Now Reading: Apparent video of escaped New Orleans inmate could be a big break
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Apparent video of escaped New Orleans inmate could be a big break
Apparent video of escaped New Orleans inmate could be a big break
New Orleans resident says sheriff “failed us” after jail escape
New Orleans resident Lakisha Catchings lives near where one of 10 escaped inmates was apprehended. She says the sheriff failed to protect the city.
Authorities searching for two of the inmates who escaped a New Orleans jail last month may have gotten their biggest break yet: A video apparently posted to social media by one of the fugitives.
On May 16, a group of 10 inmates escaped the Orleans Parish jail through a hole behind a toilet, officials said. Law enforcement has since captured eight of the men, leaving only Antoine Massey, 32, and Derrick Groves, 27, on the run.
The video posted to Instagram on June 1 shows a man who identifies himself as Massey in what appears to be an apartment. The man in the video denies claims he was the mastermind of the jailbreak, saying “I didn’t break out. I was let out.” He also proclaimed his innocence, solicited help from a litany of celebrities – including President Donald Trump and rapper Meek Mill – and said he fled to avoid being charged for a crime he did not commit.
Experts who reviewed the video told USA TODAY it could be the break investigators were looking for. The Instagram post, they said, could lead authorities to a location where Massey is holed up, or to a person who’s helping him. The video itself gives law enforcement a look at his most recent appearance and provides insights into his current frame of mind.
“Posting a video is great for law enforcement,” said Scott Duffey, co-director for the Criminal Justice Institute at Wilmington University and a retired FBI agent. “Anytime a fugitive who’s on the lam put his head above water, it’s helpful.”
How does the video help law enforcement?
Duffey said the first thing law enforcement will do is investigate whether the video is real or not – an increasingly prevalent challenge in the age of artificial intelligence. Once its validity is confirmed, there’s a trove of information authorities can glean from it.
On June 2, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office released a statement saying they are aware of the video and urged Massey to turn himself in. Authorities have not publicly confirmed whether Massey is the man in the video. They’ve not denied it either.
But what information can investigators get from a Instagram that has been deleted? A lot, said Donald Lane, a former U.S. Secret Service agent with decades of experience in fugitive manhunts.
Lane said investigators will try to determine who the account belongs to. If the account that posted the video is linked to a real person, law enforcement will attempt to interview them or obtain a search warrant. If a dummy account was created to upload the video – meaning there’s no account information tying it to Massey or an associate – there are still opportunities for solid leads.
For example, electronic crime experts could track the use of the social media app – including the action of signing up for an account – to an IP address. Once investigators locate the computer network the device is tied to, they can quickly ascertain a physical address.
“Anytime you have a person doing something like this, it’s a break in the investigation,” Lane said.
Is Massey feeling the heat?
Duffey and Lane both said Massey appears to be “desperate to prove his case” and anticipating his eventual capture.
“He knows he’s going to be caught,” Lane said. “He’s pleading his case in the public forum. … It shows a bit of desperation.”
The odds are certainly against Massey, who is charged with domestic abuse involving strangulation as well as theft of a motor vehicle. According to Bryce Peterson, an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice who has conducted extensive research on inmate escapes, well over 90% of inmates who escape will be recaptured.
This is because the life of a fugitive is unsustainable for most people. “It’s very tough,” Duffey said. “You’re always overlooking your shoulder.”
The eight other fugitives who fled with Massey and Groves were arrested following high-speed chases, facial recognition technology and tips from the public. Over a dozen people have also been arrested and accused of aiding the escapees. Authorities are currently offering $50,000 for tips leading to the arrest of Massey and Groves.
Citing the video, Duffey said there could be an opportunity for law enforcement to open up a line of communication and facilitate Massey’s surrender.
“He’s not looking at life in prison and there’s some room to play with,” Duffey said. “Law enforcement could get him to turn himself in to fight his case in custody. That would be a good thing for him and a good thing for law enforcement.”
Search continues for escaped ‘Devil in the Ozarks’ murderer Grant Hardin
Meanwhile in Arkansas, authorities have been searching for escaped murderer Grant Hardin, who impersonated a corrections officer to escape a medium-security state prison on May 25.
Hardin, 56, dressed up in a makeshift outfit to look like a prison guard and walked out of a gate over a week ago, court records show. Authorities have followed several leads and used drones, aircraft and dogs to hunt for him, with no success, according to the Arkansas Department of Corrections.
The convicted murderer and rapist is known as the “Devil in the Ozarks,” the name of a TV documentary program made about his cases in 2023. Hardin was briefly the police chief in Gateway, Arkansas, and had prior law enforcement experience, officials have said.
He pleaded guilty to the 2017 murder of James Appleton, a water department worker in Gateway, and the 1997 rape of a school teacher in nearby Rogers, Arkansas.
Authorities have offered an up to $20,000 reward for information leading to his recapture.
Contributing: Jeanine Santucci
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