Ismaël B., known as “the Mexican,” arrested after month-long manhunt: he had sheltered the killer of police officer Éric Masson

Ismaël B., nicknamed “the Mexican,” was arrested on the morning of Wednesday, June 11, in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (Vaucluse), bringing an end to nearly four weeks on the run. According to information obtained by BFMTV, the 25-year-old man — who was serving a prison sentence for assisting the murderer of police officer Éric Masson — had taken advantage of a temporary leave on May 14 to escape and never returned to prison.

On the run after his brother’s funeral

Convicted of sheltering Ilias Akoudad — who was found guilty of killing Brigadier Masson in May 2021 in Avignon — Ismaël B. had hidden the suspect in the basement of his home and failed to report him to the authorities. He was serving a two-year prison sentence at the Le Pontet facility and was due for release in ten months.

On May 14, he was granted leave from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to attend the funeral of his brother, who had been shot dead just days earlier. But instead of returning, he disappeared. Authorities opened an investigation into his escape and added his name to the national wanted persons database. The Avignon public prosecutor also issued a European arrest warrant.

A tense climate amid fears of retaliation

Authorities suspected he may have had help in his escape and feared the act could be linked to a potential climate of revenge. On May 7, Nadil Boujti, 36, was gunned down with two Kalashnikov bullets to the head outside a snack bar in the Croix des Oiseaux neighborhood of Avignon. A white Renault Kangoo believed to have been used by the assailants was later found burned out in nearby Carpentras, with weapons inside.

The victim, reportedly “well known to the police,” may have been involved in drug trafficking, and investigators are favoring the hypothesis of a gang-related score-settling — though the theory of mistaken identity has not been ruled out. As of now, the shooters remain at large.

The murder of Brigadier Éric Masson deeply shocked the public. The 36-year-old father was shot dead while on duty at a known drug-dealing location in May 2021. In March 2024, Ilias Akoudad, who was 19 at the time of the crime, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for “murder of a person holding public authority.”

Ismaël B. is now in police custody and being questioned about his escape.