Opelousas, louisiana – Two inmates escaped from the st. Landry Parish Jail this weekend,with one still at large as of Saturday,authorities confirmed. The escapees breached the jail structure by compromising the upper area of a wall, according to officials.
The incident has sparked a public dispute between St. Landry Parish President Jessie Bellard and Sheriff Bobby Guidroz over the jail’s condition and security protocols. Bellard asserts the jail is structurally sound and denies claims of crumbling walls and rusted locks, stating, “Claims about crumbling walls and rusted locks on cell doors are inaccurate. The district jail does not have these structural problems, and invited the sheriff to submit documentation to support his claims.” He further emphasized at a news conference, “I want to make sure people understand that this jail is not falling apart. It’s in good shape. It’s structurally sound, and we have the engineers’ reports to back it up.”
One inmate has been apprehended, while the search continues for Eli, whose full name has not been released. Authorities are urging anyone with information regarding Eli’s location to submit an anonymous tip to St. Landry Crime Stoppers.
bellard attributed staffing shortages and inadequate training as contributing factors to security lapses, stating, “It is unreasonable to expect a single officer to handle more than 100 inmates on a floor, especially during night shifts.” He called on the sheriff to address deputy pay to remain competitive with neighboring districts.Bellard also highlighted the need to address a lack of security recordings to improve overall security measures.
