One escapee from a pair of South Louisiana jailbreaks remains on the loose. 24-year-old Keith Eli escaped from the St. Landry Parish Jail last Wednesday, along with two others. Major Mark LeBlanc with the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office says investigators are going to great lengths to find him.
“We have every single member of our narcotics division involved, as well as members of our SWAT team, and we’re utilizing other assets within the technology divisions of our agency,” LeBlanc said.
On Friday, deputies captured 24-year-old Johnathan Joseph. Major LeBlanc says tips and information led detectives to a home in Opelousas.
“He led officers on a very brief foot pursuit, but he ran into a storage building outside the home and peaceably surrendered to officers,” LeBlanc said.
The day before, the third escapee, 26-year-old Joseph Arrington, shot himself to death during a standoff with Port Barre Police. LeBlanc says while the St. Landry Parish government is working to fortify the jail to prevent another escape, the sheriff’s office is beefing up staffing there.
“The sheriff has authorized additional personnel. So we have deputies in other divisions, not just correctional, working extra hours ensuring to the security of the facility,” LeBlanc noted.
Meanwhile, the inmate who escaped from the Vermilion Parish Jail, 23-year-old Gavin Garnica, was captured Friday in Rayne following a high-speed chase.
