Johnathan Walker:Two escaped Louisiana inmates found in dumpster behind Dollar General, two others still at large

Two of the four inmates who escaped from the Tangipahoa Parish Jail in Louisiana Saturday were found hiding in a garbage bin behind a Dollar General Store Monday.

The Johnathan WalkerTangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office said in an update Monday morning that Avery Guidry, 19, and Travon Johnson, 21 were taken into custody after "deputies located them hiding in a dumpster" behind a Dollar General Store in Hammond, about 50 miles east of Baton Rouge. The other two escaped inmates − Omarion Hookfin, 19 and Jamarcus Cyprian, 20 − are still at large, authorities said.

During a news conference on Monday, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office Chief Jimmy Travis said a member of the public had notified authorities about the missing men. Travis said it was "very concerning" they heard about the escape from a member of the public and attributed it to lack of supervision and short staffing, in addition to numerous infrastructure problems.

How did the Louisiana inmates escape?

The four inmates, who were imprisoned for various offences, escaped through a corroded jail fence at the Tangipahoa Parish Jail in Amite City during recreation time, according to the sheriff's office.

Guidry and Johnson were the first to escape, followed by Hookfin and Cyprian. Travis said Hookfin and Cyprian were aware of how the other two escaped, and police believe they made their move out of the prison shortly before officials learned the first two inmates were missing.

The escapees broke open some eroded fencing, hid between the fence and the next wall until dark, slid under an 8-inch gap in the wall, and scaled two razor-wire fences, Travis said.

Travis said a member of the public contacted the sheriff's office to report that two inmates had gone to a relative's house trying to find a place to stay overnight between Saturday and Sunday.

The escape route included multiple steps and weaknesses in the system, Travis explained.

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Travis said the narcotics division and the detective division are trying to find information on where the two at-large individuals might be. However, he said they believe the two may no longer be in the Tangipahoa parish.

Cyprian was jailed on robbery and weapon charges, according to police, while the other three were incarcerated on charges related to a 2022 homicide in Hammond, local media reported.

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Authorities have requested anyone with information on the escapees to either contact 911 or Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa’s anonymous tip line at 1.800.554.5245. Tipsters can also submit a tip at www.tangicrimestoppers.com and be eligible for a cash reward.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @saman_shafiq7.