During the search for five escapees from the Orleans Parish Correctional Facility, another inmate managed to break out of a jail in a neighboring Louisiana parish.
The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office (TPSO) reported that Tra’Von Johnson, aged 19, fled from the facility on a Thursday afternoon with the help of a fellow inmate who assisted him in scaling the perimeter fence.
Johnson, who is currently awaiting trial for his involvement in a fatal home invasion that occurred in 2022, had previously escaped from the same detention center in May of the previous year, as indicated in a TPSO Facebook post.
Tra’Von Johnson is an escaped jail inmate from Louisiana. (Tagipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office)
He was recaptured Friday just a few miles away from the jail, according to the sheriff’s office.
Sources close to the investigation told Fox News that Baptiste is the girlfriend of now-recaptured Boyd, who is accused of second-degree murder, and Harris is the girlfriend of Leo Tate, who is still on the run.
On Thursday night, the Louisiana State Police announced that it had arrested Connie Weeden, 59, who allegedly sent cash to fugitive Jermaine Donald via a cellphone app.
Connie Weeden, 59, is believed to have assisted the fugitives and was taken into custody following an investigation that revealed she was in contact via phone before and after the escape with escapee Jermaine Donald, who remains at large. (ST Tammany Parish jail)
She was charged with one felony count of accessory after the fact and booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center.
After a volley of arrests Monday, three more of the escaped inmates are back in custody.
Vanburen was arrested in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and will face new charges related to his escape, along with prior charges of parole violation, possession of firearm by felon, and illegal carrying of a weapon.
Fellow jail breakers Leo Tate and Jermaine Donald were arrested in Walker County, Texas, by the Texas Department of Public Safety. The Louisiana State Police said the duo led Texas police on a high-speed chase before they were taken into custody.
The following five inmates remain on the run:
- Antoine Massey, 32, faces charges of domestic abuse involving strangulation, theft of a motor vehicle and a parole violation.
- Derrick Groves, 27, faces three counts of attempted second-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder and battery of a correctional facility employee.
A police helicopter pursues a fugitive that escaped from a New Orleans jail on North Galvez Street on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Hebert)
Fox News Digital reached out to the Louisiana State Police and Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office.
Fox News’ Louis Casiano, Christina Shaw and Nate Foy contributed to this report.
