Two Life Sentences for Derrick Groves in 2018 Murders

Key Highlights

• Sentencing: Derrick Groves received two life terms plus 100 years in prison for multiple murders.
• Escape: He escaped from a New Orleans jail by crawling through a hidden hole behind a toilet.
• Capture: Groves was apprehended after five months on the run, hiding in Atlanta.
• Incident: He was convicted for the murders of Jamar Robinson and Byron Jackson during a Mardi Gras event.

Derrick Groves has officially been sentenced after escaping from a New Orleans jail earlier this year. As The Shade Room previously reported, authorities tracked down the 28-year-old and took him back into custody after he spent nearly five months on the run. Groves counted among 10 male inmates who crawled through a hidden hole behind a toilet inside a Louisiana jail.

RELATED: Footage Shows Inside Of Home Where Derrick Groves Was Found As Neighbor’s Reaction Has Social Media Crackin’ UP (WATCH)

What was Derrick Groves’ sentencing outcome?

On Friday, December 12, Derrick Groves appeared in a New Orleans courtroom, two months after investigators found him hiding out in a home in Atlanta. CBS News reports that he reportedly murdered Jamar Robinson and Byron Jackson at a 2018 Mardi Gras event, leading to his conviction of two counts of second-degree murder. Authorities also found him guilty on two counts of attempted second-degree murder in a separate case. Now, the court has sentenced him to two life terms plus 100 years in prison.

How did Derrick Groves escape from jail?

Back in October, Derrick Groves had social media buzzing after footage showed the home he was staying in. The homeowner, Richard McQueen, gave reporters an exclusive look inside the place, which appeared to be destroyed. McQueen later told Fox 8 that he rented the place to a young woman, but he didn’t get much information regarding her background.

Before catching him, authorities offered a $50,000 reward for Derrick. Police tracked a lead on his whereabouts through an anonymous tip program Crimestoppers. They didn’t arrest anyone else at the time, but the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force and Atlanta Police Department teamed up to take him down.

What events led to Groves’ escape from a NOLA prison?

Back in May, Derrick Groves and nine other inmates made headlines when they busted out of a New Orleans prison through a hole behind a toilet. After the crew reportedly climbed a barbed-wire fence and made their escape. At the scene, the inmates left a message on the cell wall with an arrow pointing to the gap they used to break out, writing, “To Easy Lol.”

Surveillance footage shows New Orleans inmates escaping from jail and running across the highway 👀 pic.twitter.com/PaQFu2xU67

— FearBuck (@FearedBuck) May 17, 2025

RELATED: Got ‘Em! Georgia Police Arrest Derrick Groves Five Months After He Escaped From New Orleans Jail With 9 Others (VIDEO)