May 19 (UPI) -- Louisiana State Police on Monday captured the fourth of 10 inmates who escaped from a jail in New Orleans three days ago as Louisiana authorities have expanded the search to other states.
Gary C. Price,21, was apprehended in an abandoned house in New Orleans, a law enforcement source told WVUE-TV. Price was wanted in connection with an attempted first-degree murder case.
Three other inmates were captured late Friday.
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More than 200 officers with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies are participating in the manhunt after 10 men escaped Friday morning from the Orleans Parish jail. Authorities in Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Georgia, Oklahoma and Tennessee have been alerted, CNN reported.
How the escape happened
On Monday, Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams said a series of "breakdowns" contributed to the escape. The Orleans Justice Center went into its usual lockdown at 10:30 p.m. Thursday night. During a corrections monitoring technician's absence, several inmates started yanking on the door of Cell Delta 1006 around midnight.
Undetected, they eventually broke open the door and snuck into another cell.
They removed a toilet, breached a wall behind it, then used a loading dock door to exit the jail. They scaled fences and brought blankets to protect themselves from getting cut by barbed wire. Finally, they crossed Interstate 10. Williams said they went into a nearby neighborhood and took off their inmate clothes.
The escape wasn't discovered until a routine 8:30 a.m. headcount.
"We are confident at this time that we have actual intelligence on all seven of those fugitives," State Police Superintendent Col. Robert Hodges said before the fourth man was apprehended. "We hope that in the coming days, if not the coming hours, that we have them all apprehended."
Security expert Mike Cahn told WDSU-TV the escape would have taken some time to execute.
The prison, which was updated in 2015, has not had an escape since 2013, WDSU-TV reported. Some escape attempts at the old facility date back to 2009.
Jailbreak aftermath
During a news conference Sunday, Louisiana State Police, the FBI and Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry asked for the public to help locate the men. They warned that anyone helping the fugitives evade authorities will be arrested and prosecuted.
The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office said three employees have been suspended. Sheriff Susan Hutson said they believe the escaped inmates received help from someone inside the jail.
Landry has ordered a comprehensive audit of the jail.
"In addition to the immediate actions already taken under my leadership, I view the Governor's audit as another necessary step toward transparency," Hutson said. "But it is equally critical that we recognize the longstanding, systemic challenges that have impacted this facility for years, challenges I have been working to address since the beginning of my tenure."
Reward at $20K per inmate
The reward was increased to $20,000 per inmate for their whereabouts that lead to arrests. The breakdown is $10,000 from the FBI, $5,000 from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, $2,000 from Crimestoppers and $3,000 from the state to the Crimestoppers.
"Nine of these escapees were sitting in jail waiting to go to trial," Landry said in a report by WVUE-TV. "Had they gone to trial, had they been convicted, had they been sentenced, they would most likely not be in the Orleans Parish Jail but in our custody in one of the state penitentiaries."
Five were charged or convicted of serious charges, including Price. Inmate Derrick Groves was convicted of a 2018 Mardi Gras mass shooting and was awaiting sentencing; and Lenton Vanburen, Jermaine Donald and Corey Boyd are facing second-degree murder charges.
Antoine Massey was held on domestic abuse and vehicle theft, and wanted in St. Tammany Parish for kidnapping and rape. Leo Tate, a felon, was convicted in federal court for firearm possession.
Kendell Myles, who was apprehended by state police Friday under a car in a hotel parking lot, has a history of escapes. He is facing charges of intention to conceal a weapon, introducing contraband into a prison and possession of contraband.
The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office captured Robert Moody near Central City Friday night. Moody is facing charges of intentional concealment of a weapon, illegal carry of a weapon with CDS, illegal possession of stolen things and possession with the intent to distribute.
Dkenan Dennis was apprehended by deputies near in New Orleans East. He faces multiple illegal weapons charges, extortion, kidnapping, armed robbery and theft charges.
They were taken to a different jail outside of New Orleans by Louisiana State Police in a helicopter.
