A manhunt is underway after 10 inmates escaped from the Orleans Parish Justice Center between late Thursday night and early Friday morning, in what officials described as a coordinated breach involving possible assistance from inside the jail.
Authorities discovered the escape during a routine headcount around 8:30 a.m. Friday, according to Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson. An eleventh inmate initially thought to be missing, Keith Lewis, was later found in another cell.
“This is a very serious and unacceptable situation,” Hutson said during a Friday afternoon press conference. She confirmed that the inmates broke through a wall behind a toilet in a handicap-accessible cell using tools potentially provided or accessed with inside help. “There is no way of people getting out of this facility without there being some kind of lapse in security. There’s no way… almost impossible to get out of this facility without help from the outside,” she said.
Photos released by the sheriff’s office show a gaping hole behind the cell toilet, with graffiti above it reading “We Innocent” and “Too Easy LoL.”
According to Chief of Corrections Jeworski Mallett, bolts and fixtures were removed, likely using tools not accessible to inmates. “It would definitely be some type of tool used other than just the strength of a sheer individual,” Mallett said. “It’s more than just a breach of security, it was some type of help.”
Surveillance footage shows the inmates exiting a jail dock door, scaling a perimeter wall, and running across Interstate 10. Despite the presence of a technician in the housing unit at the time of the escape, around 1:01 a.m., the inmates managed to breach security undetected.
At the time of the escape, the jail operated with only 36 staff members and four supervisors monitoring approximately 1,400 inmates, according to OPSO. Sheriff Hutson noted that the jail is currently staffed at 60% capacity and blamed long standing infrastructure issues, including defective door locks.
Among the 10 escapees, several face charges including second-degree murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, and battery. One inmate, 20-year-old Kendell Myles, who was previously charged with attempted murder and criminal conspiracy, was recaptured Friday morning after a brief foot chase in the French Quarter.
Troop NOLA Troopers located escapee Kendall Myles in the French Quarter this morning. After a brief foot pursuit, he was apprehended on Royal Street. Troopers continue working with partners to locate the remaining escapees and ensure public safety. #troopnola pic.twitter.com/ef5FM55YRS
— LA State Police (@LAStatePolice) May 16, 2025
Authorities said they are working with federal and state agencies, including the FBI and U.S. Marshals, in a “full-scale search operation.” The escapees are considered armed and dangerous, according to OPSO Chief of Field Operations Christopher Goodly.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill condemned the escape and called for a full investigation. “Someone clearly dropped the ball and there’s no excuse for this,” she posted on X. “Once these offenders are back in custody, there must be real accountability.”
Sheriff Hutson, facing re-election next year, deflected political criticism and emphasized her office’s ongoing search. “All of our energy at OPSO is going toward getting these folks back into custody and finding out exactly what happened.”
