Crime
New Orleans Jail escapee Antoine Massey recaptured in Hollygrove neighborhood
NEW ORLEANS — Authorities have captured a fugitive inmate who had been on the run for over a month following a mass escape from the Orleans Justice Center (OJC).
Antoine Massey, one of the ten inmates who escaped on May 16, was apprehended Friday afternoon in the Hollygrove neighborhood of New Orleans, according to law enforcement officials.
Antoine Massey, one of the ten inmates who escaped on May 16, was apprehended Friday afternoon in the Hollygrove neighborhood of New Orleans, according to law enforcement officials.
Massey is the ninth escapee to be recaptured since the high-profile jailbreak. Only Derrick Groves now remains at large.
Massey, who has a lengthy criminal history and a documented pattern of escapes, was initially incarcerated on charges including domestic abuse and auto theft.
Prior to his time at OJC, he was also being held in St. Tammany Parish, where authorities had issued multiple warrants for serious offenses including second-degree rape, second-degree kidnapping, domestic violence, and violation of a protective order—charges stemming from a November 2024 incident in Slidell.
Massey’s record reveals a longstanding pattern of fleeing custody:
- In 2007, he escaped from a juvenile detention center, now known as the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center.
- In 2019, he broke out of the Morehouse Parish Detention Center and was later located in Texas the same day.
- He also removed two separate ankle monitors, one as recently as 2023, which was discarded inside a Walmart on Bullard Avenue.
“When you cut an ankle monitor off, it’s a clear case of guilt,” said Matt Dennis with ASAP Ankle Monitoring, the company that managed Massey’s device. “We know who we put it on. We know he took it off. There’s no in between.”
Authorities had been investigating several leads related to Massey’s whereabouts in recent weeks. A home on Agriculture Street was raided after officials received tips that Massey had filmed now-viral social media videos from that location.
While Massey was not present at the time of the raid, officers did recover clothing believed to have been worn by him in the footage.
In the videos, Massey claimed he had been “let out” of OJC and proclaimed his innocence.
Though the videos circulated online for more than 10 hours, several law enforcement agencies were unaware of their existence until they were forwarded by local media. WDSU, which reviewed the footage, chose not to broadcast the statements made by Massey.
Authorities confirmed that this latest escape marked the longest period Massey had remained free following a jailbreak.
The investigation remains ongoing as law enforcement agencies continue their search for Derrick Groves, the sole remaining fugitive from the May 16 escape.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact local authorities immediately.
Crime
Walls Police Officer Da’Quarius Burton Injured in Deadly Mississippi Crash, Mother Confirms He Is Alive and Safe
DESOTO COUNTY, Mississippi — Walls Police Officer Da’Quarius Burton was injured in a deadly two-vehicle collision on U.S. Highway 61 in DeSoto County, Mississippi, but his mother has confirmed that he is alive, safe and recovering following the crash.
Burton, 27, of Memphis, Tennessee, was driving a Dodge Durango involved in the collision shortly after 8 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of U.S. Highway 61 and Church Road in Walls.
The crash claimed the lives of three people traveling in a Honda Accord. The incident also left another passenger injured and involved employees of the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office Juvenile Detention Center.
Following the crash, misinformation circulated online suggesting that Burton had died and that he was a juvenile detention officer.
His mother, Tee Burton, publicly addressed the reports, firmly correcting the information and asking people to stop sharing unverified claims.
She confirmed that her son is alive, safe and okay. She also emphasized that he is not a juvenile detention officer.
In her statement, she expressed disappointment over reports falsely identifying her son as one of the people who died in the collision.
She also acknowledged the families who lost loved ones and urged the public to show compassion toward everyone affected by the tragedy.
Her statement included the following message:
“My son is alive!!! He is safe, and he is okay!!!”
She further asked people to verify information before publishing or reposting details that could cause unnecessary emotional distress to families.
According to the Mississippi Highway Patrol, a northbound Dodge Durango traveling on U.S. Highway 61 collided with a westbound Honda Accord traveling on Church Road.
Three occupants of the Honda were pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities identified the victims as:
- Latasha N. Dodson, 37, of Horn Lake, Mississippi, the Honda driver.
- Eddie L. Dodson Jr., 41, of Byhalia, Mississippi.
- Tamenshia R. Ford, 32, of Horn Lake, Mississippi.
Burton and another passenger in the Honda survived the collision but sustained injuries and were transported to a local hospital. Their specific medical conditions have not been publicly detailed in the information provided.
The DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that two people involved in the crash were employees of its Juvenile Detention Center.
One of those employees was Tamenshia R. Ford, who died in the collision. The second employee was seriously injured.
Sheriff Thomas E. Tuggle II expressed condolences following the death of the employee, describing the person as a respected and beloved member of the department.
“Our fallen officer was a respected and beloved member of our team,” Tuggle said.
The sheriff’s office also recognized the employee’s dedication, compassion and commitment to working with young people entrusted to the facility’s care.
State officials confirmed that the Dodge Durango involved in the collision belonged to the Walls Police Department.
The city’s mayor and police chief also confirmed that a Walls police officer was involved in the crash. Burton’s mother has since clarified that her son is the officer and that he survived.
An SUV displaying Walls Police Department identification was seen being towed from the crash scene Wednesday night.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol is leading the investigation into the fatal collision.
Investigators are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash. Authorities have not released additional details about what led to the vehicles colliding.
The crash resulted in three deaths and left multiple people injured. Burton’s family has asked the public to respect the victims and their loved ones while avoiding the spread of false information.
The investigation remains ongoing.