Three inmates escape from Louisiana jail — cops racing to nab final fugitive murder suspect
A chaotic escape took place at the St. Landry Paris Jail in Opelousas on Wednesday when three inmates—Joseph Allen Harrington, 26; Jonathan Jevon Joseph, 24; and Keith Eli, 24—found a way to slip out through a weakened wall. According to the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office, the trio slowly crumbled the mortar between the concrete blocks until they could pry their way out, then used sheets to scale a back wall, drop onto a roof, and haul themselves down the side to land on the street. Jonathan Jevon Joseph was recaptured on Friday after a short stand‑off; police tracked a tip that led them to a storage shed where he surrendered. Harrington, who faced nine felony charges including home invasion, was found hiding at a house and took his own life with a rifle on Thursday when officers attempted to coax a surrender over a loudspeaker, according to Port Barre Police Chief Deon Boudreaux. The remaining escapee, Keith Eli, who is charged with second‑degree murder, is still at large and local law enforcement is calling on anyone who sees him to stay away and call 911. Sheriff Bobby J. Guidroz expressed a preference for a peaceful surrender but vowed that they would not stop until Eli was apprehended.
The jailbreak, which occurred about 130 miles northwest of New Orleans, highlights a wider series of prison breaks in the region, including a six‑month‑old incident where 10 inmates fled a New Orleans facility through a toilet‑hidden window and left graffiti mocking authorities, including the phrase “To Easy LoL.” This latest escape has prompted a manhunt that has extended into multiple states, with SWAT teams and officials coordinating a search for the fugitives. An internal investigation into the jail break’s security lapse is underway. The St. Landry Sheriff’s Office has characterized the trio as more inventive than previous escapees, noting that their method involved a gradual, creative approach to breaching the wall and escape.
Report provided by Post wires.
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