly became a viral clip across platforms. Originally aired by WWL-TV New Orleans, the 19-second montage shows law enforcement in tactical gear surrounding the suburban home.

As Groves emerges, shirtless and calm, officers escort him past armored vehicles and toward a police van. A “NOW IN CUSTODY” chyron flashes onscreen as the reporter’s voice confirms his identity.

The moment he turns to the camera and smirks — even blowing a kiss — turned the footage into instant meme gold. Dozens of posts used the clip for reaction videos, with one captioned: “When you know they caught you but your playlist still hittin’.”

Others pointed out the absurdity of his confidence after a murder conviction. “Bro really thought he was on a red carpet,” one comment said.

The Fallout for New Orleans Officials

Groves’ escape reignited criticism of New Orleans’ jail system, which has been plagued by mismanagement and corruption scandals for years. The Orleans Parish facility has reported over 30 escape attempts since 2018, prompting a federal review earlier this year.

A corrections officer was later charged with aiding the May escape after investigators discovered security footage showing her disabling a door alarm. Her trial is pending.

Meanwhile, Mayor LaToya Cantrell promised new oversight, announcing that an independent audit of the jail’s infrastructure is already underway.

“This was a failure of systems, not just people,” Cantrell said. “We owe it to the families of victims and to the public to ensure something like this never happens again.”

Public Reaction: From Outrage to Irony

By the afternoon of Groves’ capture, the story had dominated social media feeds, amassing over 500,000 views within hours. But rather than outrage, the dominant tone was exhaustion — and humor.

Many users mocked the fact that it took nearly half a year and seven states to catch a man who ended up “hiding in plain sight.” Others used the arrest as a referendum on systemic failure, arguing that such escapes show how little progress has been made in Louisiana’s correctional system.

Still, a few posts praised law enforcement for a clean capture. “No one hurt, no shots fired, and the last fugitive caught — that’s a win,” one wrote.

Yet for every serious take, there were ten jokes. “They gon’ make a Netflix documentary outta this by next month,” one reply said. Another meme showed Groves’ smirk photoshopped onto a “Fast & Furious” poster: Too Free, Too Furious.

What Happens Next

Groves was booked into Fulton County Jail before being extradited to Louisiana, where he faces new federal charges on top of his existing life sentence without parole. Officials confirmed he’s now being held in solitary confinement under 24-hour surveillance.

He will reportedly be transferred to a high-security federal facility once proceedings are complete — far from the Orleans Parish Jail that failed to hold him.

For New Orleans, Groves’ capture ends one of the city’s most embarrassing chapters in recent memory. For the internet, though, it’s another viral moment immortalized in memes and punchlines.