U.S. Marshals offer reward for information on escaped inmate, "missing" correctional officer
The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the capture of escaped inmate Casey Cole White and the location of "missing and endangered correctional officer" Vicky White. The two disappeared Friday after Vicky White took Casey White for what she told others was a mental health evaluation.
"Do not attempt to apprehend this fugitive," U.S. Marshal Marty Keely said in a statement Sunday.
Casey White, 38, was being held at the Lauderdale County Jail in Alabama awaiting trial on capital murder charges prior to his disappearance. He was already serving time for a series of crimes in 2015 that included "home invasion, carjacking, and a police chase," the Marshals Service said, when he "confessed about the murder."
White is described by the Marshals Service as being 6 feet 9 inches tall and weighing around 260 pounds with hazel eyes and brown hair.
The Lauderdale County Sheriff's office on Sunday released the most recent images of Casey White that it had.
Vicky White, the assistant director of corrections, left the jail with Casey White at 9:41 a.m. on Friday, according to Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton. The two are not related. She told other officials she was going to drop Casey White off at the courthouse for a mental health evaluation and then was going to go to a doctor's appointment, Singleton said at a Friday press conference.
According to Singleton, Vicky White's patrol car was found in shopping center parking lot around 11 a.m. and officials became aware at around 3:30 p.m. that Casey White had never been returned to custody and that nobody was able to get in contact with Vicky White.
Vicky White was armed with a 9mm pistol at the time of her disappearance, Singleton said, leading authorities to assume that Casey White is now armed and "extremely dangerous."
Singleton on Friday said that after speaking to the court, officials confirmed that there had not been any scheduled mental health evaluation. He also said that Vicky White's decision to take the inmate to the courthouse alone was "a strict violation of policy," as someone charged with that severe of a crime should have been accompanied by two deputies.
"Obviously, you know, we're looking at all angles," Singleton said Friday. "Did she assist him in escaping? That's obviously a possibility. So we're looking into that as one angle of the investigation. Was she kidnapped en route to the courthouse? You know, taken against her will? That's obviously another angle we're looking at."
The sheriff's office has not provided any other updates beyond the new images of Casey White released on Sunday. A press conference is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Monday.
The Marshals Service said those with information should contact the service at 1-800-336-0102 or leave an anonymous tip through the U.S. Marshals Tip App.
Victoria Albert contributed reporting.