Eight down, two to go: Louisiana authorities say three more of the 10 escapees who broke out of the Orleans Parish Jail on May 16 are now in custody--one in Baton Rouge and the others in Texas.
According to a post on the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office’s Facebook and Twitter pages, Attorney General Liz Murrill said that agents in her office arrested Lenton Vanburen on Monday in Baton Rouge. Nearly 30 minutes later, Governor Jeff Landry announced on his Twitter profile that authorities in Texas apprehended Leo Tate and Jermaine Donald in Texas.
Vanburen was originally in jail for a parole violation as well as multiple guns charges. Murrill says he will face additional charges related to the escape.
“I’m very proud of our DOJ Fugitive Apprehension Unit’s work with our partners in the Baton Rouge Police Department and Louisiana State Police,” Murrill wrote on the social media sites.
Governor Landry commended other Louisiana State Police and the Texas Department of Public Safety for working together to secure the arrests of Tate, who was convicted of guns, theft, and obstruction of justice charges, and Donald, who is facing a second-degree murder charge.
Louisiana State Police confirmed that Tate and Donald were caught in Walker County, Texas. Ironically, Walker County is the home of the Texas State Penitentiary.
"The Louisiana State Police is proud of the strong partnerships we share with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners," an LSP spokesperson wrote on the agency's Facebook page. "This is a clear example of how effective collaboration and open communication between agencies can lead to successful outcomes!"
Governor Landry issued a warning to the two escapees who remain at large, Antoine Massey and Derrick Groves.
"Antoine and Derrick--you are NEXT!" Landry tweeted.
Authorities are offering $20,000 rewards per escapee for information that leads to their arrests. If you have any information about their whereabouts, call the New Orleans Police Department at 504-658-5300, Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111, or 911.
