Topline
The potential reward for the capture of a prison inmate and an Alabama corrections officer who allegedly helped him escape one week ago has increased to a total of $25,000, after Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) announced the state would add payment on top of the U.S. Marshals Service reward, as the two remain on the run.
This combination of photos provided by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s … [+]
Key Facts
Lauderdale County corrections officer Vicky White, 56, arrived at the county jail the morning of April 29 to transport capital murder suspect Casey White (no relation), 38, to what she falsely told colleagues was a mental health evaluation.
Vicky White then drove her cruiser to the Florence Square shopping center in Florence, Alabama, where she and the suspect deserted it for an orange 2007 Ford Edge, which they abandoned in a rural area of Middle Tennessee—about a two-hour drive north of Florence.
The two have not been seen since April 29, leading to a manhunt Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday is now being headed by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton said this week the two appeared to share a “special relationship,” possibly romantic, that may have started in 2020.
Vicky White sold her home last month for $95,550—well below market value—and April 29 was her last day of work before retiring.
It’s not clear where the two might be headed, but Casey White allegedly threatened in the past that he would kill his ex-girlfriend and her sister; CNN reported Friday that U.S. Marshals have taken “appropriate protective actions” to safeguard any “potential targets.”
Big Number
$5,000 each. That’s how much Ivey announced Alabama would reward for information leading to the capture of either Casey White or Vicky White. The U.S. Marshals Service is offering $10,000 for Casey White, while there’s a $5,000 reward for Vicky White’s capture.
Surprising Fact
Casey White is an imposing figure, standing at 6-foot-9 and weighing 330 pounds. Vicky White is 5-foot-5 and weighs about 145 pounds. Authorities suspect that Vicky White may have darkened her blonde hair.
Key Background
Casey White is believed to be “armed and extremely dangerous,” given his extensive history of violent crime. He was facing a potential death penalty charge for allegedly killing an Alabama woman, Connie Ridgeway, in her living room in an October 2015 murder-for-hire plot, which took place before a December 2015 crime spree where Casey shot at his ex-girlfriend, killed her dog and later shot another woman during an attempted carjacking, among other offenses. He was sentenced in 2019 to 75 years in prison. Vicky White, on the other hand, was widely beloved by her colleagues and had been described as an exemplary corrections officer.
Crucial Quote
“I would have trusted her with my life,” Singleton said in an interview with CNN. “I am so disappointed in her. She was trusted and she exploited that trust.”
Further Reading
Man charged with capital murder in brutal 2015 Rogersville slaying (AL.com)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/05/06/alabama-jail-escape-one-week-later-reward-total-increased-to-25000/