Ten days after a bold escape from the Orleans Justice Center rocked New Orleans, two fugitives remain at large — one of whom carries a legacy of one of the city’s darkest chapters. Among the remaining escapees is 27-year-old Derrick Groves, the grandson of Kim Groves, a woman whose 1994 assassination was ordered by a corrupt New Orleans police officer.
Groves, who was awaiting sentencing for multiple homicide convictions, is the subject of an intense manhunt involving local, state, and federal law enforcement. He and fellow fugitive Antoine Massey are now the only two fugitives still missing after the May 16 mass escape involving ten detainees.
A Family Marked by Tragedy
Derrick Groves’ name has become tragically familiar to the city of New Orleans— not only because of the violence he’s accused of, but also due to the trauma embedded in his family history. His grandmother, Kim Groves, was fatally shot in front of her home after reporting police misconduct. The hit was ordered by then-New Orleans Police Department officer Len Davis, whose callous celebratory phone calls were later played in court. Davis was sentenced to death in the federal system but had his sentence commuted to life without parole earlier this year. The shooter, Paul “Cool” Hardy, remains imprisoned.
Although Derrick was not yet born when his grandmother was executed, those close to the family say the trauma cast a long shadow over his upbringing. Gail Slack, a family friend and neighborhood matriarch who helped raise Groves, recalled him as a sweet child who tutored her son and spent time doing homework at her home.
“A small child hearing how his grandmother was killed by police — yeah, it had a big factor in him,” Slack told WWL Louisiana. “But he’s still my Derrick. He’s still my baby.”
From A Promising Childhood to Conviction
Despite early signs of promise, Groves’ life spiraled into criminality. He was convicted in October 2024 on two counts of second-degree murder, including a 2018 double homicide during Mardi Gras. He had pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter in separate cases. After two mistrials and a hung jury, his final conviction was reached just months before his anticipated sentencing this July.
His escape has intensified tensions citywide. District Attorney Jason Williams confirmed that two prosecutors who worked on the Groves case have left the state for their safety. Meanwhile, the family of one of his victims has gone into hiding, fearing retaliation.
Groves’ aunt, Jasmine Groves, spoke publicly for the first time this week, pleading with her nephew to surrender peacefully. She also expressed concern over heavy law enforcement presence near family members’ homes, and the reported detainment of Groves’ mother by state police without formal notice. U.S. Marshals confirmed the questioning, but declined to offer further details.
A Notorious Co-Escapee
The second fugitive still on the run, Antoine Massey, has a decades-long history of escapes — from juvenile detention to adult facilities and even electronic monitoring. First escaping in 2007 as a juvenile, Massey most recently cut off an ankle monitor in 2023, disappearing for months. Authorities now believe Massey may have orchestrated the May 16 escape by threatening a maintenance worker at the Orleans Justice Center. That worker is now facing felony charges for allegedly aiding in the jailbreak.
The Ongoing Manhunt
Law enforcement agencies — including the Louisiana State Police and FBI — continue their pursuit of Groves and Massey. A $20,000 reward is being offered for information leading to their arrests.
As the manhunt enters its second week, a complex portrait of Derrick Groves has emerged: a convicted killer shaped by a legacy of state violence and community grief. For those who knew him before the headlines, like Gail Slack, the hope remains that he will surrender before the story ends in more bloodshed.
“Be safe and turn yourself in,” she said, her voice full of worry. “I just hope they don’t hurt him.”
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