It will soon be a month since the bold escape from the Orleans Parish jail put ten inmates on the run.
Eight have been captured, but Derrick Groves and Antoine Massey remain at large.
Former NOPD Superintendent Ronal Serpas says law enforcement doesn’t give up on high-risk escapees, especially a violent offender like Groves.
"The government doesn’t stop looking for someone like Groves, and they shouldn’t," says Serpas.
He points to long-standing trends showing that most fugitives run out of options before long. As time drags on, fugitive resources begin to dwindle, whether that's friends, money, food, or shelter. That’s when cracks start to show.
Though police manpower shortages remain a challenge in New Orleans, Serpas stresses that the city isn’t operating alone. Support from state and federal agencies has helped sustain search efforts and expand their reach.
"These are serious cases. The state and federal partners step in," Serpas says. "They will not just go away."
One of the fugitives, Antoine Massey, has already been spotted on social media, which Serpas says is often the beginning of a misstep.
"That kind of behavior usually leads to mistakes," he says.
For now, the fugitives remain free, but Serpas says history and pressure are not on their side.
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