Escaped Louisiana Inmate Hid in Lafayette Garbage Can Before Arrest

LAFAYETTE, La. – A Louisiana inmate’s escape turned into an entirely different viral moment after he was caught on camera hiding from police inside a backyard garbage can in Lafayette.

The escapee, 47-year-old Shon Alick Jolivette, was in the custody of the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office on Thursday when he slipped away from deputies at Ochsner Lafayette General UHC, where he had been taken for medical care. The escape prompted lockdowns at Lafayette High School and the Early College Academy at SolaCC’s campus as law enforcement swarmed the area.

Videos capture Jolivette climbing fences, hiding in trash can

Home surveillance footage, provided by Lafayette resident Spencer Simon and later shared on multiple platforms, including TikTok, shows Jolivette climbing over a backyard fence before ducking into a trash can to evade capture.

Police and K9 units are also seen in the footage searching the yard, but they left without finding him. The inmate managed to avoid detection, sparking disbelief across social media as people shared clips questioning how he wasn’t spotted, or sniffed out by the dog.

Homeowner calls police back to the scene

The story didn’t end there. Simon told KATC that Jolivette later moved from the garbage can to a storage container in his yard.

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That’s when the homeowner called authorities again, leading officers to return and arrest him.

Multiple law enforcement agencies, including Lafayette Police, Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, and St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office, assisted in the search. Drones were also deployed during the manhunt.

Jolivette’s criminal history

According to the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office, Jolivette faces several charges, including:

• Armed robbery
• Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
• Aggravated second-degree battery
• Introduction of contraband into a penal institution
• Evidence tampering

Authorities have reminded residents not to approach suspects in situations like this and to immediately contact law enforcement.