Attention, Roomies! The dramatic saga surrounding the prison break from New Orleans has taken a thrilling turn — and believe us, the narrative is still unfolding. Recently, authorities apprehended three out of the ten inmates who orchestrated their daring escape from the Orleans Justice Center earlier this month. The circumstances surrounding their capture are as astonishing as the escape itself.
RELATED: Shocking Developments: 5 New Orleans Inmates Still Evade Capture a Week After Escaping Through a Removed Toilet (UPDATES)
Recent Arrests of Escapees
Law enforcement officials have confirmed that Lenton Vanburen, age 26, was apprehended in Baton Rouge, while Leo Tate, age 31, and Jermaine Donald, age 42, were captured in Texas after engaging police in a high-speed chase near Houston. All three men are now back in custody and will face additional charges related to their escape. Meanwhile, two inmates remain at large, and the reward money is quite enticing for anyone who can assist in locating them.
To date, a total of 13 individuals have been arrested for their alleged involvement in aiding the escapees. This group includes another inmate, a corrections officer, and several individuals from the outside. Authorities have announced that rewards of up to $20,000 per inmate are available for information leading to the capture of the remaining escapees.
Family Ties: A Grandmother’s Involvement
This situation is becoming even more complicated! Another individual has been arrested and charged with assisting an escapee from the Orleans Justice Center — and this time, it involves family. According to the Louisiana State Police, 59-year-old Connie Weeden, who is reportedly the grandmother of the recently apprehended Jermaine Donald, was taken into custody Thursday night in Slidell.
Law enforcement claims that Weeden transferred cash to Donald via a mobile payment application while he was evading capture. She now faces a felony accessory charge and has been booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center.
The Origins of the Escape: How It All Started
In case you haven’t heard, the jailbreak occurred on May 16. Shortly after midnight, ten inmates ingeniously slipped out through an opening behind a toilet — and no, this is not a fictional tale. As previously reported by The Shade Room, a maintenance worker at the jail allegedly turned off the water supply, allowing the group to detach the toilet and make their escape. The most astonishing detail? They left a note saying, “Too Easy LOL” scrawled on the wall, and authorities didn’t even realize they were missing until hours later.
The ongoing manhunt is not just facing challenges on the ground; it’s also encountering significant political hurdles. The city’s police history of misconduct and racial bias towards Black communities, coupled with the state police’s record of excessive force, has complicated the search. Additionally, the jail system itself has been flagged for constitutional rights violations, creating a serious barrier to gaining public trust and support.
Surveillance footage shows New Orleans inmates escaping from jail and running across the highway pic.twitter.com/PaQFu2xU67
— FearBuck (@FearedBuck) May 17, 2025
RELATED: Wait, What? 10 Inmates Escape New Orleans Jail by Ripping a TOILET Off the Wall (DETAILS)
What Are Your Thoughts, Roomies?
