By William Thornton

Escaped Lauderdale County inmate Casey Cole White had an ongoing relationship with the Lauderdale County assistant director of corrections, with whom he was last seen Friday before his escape.

According to an announcement today from the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office, investigators have confirmed through inmates in the Lauderdale County Detention Center that there was “a special relationship” between the two.

“That relationship has been confirmed through our investigation with independent sources and means,” the department said in a statement.

A felony arrest warrant was issued yesterday for Vicky White, who has been missing with Casey White, a capital murder suspect, since Friday.

Authorities think the two might be in a gold or copper 2007 Ford Edge with damage to the left rear bumper, according to WAFF.

The warrant accuses Vicky White of assisting the inmate, Casey Cole White, in escaping from the jail. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton said he believed Casey Cole White’s escape was “orchestrated” and that Vicky White played a role.

The two were last seen Friday morning when Vicky White claimed she was driving Casey Cole White to the nearby courthouse for a mental health evaluation. But there was no such court appearance, according to the sheriff. Though transporting an incarcerated person alone is a policy violation, Singleton said other corrections officers did not question her because of her position of authority.

Singleton said a review of surveillance video revealed that Vicky White and Casey Cole White, who are not related, drove directly from the jail to Florence Square Shopping Center at Huntsville Road and Cox Creek Parkway. Vicky White’s patrol car was spotted on video at the shopping center about eight minutes after leaving the jail.

Singleton said it is believed Casey White was laying in the backseat of the patrol vehicle to avoid detection until they arrived at the shopping center and changed vehicles. At 3:30 p.m., a jail employee reported to the administration that she had been trying to contact deputy White but the calls went directly to voicemail. The employee also reported that Casey White had not returned to the jail.

The sheriff said Vicky White had turned in her retirement papers, and Friday was to be her last day.

Vicky White’s mother, Pat Davis, told WAAY TV that Vicky had been living with her for the past five weeks, ever since Vicky sold her house. Davis says her daughter didn’t speak about work often, never bringing up retirement and never mentioning inmate White in conversation.

In 2020, Casey White was charged with two counts of capital murder for the Oct. 23, 2015 murder-for-hire slaying of Connie Jane Ridgeway. He was already serving jail time for several offenses committed in 2015, including trying to kill his ex-girlfriend and kidnapping her two roommates.

A $10,000 reward has been issued for information leading to the capture of Casey White and a $5,000 reward is offered for information leading to Vicky White.

The public should not approach either suspect, authorities say. Information can be provided at the USMS Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102. Anonymous tips may also be submitted via the U.S. Marshals Tip App.

This post was originally published on this site