Latest news with #recapture
CBC
7 days ago
- CBC
Police recapture convicted murderer who escaped prison north of Montreal
Correctional Service Canada says a convicted murderer who escaped from a Quebec prison nearly three weeks ago has been recaptured. They say Lori Bill Germa was apprehended by Montreal police at around 7:45 a.m. Friday. Montreal police said in a news release that he robbed a financial institution on Guy Street on July 19 and again on July 22. An employee gave him $400 the first time and $500 the second, both in bundles containing marked bills. He faces robbery charges. The 69-year-old escaped from the Archambault Institution north of Montreal on July 5. Staff at the prison's minimum-security unit reported him missing after noticing he was absent during an inmate count. Germa had been serving a first-degree murder sentence for a crime committed in 1992.
Fox News
12-07-2025
- Fox News
Smiling fugitive recaptured and returned to Kentucky after dramatic airport escape
A fugitive who escaped custody at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in May appeared surprisingly pleased with his recapture, flashing a broad grin as law enforcement escorted him back to Kentucky. The Warren County Sheriff's Office shared the update on Sedrick T. Stevenson, thanking the other agencies for their help, stating that they "coordinated closely" with U.S. Marshals and Seattle-area agencies to ensure Stevenson's secure return. Photos released by the Warren County Sheriff's Office show Stevenson smiling cheerfully while seated on a plane alongside multiple law enforcement officers — a striking contrast to the circumstances of his return to custody. "Therefore, we wanted to ensure he was brought back without issue. We underwent coordination with the Port of Seattle Police, Seattle Police, US Marshals, Air Marshals, and TSA," the sheriff's office shared. Authorities took no chances with Stevenson this time and guaranteed he would return to Kentucky with zero issues as he was pictured strapped to a wheelchair and put in the plane's window seat under the careful watch of law enforcement. Deputies joked about the cross-country trip to retrieve Stevenson, pointing out it took nearly 24-hours to conduct the mission. "I am happy to report that after 2 direct flights, 4 time zone changes, and 21 straight hours, he was booked into the WCRJ," officials said. "He (Stevenson) received VIP service and ensured a 5-Star Yelp review." Stevenson, 28, who was wanted on warrants out of Bowling Green, Kentucky, snuck away from a contracted agent on May 4 when the agent lost control of him at the ticket counter at the airport. Port of Seattle Police confirmed via video cameras that Stevenson, who was in shackles, was caught on video escaping by boarding a light rail train and disappearing for more than a month until he was captured by U.S. Marshals. The U.S. Marshals Service told FOX 13 Seattle that Stevenson was arrested in a Seattle neighborhood, along with a second person who investigators said was reportedly assisting Stevenson in his escape. "This arrest sends a clear message: no matter how long it takes or how far someone runs, justice will catch up with them. Our deputies and taskforce officers worked tirelessly and with unwavering dedication to bring Stevenson back into custody. The community can rest easier, knowing a dangerous fugitive is no longer on the streets" U.S. Marshal Donrien Stephens told the outlet. Stevenson was being held in the King County jail until authorities in Kentucky were able to transport him back to their state. At the time of his escape, Stevenson was being extradited to Kentucky to face multiple charges, according to the U.S. Marshal's Office, including being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, third-degree assault, and enhanced possession of a controlled substance. Fox News Digital reached out to the U.S. Marshal's Office, but did not immediately receive a response. Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to
The Independent
09-07-2025
- The Independent
Convicted murderer Derrick Groves eludes law enforcement as last New Orleans jail escapee on the run
Nearly two months after 10 inmates escaped from a New Orleans jail by crawling through a hole behind a toilet, authorities have recaptured all but the man with the most violent rap sheet: Derrick Groves. Following the May 16 jailbreak, law enforcement tracked down three escapees within 24 hours and most of the others within the next few weeks. While some of the fugitives roamed through nightlife hotspots and another made Instagram posts, Groves has so far kept a low profile. The 28-year-old New Orleans native has the most at stake, authorities say. Last year, a jury convicted Groves of killing two people after he opened fire on a family block party with an assault rifle in what prosecutors said was a feud with rival drug dealers. Groves faces life imprisonment without parole, but administrative delays have kept him in jail for years rather than a more secure prison facility. 'He's got nothing to lose,' said Forrest Ladd, an Orleans Parish assistant district attorney who prosecuted Groves. 'That's a dangerous thing from anybody, much less somebody capable of causing mass harm.' How likely is it Groves will be recaptured? More than 90% of people who escape from U.S. correctional facilities are recaptured within a year, said Bryce Peterson, adjunct professor of criminal justice at John Jay College. 'The longer you are out there, the more likely you are to stay out,' said Peterson, though he believes Groves will be caught eventually due to the high level of media attention. Most escapes occur when low-level offenders seize spontaneous opportunities, Peterson said. The New Orleans jailbreak stands out because of its level of 'sophistication and pre-planning' and the alleged roles current and former jail employees played in the escape, he added. How has Groves avoided law enforcement for so long? Multiple defense attorneys who have worked with Groves described him as intelligent and polite. Prosecutors in his cases say he is violent, manipulative and remorseless. 'He's the worst human being I've ever come across in my life,' said Ladd, the Orleans Parish assistant district attorney. 'But he is a very charismatic, and I think that allows him the ability to kind of control people.' A former jail employee who became Groves' girlfriend during his incarceration is accused of helping him coordinate the escape in advance by arranging phone calls that avoided the jail's monitoring system. She is one of at least 16 people — many family members of the escapees — facing charges for providing transport, food, shelter and cash to the fugitives, most of whom stayed within New Orleans. Several days after the escape, authorities received information that Groves was hiding in the city's Lower Ninth Ward, the Hurricane Katrina-ravaged neighborhood where he grew up, according to court documents. State and federal authorities declined to provide details on Groves' suspected whereabouts. Louisiana State Police Superintendent Col. Robert Hodges indicated he believes Groves is receiving assistance from friends or family. 'Sometimes we think we are incredibly close,' Hodges said during a June 27 news conference, adding that authorities would arrive at a location to find a fugitive 'just moved because they have help.' There is a $50,000 reward for tips leading to Groves' recapture. Mistrust in the criminal justice system Likely impeding the search for Groves is widespread skepticism toward law enforcement from city residents following decades of abuse, often against the Black community. In 1994, a corrupt police officer ordered the killing of Groves' grandmother, Kim Groves, after she reported him for beating up a teenager. Her three children settled a federal civil rights lawsuit with the city for $1.5 million in 2018. 'For my family, it's been like reliving a constant nightmare,' Groves' aunt, Jasmine Groves, told WDSU, saying the family has been interrogated and remains under law enforcement surveillance. She has urged her nephew to turn himself in. Groves' mother and aunt did not respond to The Associated Press' requests for comment for this story. In 2014, at the age of 17, Groves was arrested and incarcerated for nearly two years on a charge of attempted second-degree murder for which he was later acquitted by a jury, though his own father had testified against him, according to court records and a prosecutor in the case, Mike Trummel. Tom Shlosman, Groves' defense attorney in that case, said that Groves' prolonged incarceration as a teenager and his grandmother's murder likely undermined his faith in the criminal justice system. Shlosman remembered Groves as 'young and scared.' 'None of that's going to affect a kid in any positive way,' Shlosman said. 'And it's certainly not going to instill trust in law enforcement.' A series of killings Groves, who goes by 'Woo,' dropped out of school in ninth grade and sold heroin in the Lower Ninth Ward for years, according to court records. The FBI began monitoring his social media while he was still a teenager, and Groves pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking charges in 2019. Groves has been in jail since at least 2019, after his involvement in four killings during an 18-month period. In October 2024, a jury convicted Groves of second-degree murder for using an assault rifle to spray dozens of bullets into a family block party on Mardi Gras, killing 21-year-old Byron Jackson and 26-year-old Jamar Robinson and wounding several others. Groves later pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges in two separate shootings, according to the Orleans Parish District Attorney's office. Eyewitnesses in cases involving Groves have been threatened and physically attacked by him, and others were so intimidated they refused to testify against him, according to three current and former prosecutors and court records. In court, Robinson's aunt, Janis Robinson, said she had cried every night since her nephew died: 'I don't know how we are going to get through it.' In response, records show, Groves swore repeatedly at her in court.
Associated Press
09-07-2025
- Associated Press
Convicted murderer Derrick Groves eludes law enforcement as last New Orleans jail escapee on the run
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Nearly two months after 10 inmates escaped from a New Orleans jail by crawling through a hole behind a toilet, authorities have recaptured all but the man with the most violent rap sheet: Derrick Groves. Following the May 16 jailbreak, law enforcement tracked down three escapees within 24 hours and most of the others within the next few weeks. While some of the fugitives roamed through nightlife hotspots and another made Instagram posts, Groves has so far kept a low profile. The 28-year-old New Orleans native has the most at stake, authorities say. Last year, a jury convicted Groves of killing two people after he opened fire on a family block party with an assault rifle in what prosecutors said was a feud with rival drug dealers. Groves faces life imprisonment without parole, but administrative delays have kept him in jail for years rather than a more secure prison facility. 'He's got nothing to lose,' said Forrest Ladd, an Orleans Parish assistant district attorney who prosecuted Groves. 'That's a dangerous thing from anybody, much less somebody capable of causing mass harm.' How likely is it Groves will be recaptured? More than 90% of people who escape from U.S. correctional facilities are recaptured within a year, said Bryce Peterson, adjunct professor of criminal justice at John Jay College. 'The longer you are out there, the more likely you are to stay out,' said Peterson, though he believes Groves will be caught eventually due to the high level of media attention. Most escapes occur when low-level offenders seize spontaneous opportunities, Peterson said. The New Orleans jailbreak stands out because of its level of 'sophistication and pre-planning' and the alleged roles current and former jail employees played in the escape, he added. How has Groves avoided law enforcement for so long? Multiple defense attorneys who have worked with Groves described him as intelligent and polite. Prosecutors in his cases say he is violent, manipulative and remorseless. 'He's the worst human being I've ever come across in my life,' said Ladd, the Orleans Parish assistant district attorney. 'But he is a very charismatic, and I think that allows him the ability to kind of control people.' A former jail employee who became Groves' girlfriend during his incarceration is accused of helping him coordinate the escape in advance by arranging phone calls that avoided the jail's monitoring system. She is one of at least 16 people — many family members of the escapees — facing charges for providing transport, food, shelter and cash to the fugitives, most of whom stayed within New Orleans. Several days after the escape, authorities received information that Groves was hiding in the city's Lower Ninth Ward, the Hurricane Katrina-ravaged neighborhood where he grew up, according to court documents. State and federal authorities declined to provide details on Groves' suspected whereabouts. Louisiana State Police Superintendent Col. Robert Hodges indicated he believes Groves is receiving assistance from friends or family. 'Sometimes we think we are incredibly close,' Hodges said during a June 27 news conference, adding that authorities would arrive at a location to find a fugitive 'just moved because they have help.' There is a $50,000 reward for tips leading to Groves' recapture. Mistrust in the criminal justice system Likely impeding the search for Groves is widespread skepticism toward law enforcement from city residents following decades of abuse, often against the Black community. In 1994, a corrupt police officer ordered the killing of Groves' grandmother, Kim Groves, after she reported him for beating up a teenager. Her three children settled a federal civil rights lawsuit with the city for $1.5 million in 2018. 'For my family, it's been like reliving a constant nightmare,' Groves' aunt, Jasmine Groves, told WDSU, saying the family has been interrogated and remains under law enforcement surveillance. She has urged her nephew to turn himself in. Groves' mother and aunt did not respond to The Associated Press' requests for comment for this story. In 2014, at the age of 17, Groves was arrested and incarcerated for nearly two years on a charge of attempted second-degree murder for which he was later acquitted by a jury, though his own father had testified against him, according to court records and a prosecutor in the case, Mike Trummel. Tom Shlosman, Groves' defense attorney in that case, said that Groves' prolonged incarceration as a teenager and his grandmother's murder likely undermined his faith in the criminal justice system. Shlosman remembered Groves as 'young and scared.' 'None of that's going to affect a kid in any positive way,' Shlosman said. 'And it's certainly not going to instill trust in law enforcement.' A series of killings Groves, who goes by 'Woo,' dropped out of school in ninth grade and sold heroin in the Lower Ninth Ward for years, according to court records. The FBI began monitoring his social media while he was still a teenager, and Groves pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking charges in 2019. Groves has been in jail since at least 2019, after his involvement in four killings during an 18-month period. In October 2024, a jury convicted Groves of second-degree murder for using an assault rifle to spray dozens of bullets into a family block party on Mardi Gras, killing 21-year-old Byron Jackson and 26-year-old Jamar Robinson and wounding several others. Groves later pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges in two separate shootings, according to the Orleans Parish District Attorney's office. Eyewitnesses in cases involving Groves have been threatened and physically attacked by him, and others were so intimidated they refused to testify against him, according to three current and former prosecutors and court records. In court, Robinson's aunt, Janis Robinson, said she had cried every night since her nephew died: 'I don't know how we are going to get through it.' In response, records show, Groves swore repeatedly at her in court. ___ Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Yahoo
Recaptured Arkansas prison escapee known as the 'Devil in the Ozarks' sent to SuperMax prison
Convicted killer and recaptured prison escapee Grant Hardin, known as the 'Devil in the Ozarks,' has been transferred to the Varner SuperMax prison southeast of Little Rock, Arkansas prison authorities announced Saturday. After a nearly two-week search in the rugged mountains of northern Arkansas, authorities recaptured Hardin on Friday 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) northwest of the prison from which he escaped. Hardin briefly attempted to run from officers when he saw them approach, but he was quickly tackled to the ground, said Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas prison system. Authorities tried to track Hardin using drones, bloodhounds and a helicopter, but high water from heavy rains during the search raised the water level in creeks and streams around the prison. That likely limited his abilities — and also those of the searchers -- to move through the rugged terrain, Champion said. 'The direction he went, specifically around Moccasin Creek, saw high water due to the abundance of rain the last few weeks, which more than likely limited his options to get around the area,' Champion said. 'Search teams had looked through this area before, but the high water previously limited their ability to fully investigate.' Residents of the nearby town of Calico Rock, like Roger Simons, said they were surprised to learn that Hardin had stayed so close to the prison. 'None of us really thought he was still in the area,' said Simons, a local bartender. 'We thought he was long gone — that's what I would have bet my money on." Hardin had been held at the Calico Rock prison since 2017 after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in a fatal shooting. He escaped by impersonating a corrections officer 'in dress and manner,' according to a court document. A prison officer in one of the guard towers opened a secure gate, allowing him to walk out of the facility. Authorities say they are investigating why Hardin's identity was not checked before he was allowed to leave. Benton County Prosecutor Bryan Sexton, who oversaw Hardin's convictions for murder and rape, said he had been in close contact with law enforcement officials who were 'consistent' with their belief that Hardin remained in the northern Arkansas region. Hardin is a former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border whose notoriety led to a TV documentary called 'Devil in the Ozarks.' Sexton said his escape had significantly disrupted the lives of trial witnesses and Hardin's victims, whom he kept updated on the pursuit for the fugitive. 'Every one of them to a person informed me that they had to make changes in their lives because they had had concerns for their safety,' Sexton said. After Hardin's recapture, 'they could get closure in their lives and secondly go back to their normal lives, which had been disrupted the whole time he was out,' Sexton said. Cheryl Tillman, the sister of a man shot by Hardin in 2017, told The Associated Press that Hardin's capture was a 'big sigh of relief' for her whole family. 'We don't have to walk around, turning around all the time, thinking somebody's on our back,' Tillman said, emphasizing her appreciation for the officers who helped capture Hardin. Sexton said he was more assured now that Hardin was being sent to a more secure facility. The Varner Unit, established in 1987, has the capacity to house 1,714 inmates. It is the site where former President Bill Clinton's gubernatorial chief of staff, a death penalty opponent, faced charges for trying to smuggle a knife and tattoo needles into death row. Within Varner, a special 'supermax' unit houses the most high-risk prisoners such as a man who fatally shot a soldier at a military recruiting station and death row inmates such as convicted child rapist and murderer Zachary Holly. Damien Wayne Echols of the West Memphis Three was also incarcerated there prior to his release. 'By reputation, Varner is the most secure prison in the Arkansas system,' Sexton said. "I think that all things considering, putting him (Hardin) in the most secure facility we can is probably a wise thing to do."
