How Groves Evaded Law Enforcement

Many of Groves’ defense attorneys describe him as intelligent and polite, while prosecutors call him violent, manipulative, and remorseless.

“He’s the worst human being I’ve ever encountered in my life,” said Forrest Ladd, Orleans Parish Assistant District Attorney. “But he’s very charismatic, and I think that allows him to control people.”

A former jail employee, who became Groves’ girlfriend during his incarceration, is accused of helping him coordinate the escape by arranging phone calls that bypassed the jail’s monitoring system. She is one of at least 16 people — many family members of the escapees — facing charges for providing transportation, food, shelter, and money to the fugitives, most of whom stayed within New Orleans.

Days after the escape, authorities received information that Groves was hiding in the Lower Ninth Ward, the Hurricane Katrina-ravaged neighborhood where he grew up, according to court documents.

State and federal authorities have declined to provide details about Groves’ suspected whereabouts. Louisiana State Police Superintendent Col. Robert Hodges said he believes Groves is receiving help from friends or family.

“Sometimes we think we’re very close, but when we arrive, the fugitive has moved because they have assistance,” Hodges said at a June 27 press conference.

A $50,000 reward is currently offered for information leading to Groves’ capture.

A String of Murders

Groves, also known as “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 as a teenager, and Groves pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking charges in 2019.

He has been in jail since at least 2019, following his involvement in four killings over an 18-month period.

In October 2024, a jury convicted Groves of second-degree murder for spraying bullets into a family block party during Mardi Gras, killing 21-year-old Byron Jackson and 26-year-old Jamar Robinson, while injuring several others.

Groves later pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges in two separate shootings, according to the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office.

Witnesses in cases involving Groves were threatened or physically attacked, and many were too intimidated to testify, according to three current and former prosecutors and court records.

In court, Robinson’s aunt, Janis Robinson, described the unimaginable grief she endured after losing her nephew. She revealed that she had cried every night since his death, struggling to comprehend how her family could survive the pain. The courtroom, meant to deliver justice, became a stage for further torment.

In an almost shocking display of cruelty, court records show that Derrick Groves repeatedly hurled insults and curses at her, showing no remorse or respect. His actions intensified the trauma for Robinson’s family, making a tragic loss even more unbearable and highlighting the manipulative, ruthless nature of Groves.