When Vicky White checked Casey White outside the detention center around 9:30 a.m., she said she was going to leave him in the courthouse and then receive medical treatment because she was not feeling well, but she did not succeed. the location where he was to receive medical care, said Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton. On Friday afternoon, prison staff tried to call Vicky White, but her phone went straight to the answering machine. They later found out that Casey White had never returned to prison. Authorities were examining multiple scenarios over the weekend, including whether Vicky White was neutralized and abducted by the 9-meter detainee or whether she helped him escape, either by coercion or of her own free will, Singleton told CNN. Casey White was being held in jail on murder charges. Around 11 a.m. Friday, Vicky White’s patrol car was spotted in a mall parking lot by someone who was on their lunch break, Singleton said. On Saturday, the sheriff said authorities searched security videos in the area where the patrol car was found, but found no evidence that the two had boarded another vehicle. The sheriff’s office is working on evidence that could help investigators locate the vehicle the couple left in, Singleton said Sunday, adding that “nothing is confirmed at this time.” “We continue to watch videos of potential customers, but we have not recovered anything that has had a significant impact on the investigation,” Singleton said, adding that authorities do not know if they are still in Alabama.
The prisoner had previously planned to escape
In 2020, Casey White was planning to escape from prison and take a hostage, but he was caught by the detention center, said Singleton. After his plan was discovered, the prison established a policy that required two jurors to accompany him at all times, even when he was taken to court, the sheriff told CNN. Casey White was sentenced to 75 years in prison for a series of crimes in 2015, including burglary, car theft and police pursuit, according to the U.S. military. He also faces two counts of stabbing to death 58-year-old Connie Ridgeway in 2015, the Marshals Service said. He pleaded guilty to murder in 2020 and later pleaded not guilty, according to Lauderdale County Attorney Chris Connolly. He was being held in detention pending trial. Because Vicky White was armed with a 9mm gun when the couple went missing, authorities believe Casey White was most likely armed, Singleton said, adding that it was not known if there were other weapons in her patrol car. Singleton said the prison officer is likely to be in danger regardless of the circumstances of his disappearance. “He was in prison for murder and had nothing to lose,” the sheriff said. “Whether she helped him or not, we do not know and we will not deal with it until we have full proof that it happened. We assume at this point that it was taken against her will, unless we can prove otherwise. But regardless of the fact, “Even if it helped him, we believe he is in danger.” The Marshals Service was involved in the search for the detainee and the officer and is offering a reward of up to $ 10,000 for information leading to the arrest of Casey White and Vicky White’s whereabouts.
The veteran officer violated prison policy
As assistant director of correction, Vicky White was aware of the prison policy that required Casey White to be accompanied by two sworn deputies at all times, according to Singleton. Removing him alone from the detention center, Vicky White broke the protocol. “All the precautions were in place,” Singleton said. “The questions we have about Director White are why she violated her policy.” Singleton said the officer had frequent access to people being held at the detention center, including Casey White. Vicky White submitted her retirement papers to the department last week, according to Singleton, who described her as an “exemplary employee” with an “impeccable record”. “All her colleagues, all the staff in the sheriff’s office, the judges, everyone has the utmost respect for her,” Singleton said. Vicky White has been in the department for about two decades, Singleton said. She is a childless widow and her mother and two siblings live in Lauderdale County. CNN’s Fredricka Whitfield, Rebekah Reiss, Keith Allen and Jamiel Lynch contributed to this report.
