Manhunt in Louisiana still on for 2 escapees, including 1 homicide suspect

Authorities in Louisiana are searching for two inmates who escaped from the Tangipahoa Parish Jail, just north of New Orleans, after catching two others who escaped at the same time — and three of the four are homicide suspects, the parish sheriff's office said.

Sheriff Daniel Edwards said in a statement that they got out through the jail's perimeter fence during recreation time in the yard.

Later inspection showed that "a section of the fence was ... vulnerable and easily maneuvered in such a way that a small statured body could slide through."

The three homicide suspects were identified as Omarion Hookfin, 19, of Hammond, La.; Avery Guidry, also 19, of Natalbany, La.; and Travon Johnson, 21, also from Natalbany.

The fourth escapee was Jamarcus Cyprian, 20, of Amity, La., the office said. 

Johnson and Guidry were found hiding in a dumpster behind a Dollar General store, authorities said on social media Monday morning. Hookfin and Cyprian are still at large.

Hookfin, Guidry and Johnson were behind bars for their alleged roles in a 2022 homicide in Hammond, and Cyprian was doing time on armed robbery and weapons charges, the office said, with more time tacked on for alleged aggravated battery while he was locked up in Catahoula Parish.

CBS New Orleans affiliate WWL-TV reports that the counts against Johnson, Hookfin and Guidry stemmed from a 2022 home invasion in Hammond that ended with a 33-year-old man dead and his 12-year-old daughter hospitalized.

Brian Dakss

Brian Dakss is a longtime New York-based editor and writer for CBS News, at the Radio network and with CBSNews.com. He has written and edited for NBC News, Dow Jones and numerous radio stations and been a radio anchor and reporter.

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