Latest news with #KendallMyles
Toronto Sun
19-05-2025
- Toronto Sun
Search continues for 7 of 10 men who escaped from New Orleans jail
Published May 19, 2025 • 4 minute read This image provided by Louisiana State Police shows one of New Orleans jail escapees, Kendall Myles, captured in the French Quarter Friday, May 16, 2025 in New Orleans. Photo by Louisiana State Police / AP NEW ORLEANS — Three days after a 10 men escaped a New Orleans jail by slipping through a hole behind a toilet and scaling a wall, seven of them remain on the run Monday, and up to $20,000 in rewards was being offered for information leading to the capture of each escapee. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The FBI on Sunday increased its reward amount from $5,000 to $10,000 per escapee, while the CrimeStoppers reward was increased from $2,000 to $5,000, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was offering $5,000. FBI Special Agent Jonathan Trapp said during a news conference that he believes members of the public may be helping them and, if that's the case, would be arrested on charges of aiding or abetting them. The men range in age from 19 to 42 and face a variety of charges including aggravated assault, domestic abuse battery and murder. While three men were quickly caught, a multiagency task force has been assembled to scour the region for the seven remaining fugitives. The escape A law enforcement photograph obtained by The Associated Press shows the opening through which the men escaped. Above the hole are scrawled messages that include 'To Easy LoL' with an arrow pointing at the gap. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Friday's escape is drawing intense scrutiny and criticism. It took hours for sheriff's officials to realize the men had escaped and then more time still to alert New Orleans police, even though some of the missing men are accused of violent offenses and they escaped into a neighborhood less than 2 miles (3.2 km) from the city's famous French Quarter. 'Someone clearly dropped the ball and there's no excuse for this,' Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said on X. Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams, who said he prosecuted one of the people who escaped, told New Orleans news station WWL-TV he was 'angry.' 'This is absurd,' he said. 'I don't understand how it is feasible that it could have occurred.' Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. What are jail officials saying? Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said the men were able to get out of the Orleans Justice Center because of 'defective locks,' and possibly with help from people inside her department. 'It's almost impossible, not completely, but almost impossible for anybody to get out of this facility without help,' she said Friday of the jail where 1,400 people are being held. Hutson said she has repeatedly raised concerns about the locks and again this week pushed for funding to fix jail infrastructure. Surveillance footage, shared with media during a news conference, showed the escapees sprinting out of the facility — some wearing orange clothing and others in white. They scaled a fence, using blankets to protect themselves from barbed wire, and some sprinted across an interstate and into a neighborhood. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Why did it take hours to learn about the escape? The escapees yanked open a door to enter the cell with the hole around 12:30 a.m. By 1:30 a.m., they were outside the jail, according to the sheriff's office. But it was not until a routine morning headcount more than seven hours later that law enforcement learned they were missing. Officials from the sheriff's office say no deputy was at the pod where the fugitives had been held. There was a civilian employee there, but she had stepped away to get food, they said. There appeared to be a further delay before New Orleans police were notified. 'You've given a head start to some very dangerous people,' Williams told WWL-TV Friday. Soon after the escape, one of the men, Kendall Myles, 20, was apprehended in the French Quarter after a brief foot chase. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Three sheriff's employees have been placed on suspension pending the outcome of an investigation. It was not immediately clear whether any of the employees were suspected of helping with the escape. Officials also didn't say if the employee who left to get food was among the three suspended. Who are the men who escaped? Most of the men are in their 20s. Myles and the other two men who were captured, Robert Moody, 21, and Dkenan Dennis, 24, were taken by helicopter to a state correctional facility outside the New Orleans area, Louisiana State Police said Saturday. The agency said one of the men became hostile during the transfer, requiring troopers to use a 'spit hood.' They did not identify the man. Dennis had been charged with armed robbery with a firearm and illegal carrying of a weapon during a crime of violence, according to Murrill, the attorney general. Moody was facing a weapons charge as well as charges of attempted second-degree battery and obstruction. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Murrill said both men will face additional charges stemming from the escape. One of the fugitives, Derrick Groves, was convicted on two charges of second-degree murder and two charges of attempted second-degree murder last year for his role in the 2018 Mardi Gras Day shootings of two men. Another escapee, Corey Boyd, had pled not guilty to a pending second-degree murder charge. The jail has had problems before The justice center opened in 2015, making it a relatively new facility, but it has still experienced violence and security problems. Hutson said the facility is around 60% staffed, so the staff is 'stretched thin.' Bianka Brown, chief financial officer of the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office, said the jail can't afford a maintenance and service contract to fix problems such as broken doors, lock replacements and other ailing infrastructure. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The jail contained numerous 'high security' people convicted of violent offenses who required a 'restrictive housing environment that did not exist,' said Jay Mallett, Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office chief of corrections. The sheriff's office was in the process of transferring dozens to more secure locations. Hutson is facing reelection this year, and at least one of her opponents, former interim New Orleans Police Superintendent Michelle Woodfork, demanded she answer questions about the escape. Williams, the district attorney, appointed Woodfork to a position in his office last year. Noting the sheriff's race was starting, Hutson called the timing of the escape 'suspicious.' She did not elaborate.
CTV News
18-05-2025
- CTV News
Reward increased for capture of escaped New Orleans inmates as 7 dangerous felons remain on the lam
This image provided by Louisiana State Police shows one of New Orleans jail escapees, Kendall Myles, captured in the French Quarter Friday, May 16, 2025 in New Orleans. (Louisiana State Police via AP) NEW ORLEANS, La. — Officials on Sunday increased the reward for the capture of seven inmates who escaped from a New Orleans jail by fleeing through a hole behind a toilet. FBI Special Agent Jonathan Trapp said Sunday seven of the 10 escapees are still at large and the FBI is offering US$10,000 per inmate. He said he believes members of the public may be aiding the escapees. The men range in age from 19 to 42 and face a variety of charges including aggravated assault, domestic abuse battery and murder. The announcement came as at least a dozen law enforcement agencies entered the third day of the manhunt. A spokesperson for the Louisiana State Police said that the agency was unable to provide details about the scope and target of the investigation for security reasons. The spokesperson added that a multiagency task force was scouring the region for the remaining fugitives. In a separate statement, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said on Sunday her office's 'main priority remains recovering the prisoners, protecting the public, securing and stabilizing the facility staff, and building.' At least one of the escaped inmates was captured based on a tip from the public, according to a statement from the FBI on the social media platform X. The reward for information leading to the capture of inmates still at large has been increased to $5,000 from the ATF in addition to $2,000 from Crimestoppers and $5,000 from the FBI. New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick warned that the fugitives are dangerous in a news conference on Friday night but also urged the public 'not to panic.' Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said the men were able to get out of the Orleans Justice Center because of 'defective locks.' Hutson said she has continuously raised concerns about the locks to officials and, as recently as this week, advocated for money to fix the aged infrastructure.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Yahoo
10 inmates escape New Orleans jail: Charges against them include murder
Nine inmates - some of them charged with murder - escaped a jail in New Orleans and remain on the loose as authorities investigate whether any guards were in on the jailbreak plot. A total of 10 inmates escaped from jail in Orleans Parish at around 1 a.m. on Friday, Sheriff Susan Hutson told reporters. One inmate – Kendall Myles – was caught in the French Quarter but the other nine men remain on the run. Officials suspect the group had help from jail staff: 'We have indication that these detainees received assistance from individuals inside the department,' Hutson said. 'You can run, but you CANNOT HIDE,' Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry wrote on Facebook. 'We will hunt each of you down.' Authorities are offering a $5,000 reward to anyone who provides helpful information. The release of the names of the nine escaped men: Gary C. Price, Derrick Groves, Jermaine Donald, Corey Boyd, Leo Tate, Dkenan Dennis, Robert Moody, Lenton Vanburen and Antoine T. Massey comes about nine hours after they were first discovered missing during a morning headcount at the jail. Charges against them include attempted first-degree murder, according to Orleans Parish records. Louisiana State Police located and apprehended Myles in the French Quarter, a busy tourist area in New Orleans, Sheriff Susan Hutson said during a 3:30 p.m. press conference. Authorities found the inmate underneath a parked car near the Hotel Monteleone, she said. Local and state police are working with the FBI and United States Marshalls to find the remaining escapees. Jail authorities said the group began making their escape at around 12:30 a.m. a few hours after lockdown at 10:30 p.m. They began by pulling a 'defective' sliding cell door off its tracks, according to Sheriff Hutson. At around 1 a.m. they breached a jail wall by ripping away a toilet and sink. Security footage shows the men leave via a loading dock, scale a wall and then run across a nearby highway, she said. Orleans Parish Chief of Corrections Jeworski Mallett said breaching the wall near the toilets would not have been possible without outside assistance. 'It was more than just a breach of security, it was some type of help,' Mallett said. The names of the nine men on the run are: Gary C. Price, Derrick Groves, Jermaine Donald, Corey Boyd, Leo Tate, Dkenan Dennis, Robert Moody, Lenton Vanburen and Antoine T. Massey. They range in age from 19-year-old Moody, charged with second-degree battery, to 42-year-old Donald charged with second-degree murder. Price, 21, is charged with attempted first-degree murder. Massey, 32, is charged with domestic abuse involving strangulation, according to Parish records. New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said at a news conference that police notified escapees' alleged victims and went to a home to remove a family thought to be in danger. Mallett noted the prison – with 1,400 inmates – held an unusual number of 'high-security individuals' in a relatively low-security facility. Contributing: Reuters. This is a developing story. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 10 inmates escape New Orleans jail. How did they do it?
ABC News
17-05-2025
- ABC News
Prisoners make audacious escape through hole in New Orleans cell
A manhunt is underway after 10 prisoners escaped through a hole in a New Orleans cell, leaving a message behind telling authorities the breakout was "too easy". Seven of the escapees, including men charged with murder, remain on the run following the escape that the local sheriff says may have been aided by people on the inside of the United States prison. The men fled through a hole behind a toilet, before scaling a wall while a lone guard assigned to their cell pod was away getting food, authorities said. Above the hole the prisoners left messages that include "To Easy LOL" with an arrow pointing at the gap. Surveillance footage, shared with media, showed the escapees sprinting out of the facility — some wearing orange clothing and others in white. They scaled a fence, using blankets to avoid being cut by barbed wire, and then some could be seen sprinting across the highway and into a neighbourhood. It was not until a routine morning headcount, more than seven hours later, that law enforcement learned of the escape. Soon after the escape, one of the men, Kendall Myles, 20 — who had previously escaped twice from juvenile detention centres — was apprehended after a brief foot chase. Two more fugitives were captured on Friday evening thanks to a public tip-off, according to authorities. Seven escaped inmates remain at large, Louisiana State Police said in an update on Saturday morning. State police used a helicopter to transport the captured inmates to a state correctional facility outside the New Orleans area, the agency said. The search remains active with local, state, and federal agencies working together around the clock to locate and apprehend the remaining individuals, police said. The men were able to get out of the Orleans Justice Center because of "defective locks," Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said. Sheriff Hutson said she had continuously raised concerns about the locks to officials and, as recently as this week, advocated for money to fix the ailing infrastructure. Sheriff Hutson said there were indications people inside her department helped the fugitives escape. "It's almost impossible, not completely, but almost impossible for anybody to get out of this facility without help," she said of the jail, where 1,400 people are being held. The escapees yanked open a door to enter the cell with the hole around 1am, local time. At least one of the steel bars protecting plumbing fixtures "appeared to have been intentionally cut using a tool," according to a statement from the Sheriff's Office. The men shed their jail uniforms once out of the facility, and it is still unclear how some of them obtained regular clothing so quickly, officials said. Three employees have been placed on suspension pending the outcome of the investigation. The escapees range in age from 19 to 42, with most in their 20s. One of the fugitives, Derrick Groves, was convicted on two charges of second-degree murder and two charges of attempted second-degree murder last year for his role in the 2018 Mardi Gras Day shootings of two men. He also faces a charge of battery against a correctional facility employee, court records show. Law enforcement warned that he may attempt to locate witnesses in the murder trial. Another escapee, Corey Boyd, had pled not guilty to a pending second-degree murder charge. The New Orleans jail has for more than a decade been subject to federal monitoring and a settlement intended to improve conditions. Security problems and violence persisted even after the city opened the Orleans Justice Center in 2015, replacing the decaying Orleans Parish Prison, which had seen its own string of escapes and dozens of in-custody deaths. A federal judge declared in 2013 that the lock-up had festered into an unconstitutional setting for people incarcerated there. ABC/AP
Chicago Tribune
17-05-2025
- Chicago Tribune
10 escape from New Orleans jail through hole in cell wall while lone guard left to get food
NEW ORLEANS — Ten men broke out of a New Orleans jail Friday in an audacious overnight escape by fleeing through a hole behind a toilet and scaling a wall while the lone guard assigned to their cell pod was away getting food, authorities said. Seven of the escapees, including suspects charged with murder, remain on the lam following the breakout that the local sheriff says may have been aided by members within the department. Surveillance footage, shared with media during a news conference, showed the escapees sprinting out of the facility — some wearing orange clothing and others in white. They scaled a fence, using blankets to avoid being cut by barbed wire, and then some could be seen sprinting across the nearby interstate and into a neighborhood. A photograph obtained by The Associated Press from law enforcement shows the opening behind a toilet in a cell that the men escaped through. Above the hole are scrawled messages that include 'To Easy LoL' with an arrow pointing at the gap. The absence of the 10 men, who also utilized facility deficiencies that officials have long complained about in their escape, went unnoticed for hours. It was not until a routine morning headcount, more than seven hours later, that law enforcement learned of the escape. Officials from the sheriff's office say no deputy was at the pod where the fugitives had been held. There was a technician, a civilian there to observe the pod, but she had stepped away to get food, they said. Soon after the escape, one of the men, Kendall Myles, 20, was apprehended after a brief foot chase through the French Quarter. He had previously escaped twice from juvenile detention centers. By Friday evening, two more fugitives had been captured. Officials found Robert Moody, 21, in New Orleans thanks to a Crimestoppers tip, according to Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office. Dkenan Dennis was found near the Chef Menteur Highway, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced on the social platform X. Seven escaped inmates remain at large, Louisiana State Police said in an update Saturday morning. State police used a helicopter to transport the captured inmates to a state correctional facility outside the New Orleans area, the agency said. The search remains active with numerous local, state, and federal agencies working together around the clock to locate and apprehend the remaining individuals, police said. Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said the men were able to get out of the Orleans Justice Center because of 'defective locks.' Hutson said she has continuously raised concerns about the locks to officials and, as recently as this week, advocated for money to fix the ailing infrastructure. Hutson said there are indications that people inside her department helped the fugitives escape. 'It's almost impossible, not completely, but almost impossible for anybody to get out of this facility without help,' she said of the jail, where 1,400 people are being held. The escapees yanked open a door to enter the cell with the hole around 1 a.m. At least one of the steel bars protecting plumbing fixtures 'appeared to have been intentionally cut using a tool,' according to a statement from the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office on Friday night. The men shed their jail uniforms once out of the facility, and it is still unclear how some of them obtained regular clothing so quickly, officials said. Authorities did not notice the men were missing until 8:30 a.m. Authorities initially said 11 had escaped, but at a Friday afternoon news conference said one man thought to have escaped was in a different cell. Three employees have been placed on suspension pending the outcome of the investigation. It was not immediately clear whether any of the employees were suspected of helping with the escape. Officials also didn't say if the guard who left to get food was among the three suspended. The escapees range in age from 19 to 42. Most of the men are in their 20s. One of the fugitives, Derrick Groves, was convicted on two charges of second-degree murder and two charges of attempted second-degree murder last year for his role in the 2018 Mardi Gras Day shootings of two men. He also faces a charge of battery against a correctional facility employee, court records show. Law enforcement warned that he may attempt to locate witnesses in the murder trial. Another escapee, Corey Boyd, had pled not guilty to a pending second-degree murder charge. Hutson said the police department was actively working with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to search for the fugitives. Police relied on facial recognition technology to identify and capture one fugitive, said Bryan LaGarde, executive director of Project NOLA, a nonprofit operating more than 5,000 cameras around New Orleans. His organization, which partners with Louisiana authorities, entered the escapees' images into the system and quickly found two in the French Quarter. 'They were walking openly in the street. They were keeping their heads down and checking over their shoulder.' LaGarde said, adding that the other fugitive walked out of sight of the cameras. 'This represents a complete failure of the most basic responsibilities entrusted to a sheriff or jail administrator,' said Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams. He blasted the sheriff's office for a multi-hour delay in notifying authorities and the public of the escape. 'These inexcusable failures have put lives in danger.' Murrill, the state's attorney general, called the escape 'beyond unacceptable' and said local authorities waited too long to inform the public. She said she reached out to surrounding states to alert them about the escape. New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said her agency has put 'a full court effort' to respond to the escape and is working with the FBI and U.S. marshals. Officers were focused on identifying and providing protection for people who may have testified in their cases or may be in danger. One family has been 'removed' from their home, Kirkpatrick said. 'If there is anyone helping or harboring these escapees, you will be charged,' Kirkpatrick added. New Orleans' jail has for more than a decade been subject to federal monitoring and a consent decree intended to improve conditions. Security problems and violence persisted even after the city opened the Orleans Justice Center in 2015, replacing the decaying Orleans Parish Prison, which had seen its own string of escapes and dozens of in-custody deaths. A federal judge declared in 2013 that the lockup had festered into an unconstitutional setting for people incarcerated there. Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said staff is 'stretched thin' at the facility, which is around 60% staffed. Bianka Brown, chief financial officer of the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office, said they can't afford a maintenance and service contract to fix problems such as broken doors, lock replacements and other ailing infrastructure. The jail contained numerous 'high security' people convicted of violent offenses who required a 'restrictive housing environment that did not exist,' said Jay Mallett, Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office chief of corrections. The sheriff's office was in the process of transferring dozens to more secure locations.
