Police Recapture 3 of 10 Inmates Who Escaped From New Orleans Jail, Manhunt Continues

One inmate was caught after a French Quarter foot chase; two others were arrested later with help from public tips.

This combo shows the 10 inmates who escaped from a jail in New Orleans, La., on May 16, 2025. Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office via AP

Three of the 10 inmates who escaped from the Orleans Justice Center in New Orleans have been recaptured, with authorities continuing the manhunt for the remaining seven, law enforcement officials confirmed in a May 17 update.

The breakout occurred in the early hours of May 16, when the men crawled through a hole behind a toilet, exited through a loading dock door, scaled a perimeter wall, and fled across an interstate highway, Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson told reporters on May 16. Hutson initially said 11 inmates were missing, but later clarified that one had been mistakenly counted among the escapees and was found in a different cell.

Louisiana State Police said in a Saturday morning update that one escapee was caught shortly after the breakout on Friday, and two more were captured later that day with help from public tips. All three were moved to a secure facility, with one requiring a spit hood during transport after exhibiting hostile behavior.

“Troopers worked through the night with our local, state, and federal partners to continue the search for the seven escaped inmates who remain at large,” the agency stated, noting that more than 200 officers are involved in the manhunt.

One of the captured men, Kendell Myles, who had been charged with attempted second-degree murder, was caught earlier Friday following a foot chase through the French Quarter, police said.

This image provided by Louisiana State Police shows one of New Orleans' jail escapees, Kendall Myles, captured in the French Quarter in New Orleans on May 16, 2025. Louisiana State Police via AP

Robert Moody was apprehended in the 3500 block of Second Street, New Orleans, after a tip to Crimestoppers. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said Moody had been held on charges including illegal carrying of a weapon with narcotics and attempted second-degree battery, and is now facing additional charges related to the escape.

Dkenan Dennis was arrested near Chef Menteur Highway, according to the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. Murrill said he, too, will be charged in connection with the jailbreak.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry praised the law enforcement response. “3 down 7 to go, and we are not slowing down! Lock them up!” he wrote in a post on social media. He added that a $5,000 reward is being offered for anyone in the public who provides helpful information in the search for the fugitives. “You can run, but you cannot hide. We will hunt each of you down,” he posted.

The breakout was discovered during a routine headcount at 8:30 a.m.—more than seven hours after the men fled the jail. Hutson said it was likely that the inmates were assisted in their escape.

“We do acknowledge there is no way people can get out of this facility without there being some type of lapse in security,” Hutson told reporters at a Friday briefing. “It’s almost impossible, not completely, but almost impossible for anybody to get out of this facility without help.”

Hutson said a full-scale investigation is underway to determine how the inmates managed to flee the jail.

Surveillance footage reviewed by the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office showed the escape began at about 12:22 a.m., when inmates forced open a sliding door to a cell that was later discovered to have a hole.

At least one of the steel bars protecting plumbing fixtures “appeared to have been intentionally cut using a tool, compromising the integrity of the pod’s security features,” according to a statement from the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office on Friday night.

By around 1 a.m., the inmates had exited through a loading dock and moved along a secure perimeter road, later scaling a barbed-wire fence using blankets and fleeing across a highway into a nearby neighborhood. Investigators later found discarded clothing believed to belong to the escapees.

The escape route—a hole behind a toilet—was captured in a photo obtained by The Associated Press, with graffiti above it reading “To Easy LoL” and an arrow aimed at the opening.

Photo showing an opening inside a cell at the Orleans Justice Center jail, in New Orleans, La., on May 16, 2025. AP Photo

The sheriff’s office said that no deputy had been assigned to the pod where the fugitives were being held and that a civilian technician stationed at the pod module had stepped away to get food.

The breakout wasn’t discovered until morning headcount at 8:30 a.m., with the attorney general criticizing officials for being slow to notify the public.

“Someone clearly dropped the ball, and there’s no excuse for this,” Murrill said in a statement. “The first priority in any escape must be the immediate capture of the inmates and coordination with state and local law enforcement—but that effort cannot come at the expense of timely notification to the public, which is also critical to keeping communities safe.”

Murrill called for a full investigation and pledged that “real accountability” must follow once all escapees are back in custody.

Three employees have been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the investigation, according to the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. Officials have not said whether any are suspected of aiding the jailbreak.