• Derrick Groves, the last inmate to escape from New Orleans in May, was captured in Atlanta.
• The five-month manhunt culminated in a standoff at a home where he was found hiding.
• Groves was convicted of a double murder and faces extradition back to Louisiana.

Derrick Groves, convicted of double murder, was captured on Wednesday in Atlanta, bringing the five-month manhunt for the last of 10 escapees from the Orleans Parish Justice Center to an end. Groves was found hiding in a crawl space at a residential home following a tip received by Crime Stoppers Greater New Orleans, which led to a coordinated operation involving multiple law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Marshals and Atlanta Police SWAT team, according to CBS News.

The operation began after authorities executed a search warrant at the location, where gas had to be deployed multiple times before Groves was located. This marked a culmination of efforts that began with his escape on May 16, during which inmates broke through walls to flee the jail. U.S. Marshal Brian Fair noted, "Based on how long it took a seasoned, well-trained SWAT team to get him out, he had planned to hide for a while,” as reported by The Hill and India Times.

After hours of searching, Groves was found shirtless, shoeless, and in shackles, reportedly smiling during his apprehension. He is expected to face additional charges connected to his escape upon extradition to Louisiana, where he had already been sentenced to life imprisonment for his previous crimes, including a notorious incident during a Mardi Gras celebration in 2018 that resulted in two deaths, according to CBS News.

Authorities have underscored the seriousness of Groves' escape, labeling it a "historic failure of custodial security" that raised concerns among the public and victims associated with his previous crimes. New Orleans District Attorney Jason Rogers Williams emphasized the need for accountability, stating, “We will pursue every available legal avenue to ensure that Derrick Groves answers for every crime he has committed and every consequence he has sought to avoid," as detailed in India Times.

Groves' escape ignited a complex, joint manhunt involving numerous agencies, including the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations. His eventual recapture concludes the search for all ten escapees from the May jailbreak, as all are now back in custody, emphasizing the collaborative efforts among the local, state, and federal authorities, according to The Hill, CBS News, and India Times.