The final one of three inmates who removed mortar and concrete blocks from an exterior wall of the St. Landry Parish Jail and escaped in early December was captured more than two weeks later in Opelousas. Another escapee surrendered after tips led police to his hiding place, while a third, facing felony charges, died by suicide when located by officers. The sheriff blames overcrowding and maintenance issues; the parish president cites staffing and pay shortages and points to recent engineering reports. An internal investigation has been launched and a supervisory report will be reviewed by the sheriff's office.
Final Inmate From St. Landry Jail Break Captured After Two-Week Manhunt
Keith Eli, 24, of Opelousas, was captured more than two weeks after escaping a southern Louisiana jail. - St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office/AP
The last of three inmates who escaped the St. Landry Parish Jail in early December by removing mortar and concrete blocks from a deteriorating exterior wall has been captured, sheriff's officials said.
According to a sheriff's office release, Keith Eli was taken into custody without incident in Opelousas more than two weeks after the breakout. The three prisoners — all held on violent charges — had removed blocks from a degrading section of wall, lowered themselves with sheets and dropped onto a first-floor roof, St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said in a social media statement.
What Happened To The Other Escapees
Another escapee, 24-year-old Johnathon Joseph of Opelousas, surrendered after law enforcement followed "numerous tips," the sheriff said. A spokesperson for the sheriff told The Associated Press that Joseph initially fled into a storage shed beside a home where he had been hiding before giving himself up.
Three inmates escaped from a jail in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, by climbing down a rope made of sheets. - St. Landry Parish Government
Joseph Allen Harrington, 26, who faced several felony counts including alleged home invasion, died by suicide when officers located him in Port Barre. Police used a loudspeaker to call for his surrender and later heard a gunshot; Harrington was found inside the home, having shot himself with a hunting rifle, Port Barre Police Chief Deon Boudreaux told the AP.
Officials' Reactions And Investigation
Sheriff Guidroz has blamed overcrowding and maintenance problems at the jail, which was built in 1982, and said the facility needs attention. The parish government disputes claims of structural failure.
"The claims about crumbling walls and rusted-out cell door locks are inaccurate. The Parish Jail does not have these structural issues, and I invite the Sheriff to produce documentation to substantiate his claims," Parish President Jessie Bellard wrote on social media.
At a news conference, Bellard said engineers inspected the facility last year and gave it a "clean bill of health," and he attributed the escapes to staffing shortages and training gaps. He urged improvements in deputy pay and added security measures, including expanded surveillance coverage.
The group of inmates removed mortar and concrete blocks to get out of the jail, the sheriff said. - St. Landry Parish Government
Maj. Mark LeBlanc, a spokesperson for the sheriff's department, told the AP he was not aware of prior breaches like this at the jail but noted that with enough time and opportunity inmates will attempt to escape: "These three were just a little more creative than in years past."
An internal investigation into the December escape has been opened. Sheriff Guidroz said jail supervisory staff will prepare a comprehensive report that will be forwarded to his office for appropriate action.
Context
The incident follows other high-profile escapes in Louisiana this year, including a May breakout in New Orleans where 10 inmates used electric clippers to cut through cell walls; the last of those ten was recaptured five months later in Atlanta. This December incident was the second escape from the St. Landry Parish Jail since October, when a trustee being escorted between buildings ran off and was later recaptured, according to CNN affiliate KADN.
Reporting note: CNN reporters Jada Furlow and Michelle Watson contributed to this report.
