Inmate Casey White Charged In Death Of Officer Who Helped Him Escape

Casey White, an Alabama inmate whose escape alongside a former corrections officer Vicky White led to a nationwide manhunt earlier this year, is now being charged in relation to her death.

Casey White, 38, was indicted on one count of felony murder in relation to the death of Vicky White, 56, Lauderdale County District Attorney Chris Connolly confirmed in a statement obtained by NBC News on Tuesday (July 13).

"During the course of and in furtherance of committing Escape in the First Degree, [Casey] White caused the death of Vicky White, who died from a gunshot to the head," the district attorney said.

Responding officers said Vicky White died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after the car she and Casey White had been traveling in rammed into the police vehicle pursuing them in Indiana after the two were located more than a week after their initial escape from Lauderdale County Jail in May.

Neither the indictment nor Connolly's statement on the charge claims that Casey White actually shot Vicky White himself, but Alabama state law does allow a person to be charged with felony murder when the incident committed leads to the death of another individual.

On May 1, the U.S. Marshals Service offered $10,000 for information leading to the capture of Casey White, a confessed capital murder suspect and the location of Vicky White, who was believed to be a possible hostage victim at the time and later listed as an accomplice.

The U.S. Marshals Service later offered an additional $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of Vicky White.

Casey White was previously charged with two counts of capital murder in relation to the stabbing of Connie Ridgeway, 58, in September 2020 and had already been incarcerated for several other crimes committed in 2015, which include home invasion, carjacking and a police chase, U.S. Marshals confirmed to NBC News.

Casey White had confessed to the murder of Ridgeway and was awaiting trial at the Lauderdale County Jail prior to his escape, the agency confirmed.

Vicky and Casey White were reported to have left the detention center for a mental health evaluation at the court, however, Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton confirmed no such evaluation was scheduled at the time.

Vicky White, an employee of 25 years who planned to retire after her final shift on the day of her disappearance, also told a booking officer that she was going to a medical appointment after dropping off Casey White because she wasn't feeling well, however, Singleton confirmed no appointment had been scheduled at the time.

The marked 2013 Ford Taurus patrol car that the two were reported to be traveling in was later found at a shopping center, the sheriff confirmed to NBC News.

Officers realized the two were missing at around 3:30 p.m. on the day of their disappearance after repeated calls to Vicki White's phone went straight to voicemail and it was confirmed that she'd never returned to the detention center either.