OPELOUSAS, La. (AP) — Authorities are on the hunt for 24-year-old Keith Eli, the last of three inmates who escaped from a southwestern Louisiana jail after manipulating a failing wall structure.
St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby J. Guidroz expressed his hopes for a peaceful surrender, stating, We would prefer that he surrender himself peacefully, but we will not rest until he is captured.
Days after the daring escape, detectives and SWAT teams were actively pursuing leads on Eli's whereabouts. Eli was facing a second-degree murder charge before his escape.
One of his accomplices, 24-year-old Johnathan Jevon Joseph, was apprehended following a chase that ended when investigators tracked him to a nearby residence. Joseph, who had been charged with rape among other offenses, eventually surrendered after hiding in a storage shed.
The third escapee, 26-year-old Joseph Allen Harrington, tragically took his own life when approached by police at a residence after the escape. Harrington was facing multiple felony charges, including home invasion.
This incident highlights ongoing challenges within the Louisiana correctional system, where jail escapes have recently made headlines. Earlier this year, 10 inmates escaped from a New Orleans jail through a hole in a toilet, raising questions about security measures and oversight.
Sheriff Guidroz, who oversees the St. Landry Parish jail located approximately 130 miles northwest of New Orleans, disclosed that the escapees exploited a degrading section of the upper wall by eventually removing the mortar binding the concrete blocks together. This enabled them to dislodge enough blocks to exit the facility.
After breaking free, the inmates employed sheets to scale the outer wall and subsequently dropped onto the roof of a first-floor area before making their escape to the ground.
The sheriff confirmed that an internal investigation into the circumstances of the escape will be conducted to ensure accountability and improve security.
