LOUISIANA — Authorities have captured the third and final inmate who escaped from St. Landry Parish Jail in early December, ending a weeks-long search.
The escape occurred on December 3, when three inmates in their 20s—jailed on violent charges—broke through a deteriorating section of the jail wall. Using sheets and other materials, they scaled the side of the building and dropped onto a lower roof before fleeing.
Capture of Keith Eli:
- The last escapee, 24-year-old Keith Eli, was apprehended Friday in Opelousas by narcotics detectives and SWAT without incident.
- Eli faces one count of attempted second-degree murder.
Previous Captures:
- Johnathan Jevon Joseph, 24, who faced charges including principal to first-degree rape and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, was captured on December 8.
- Joseph Allen Harrington, 26, facing multiple felony charges including home invasion, died by suicide days after the escape when authorities located him following a tip.
Maj. Mark LeBlanc of the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office called the jailbreak unprecedented in its method. “These three were just a little more creative than in years past,” he said…