Eight inmates who escaped from a detention centre in Louisiana have been recaptured, ending a multi-agency manhunt. The men, described as violent offenders, fled Riverbend Detention Center in the early hours of Friday. Louisiana State Police confirmed shortly after midnight on Saturday that the final three fugitives had been located and returned to custody.
All eight were captured within about a day. The first three to be apprehended were Hugo Molino, 27; Trenton Taplin, 29; and Savon Wheeler, 31. They were followed by Destin Brogan, 22; Kelin Looney, 21; Krisean Salinas, 21; Kevin Slaughter, 25; and Koplelon Vicknair, 19, whose capture brought the operation to an end. Local media reported that Taplin faces charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder, while Brogan and Looney are charged with second-degree murder. Vicknair was awaiting sentencing in connection with a 2023 homicide.
Police did not disclose how the men escaped or the circumstances of their capture, but said the operation was a coordinated CREST mission involving Louisiana State Police and multiple local, state and federal agencies.
The breakout is the latest in a series of high-profile jailbreaks in Louisiana. In December, two inmates accused of violent crimes evaded capture for nearly two weeks after escaping a southwest Louisiana jail by dismantling a deteriorating wall and using bedsheets to scale the facility. A third inmate who took part in that escape later died by suicide after being tracked down by authorities.
In May, an elaborate escape by ten inmates from a New Orleans jail drew national attention. Investigators later said the breakout involved broken cell doors, a breached bathroom wall and a climb over a security barrier. It took five months and a multi-state search before all ten were finally recaptured.
