OPELOUSAS, Louisiana — Two inmates accused of violent felonies remain on the run after escaping from the St. Landry Parish jail early Wednesday, a breakout officials say was made possible by deteriorating infrastructure and improvised tools. Authorities said the men—both 24 years old—removed mortar from an aging interior wall, pulled out concrete blocks and then used bedsheets to scale an exterior wall before lowering themselves to the ground.
The fugitives were identified as Keith Eli, charged with second-degree attempted murder, and Johnathan Jevon Joseph, who faced charges including principal to first-degree rape. A third escapee, 26-year-old Joseph Allen Harrington, died by suicide after police tracked him to a home in nearby Port Barre. According to police, Harrington shot himself with a hunting rifle after officers used a loudspeaker urging him to surrender.
Sheriff Bobby J. Guidroz said the escape route exploited a “degrading part of an upper wall area” and would undergo internal review. Jail spokesperson Maj. Mark LeBlanc said he was unaware of similar breaches but noted inmates “will try to escape with enough time and opportunity.”
The incident follows a major October recapture effort in New Orleans, where 10 inmates escaped through a hole behind a toilet—an episode that took months to resolve.
Officials say there is no indication Eli or Joseph have left the parish but warned residents to secure homes and vehicles. “They’re charged with violent felonies and we know they’re desperate to get away,” LeBlanc said. Authorities emphasized that anyone assisting the fugitives will face prosecution.
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