The search for Casey White, an inmate charged with murder, and Lauderdale County Detention Center employee Vicki White continues.
The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office said the priority right now is locating Assistant Director Vicki White and recapturing Casey White. (Read more here and here)
US Marshals, ALEA and the FBI are all now involved in the manhunt. Neither Vicki White or Casey White have been seen since yesterday. The two are said to be unrelated.
Casey White is charged with murdering Connie Ridgeway in 2015.
Connie Ridgeway’s son said he’s in disbelief that his mother’s alleged killer is on the loose.
“I’m shocked. I mean how is that even possible that someone with that rap sheet got out that easily,” said Austin Williams.
For over 24 hours now, Williams’ mother’s alleged killer has been on the run.
“I’m not as worried about us, but anyone that comes in his path, he’s a violent, dangerous, dangerous person,” said Williams.
The District Attorney’s office in Lauderdale County contacted Williams and his brother on Friday, sharing that Casey White and Vicki White were nowhere to be found.
“To know he had hours and hours to do whatever they were going to do, he’s going to be hard to find,” said Williams of Casey White.
The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office said Friday morning, Vicky White took inmate Casey White for a “mental health evaluation.”
A timeline provided by the sheriff’s office shows that the two left around 9:40AM and haven’t been seen since.
Security video shows that they never arrived to the courthouse and according to the sheriff’s office, there was no evaluation or court appearance scheduled.
Later, police found Vicki White’s patrol car at the Florence Square Shopping Center.
“Well that just sounds really bad, right,” said Williams. “We don’t know if that person was helping him escape but it just sounds bad.”
The Sheriff’s office said they do believe Vicki White assisted Casey White in his escape but they’re trying to determine if she did so willingly.
Although for Williams, the timeline and events immediately raised questions.
“I’ve heard it said that he had to be taken in a transport van, he had to be chained to a van, a person’s not even supposed to get out of there in a patrol car, that’s not even how it’s supposed to happen,” said Williams.
Williams also believed his mother’s accused killer was serving time in Tuscaloosa, not Lauderdale County.
“The last time we were in court for his arraignment, he was sent back to Tuscaloosa,” said Williams. “He wanted to stay in Lauderdale County but he tried to escape that time, I’m just wondering what’s going on there, why wasn’t he in the state prison and how does someone like him just get a mental health evaluation and it be that easy.”
These events bring back a haunting memory for Williams.
“He claims that he was hired,” said Williams. “It seems like either she was in the wrong place in the wrong time, this Casey person may of been on something, he’s a violent person.”
To Williams and his family, that 2015 story doesn’t add up.
“She just was everyone’s friend, very friendly, nice and went out of her way to help people,” said Williams.
And as the search continues for an accused killer, Williams prays no one else receives a call like he once did.
“I just hope and pray that they catch him,” said Williams.
Casey’s White trial for allegedly killing Connie Ridgeway is set to begin June 13.
Williams is hoping law enforcement are able to track down Casey White in time, so that his family can learn more details about Ridgeway’s death.
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism