Picture this: New Orleans, a city pulsing with jazz, Mardi Gras, and now, a jailbreak so audacious it sounds like it was ripped from the pages of a Hollywood script. At the center of this drama is Antoine Massey, a 32-year-old career escape artist with a rap sheet longer than a Bayou alligator and a knack for slipping out of custody like Houdini on a good day. But what makes this story even juicier? The two women closest to him—his sister, Daishanae Massey, and his girlfriend, whose name remains under wraps to protect her as an alleged victim of domestic violence—are now accused of helping him pull off his latest vanishing act from the Orleans Justice Center on May 16, 2025. Buckle up, because this tale of loyalty, betrayal, and a toilet-based escape plan is one for the ages.
The Mastermind: Antoine Massey, the Escape Artist Extraordinaire
Antoine Massey isn’t your average jailbird. This guy’s been dodging law enforcement since 2007, when, as a teenager, he smashed a window with shackles to bust out of a juvenile detention center. Fast forward to 2019, he’s slipping out of the Morehouse Detention Center, only to be nabbed in Texas the same day. By 2023, he’s cutting off ankle monitors faster than you can say “parole violation.” And now, in 2025, he’s orchestrated what might be the biggest jailbreak in Louisiana history, leading a pack of ten inmates through a hole in the wall behind a toilet. Yes, a toilet. If that doesn’t scream “criminal ingenuity,” I don’t know what does.
Massey’s latest caper involved some serious planning. Court documents reveal he allegedly strong-armed a maintenance worker, Sterling Williams, into turning off the water to a cell, allowing the inmates to remove a toilet and saw through steel bars to freedom. The escapees left behind a cheeky note scrawled on the wall: “To Easy LoL” with a smiley face sticking out its tongue. Talk about rubbing it in! Massey, wanted for domestic battery, vehicle theft, and serious charges like kidnapping and rape in St. Tammany Parish, is one of two inmates still on the run, alongside Derrick Groves. With a $20,000 reward per fugitive, the manhunt is on, and the stakes are high.
The Sister: Daishanae Massey, Caught in the Family Web
Enter Daishanae Massey, Antoine’s 31-year-old sister, who’s now one of 13 people accused of aiding and abetting the escapees. Daishanae’s alleged role? Helping her brother stay one step ahead of the law after he bolted from the Orleans Justice Center. Court documents paint a vivid picture: investigators searched her phone and found messages exchanged with Antoine’s girlfriend, where the two women shared press releases about the escape and expressed hope that Antoine would “never get caught.” That’s some serious family loyalty—or, depending on how you look at it, a serious lapse in judgment.
On May 19, just three days after the jailbreak, Antoine’s girlfriend allegedly shared a live location with Daishanae, which was later deleted. When questioned, both women reportedly confirmed that Antoine was at Daishanae’s home that day. Now, Daishanae’s in custody, facing charges of accessory after the fact for her role in helping her fugitive brother. You’ve got to wonder: was she driven by sibling devotion, or did she get swept up in the chaos of Antoine’s larger-than-life schemes? Either way, Daishanae’s now paying a steep price for standing by her brother.
The Girlfriend: A Heartbreaking Twist of Allegiance
Now, here’s where the story takes a gut-wrenching turn. Antoine Massey’s girlfriend, a 21-year-old woman whose identity is protected due to her status as an alleged victim of domestic violence, is also in hot water. This is the same woman who, just six months before the escape, accused Massey of a brutal assault that left her hospitalized with a bloodied face, swollen eyes, and her braids ripped out. Court records describe a horrific incident in November 2024, where Massey allegedly strangled her, drove her against her will through New Orleans East, and threatened to kill her. Yet, despite this trauma, she’s now accused of helping him plan and execute his escape.
Investigators say she had prior knowledge of the jailbreak, supported Massey during pre-escape phone calls, and even fed police false tips to throw them off his trail. She’s been arrested and is being held without bond in the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center, charged with acting as a principal to an aggravated escape and obstructing justice. The complexity of her situation is heartbreaking—caught between being a victim of Massey’s alleged violence and now facing serious charges for helping him. It raises tough questions about coercion, loyalty, and the messy realities of abusive relationships.
The Escape: A Toilet, a Threat, and a Hole in the Wall
Let’s rewind to the escape itself, because it’s the kind of thing you’d expect to see in a heist movie. On May 16, 2025, ten inmates, including Massey, made their move. They didn’t pick locks or scale walls with bedsheets—no, they went full MacGyver. With the help of maintenance worker Sterling Williams, who claims Massey threatened to “shank” him, they turned off the water to a cell, removed a toilet, and sawed through steel bars to breach a wall. From there, they climbed down, dashed across a highway, and vanished into the night, leaving behind their taunting graffiti.
Eight of the ten escapees have been recaptured in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Texas, but Massey and Groves remain at large, keeping the city on edge. The escape exposed glaring security flaws at the Orleans Justice Center—defective locks, offline cameras, and possible internal assistance. Sheriff Susan Hutson admitted the inmates likely had help from inside, and the fallout has sparked calls for audits and reforms. Meanwhile, Crimestoppers has received over 650 anonymous tips, shattering previous records as the public scrambles to help catch the fugitives.
The Bigger Picture: Loyalty, Risk, and a City on Alert
This jailbreak isn’t just about Antoine Massey’s slippery tendencies—it’s a story of loyalty pushed to the extreme. Daishanae Massey and Antoine’s girlfriend are now entangled in a web of legal consequences, accused of helping a man with a history of violence and escape. For Daishanae, it’s about family ties; for the girlfriend, it’s a tragic mix of victimhood and complicity. Their actions—sharing locations, exchanging messages, and allegedly misleading police—show how far some will go to protect someone they care about, even when the stakes are sky-high.
As the manhunt continues, New Orleans is buzzing with tension. The FBI, Louisiana State Police, and U.S. Marshals are combing the city, and a $20,000 reward per fugitive is dangling for anyone with information. If you spot Massey—recognizable by the chess piece tattoos on his cheeks and forehead—don’t play hero. Call Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. This saga is far from over, and with Massey’s track record, who knows what trick he’s got up his sleeve next?
So, what do you think? Is Antoine Massey a criminal mastermind or just a guy who’s really good at running? And what about Daishanae and the girlfriend—misguided loyalty or something deeper? Drop your thoughts below, and let’s keep an eye on this wild ride as the hunt for New Orleans’ own Houdini continues!
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