Escaped Inmate Derrick Groves Caught in Atlanta After Kiss to Police

When Derrick Groves, a 33‑year‑old serving a 25‑year term, was finally hauled back into custody on September 25, 2023, the scene looked almost cinematic. The former escaped inmate turned to the patrol car’s camera, blew a cheeky kiss, and quipped, “Y’all got me, but I’ll be back,” as officers from the Atlanta Police Department secured him on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Atlanta, Georgia.

Background: The Orleans Parish Prison and Groves’ Conviction

Groves, a native of Atlanta, was incarcerated at the Orleans Parish Prison in New Orleans. He was sentenced in 2020 for an armed robbery, second‑degree kidnapping, and illegal use of a firearm stemming from a November 23, 2019 carjacking in New Orleans East. Court records show the violent episode lasted less than ten minutes but left a victim with a gunshot wound and a community rattled by the brazen use of a handgun.

During his nine‑year stay before the escape, Groves logged 17 disciplinary reports, three of which involved assaults on staff. The latest, on August 14, 2023, earned him a solitary confinement stint. Prison officials, led by Susan Hutson, the elected Sheriff of Orleans Parish, had warned that his record made him a high‑risk transfer candidate.

The September 22 Escape

On Friday, September 22, 2023, at roughly 1:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time, Groves and 27‑year‑old fellow inmate Joshua Brown were being escorted to a routine medical appointment at University Medical Center on Tulane Avenue. While en route, the convoy slowed near the intersection of Gravier Street and South Rampart Street in the Central Business District.

According to the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office, Correctional Officers Brian Reed and Charles Taylor were overpowered after Groves seized Reed’s baton and forced both officers to the ground. The two fugitives split up—Groves bolted north on South Rampart Street, while Brown fled west on Gravier. Reed suffered a fractured orbital bone and required twelve stitches, a medical bill of $8,432.75 that the sheriff’s office covered under its workers’ compensation plan.

Hutson immediately activated the department’s fugitive apprehension team and alerted the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, headquartered at 500 Poydras Street, Suite 1450, New Orleans. Deputy U.S. Marshal Robert D. Jones, the Task Force commander, later reported the unit had captured 2,847 fugitives across the fiscal year, underscoring the urgency placed on Groves’ recapture.

Manhunt and Inter‑Agency Response

Within hours, the escape made national headlines. U.S. Marshals Service deployed a joint team that included Deputy U.S. Marshal Matthew A. Varner, who coordinated with local law‑enforcement partners in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Georgia.

Authorities released a composite sketch and a description of Groves—approximately 6 ft 2 in, 210 lb, with a distinctive tattoo of a dragon on his left forearm. A tip line set up by the task force netted over 30 calls in the first 24 hours, yet Groves managed to slip under the radar until a resident of the West End neighborhood of Atlanta spotted a man matching his description loitering near the 1400 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

The Atlanta Arrest and Body‑Camera Footage

Officer Demetrius Johnson, on patrol with the Zone 2 division, approached the suspect at about 1:30 p.m. EDT. Johnson used the Mobile Offender Recognition and Information System (MORIS) to run a biometric match; the system confirmed the individual was Groves. The arrest was captured on body‑worn camera, and the footage was later released by Rodney Bryant, the Chief of Police of the Atlanta Police Department, on September 27.

In the video, Groves, still handcuffed, leans toward the camera, flashes a grin, and blows a kiss. “Y’all got me, but I’ll be back,” he says. Johnson replies, “You’re going back to Louisiana, sir, and this time you won’t be escaping.” The short exchange went viral, sparking memes and a flurry of commentary about inmate security.

Legal Fallout and Extradition

Groves’ legal team filed a motion to contest the additional charge of escape with force under Louisiana Revised Statute 14:108, which carries a possible ten‑year term. The motion is set to be heard on October 2, 2023, before Judge Tracey Flemings‑Davillier at the Orleans Justice Center, located at 400 Royal Street.

U.S. Marshal Deputy Christopher Romero and Deputy Tanesha Johnson will escort Groves back to Louisiana. The extradition hearing will address both the original 25‑year sentence and the new escape charge, likely extending his term by a decade.

Implications for Prison Security

The incident has reignited debate over inmate transport protocols across the United States. Sheriff Hutson testified before a state legislative subcommittee on October 5, pledging a review of staffing ratios—currently one officer per 45 inmates at the Orleans Parish Prison, according to the August 2023 operational report.

Experts, such as criminal‑justice analyst Dr. Lila Monroe, argue that the reliance on a minimal escort team for high‑risk transfers is “a recipe for disaster.” Monroe recommends implementing dual‑officer escorts for inmates with more than five disciplinary infractions and upgrading biometric restraints on transport vehicles.

Meanwhile, the Atlanta Police Department lauded its rapid response, with Chief Bryant noting, “This arrest demonstrates the effectiveness of inter‑agency cooperation and vigilant community engagement.” The department plans to incorporate the body‑camera footage into training modules on suspect identification and de‑escalation.