Left to right: Antoine Massey, Lenton Venburen, Leo Tate, Derrick Groves, Jermaine Donald, Corey Boyd, Gary Price, Robert Moody, Dkenan Dennis. Credit: Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office

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The manhunt after the New Orleans jail escape earlier this month led to three more inmates being captured on Monday, with two at large.

Lenton Vanburen Jr., 26, was arrested in Baton Rouge, while Leo Tate Sr., 31, and Jermaine Donald, 42, were apprehended in Walker County, Texas, north of Houston. 

The arrests on Monday leave Derrick Groves and Antoine Massey, both considered ringleaders in the bold May 16 jailbreak involving ten men, still at large.

Baton Rouge police confirmed the capture of Vanburen, stating he was arrested after receiving an anonymous tip.”Vanburen was apprehended while sitting on a bench near a department store located at 9636 Hammond Aire,” the Baton Rouge Police Department said in a statement.

Vanburen was charged with second-degree murder for a November 2021 shooting in New Orleans East. He pleaded not guilty in April 2022 and requested the court to allow him to represent himself. According to court records, a mental competency hearing is set for May 29.

Gov. Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill praised the captures.

Tate was initially jailed on charges of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder in connection with a double shooting in the 7th Ward in 2018 that resulted in the death of 19-year-old Alexis Banks and left a teenager hospitalized.

He accepted a plea deal in September 2021, which resulted in the dismissal of the murder-related charges. He was convicted of obstruction of justice and sentenced to 10 years in prison, according to jail records.

Donald has an extensive criminal history but was most recently charged in December 2023 with second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to court records. He pleaded not guilty in April 2024.

The jailbreak has led to an interstate manhunt and investigations into the New Orleans lockup and local criminal justice system. Sheriff Susan Hutson suspended her reelection campaign months before the vote.

The others previously captured include Corey Boyd, Kendell Myles, Robert Moody, Dkenan Dennis, and Gary Price. They are being held without bail at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola.

Three women accused of helping Vanburen escape were also arrested over the weekend. According to court documents, two were charged with driving Vanburen from Louisiana to a family member’s house in Mississippi. Hutson’s office issued a statement late Monday confirming the  captures.

“We extend our sincere thanks to the Louisiana State Police, who continue to lead this manhunt, as well as the United States Marshals Service, Baton Rouge Police Department, and Texas Department of Public Safety for their tireless commitment and swift action,” it said.

Hutson has defended her management in part by highlighting what she says are longstanding funding issues and the facility being improperly used to house long-term prisoners.