Photo: Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office
Former Alabama corrections officer Vicky White died from self-inflicted gunshot injuries after being taken into custody in Indiana.
White, 56, was hospitalized on Monday (May 9) after she and Casey White, a confessed capital murder suspect, were located following a manhunt that lasted more than a week, Vanderburgh County Sheriff Dave Wedding told CNN.
Wedding had previously told reporters "We've captured them" after prior reports that Vicky and Casey White were spotted in Indiana.
Vicky White, 57, is reported to have shot herself but her condition is unknown, WAAY reports. Casey White, a confessed capital murder suspect, is in custody.
On May 2, a warrant was issued charging the corrections officer in relation to the incident.
Prior to their capture, Casey White and Vicky White -- who are not related despite sharing a last name -- were last seen leaving Lauderdale County Jail at around 9:40 a.m. on April 29, supposedly to appear at a courthouse, but never arrived, the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office confirmed to NBC News.
"We know she participated" in his escape, Singleton said on May 2 via NBC News. "Whether she did that willingly or was coerced or threatened, we're not really sure, but we know for sure she did participate."
Last week, Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton confirmed Vicky White, who planned to retire, would lose her state-funded contributions to her pension after being charged with assisting in the escape of an inmate.
“Why, absolutely,” Singleton said Wednesday (March 4) via AL.com when asked if Vicky White had formally been terminated following the charge. “I mean, yeah. Of course, we haven’t had time to do the paperwork. But, yes, her employment is over with the Lauderdale County sheriff’s office.”
The Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office also confirmed Vicky White was "no longer employed by the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office" in a statement to AL.com.
AL.com shared security footage of Vicky and Casey White leaving the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office in a marked police vehicle, as well as separate surveillance video from a Florence, Alabama gas station in which the vehicle is seen at an intersection.
Vicky White had reportedly spoken about her upcoming retirement for months, as well as time she'd spend on the beach and had recently sold her house ahead of what was supposed to be her final day working as a Lauderdale County corrections officer at the time of her disappearance.
"This is not the Vicky White we know by any stretch of the imagination," Singleton said. "Everybody thought she was going to retire."
"Nobody saw this coming," he added.
WAAY reported White sold her Lexington home for $95,550, below market value, in the days leading up to her disappearance.
Singleton said the department is investigating all possibilities regarding the relationship of Vicky and Casey White, including a romantic involvement, when initially announcing the warrant charging the officer in relation to the incident. Officials told NBC News that Vicky White was seen spending an inordinate amount of time near Casey White's cell in video surveillance.
Inmates at the detention center also claimed Vicky and Casey White had a "special relationship," which was confirmed through independent investigation, WAFF reports.
On May 1, the U.S. Marshals Service offered $10,000 for information leading to the capture of capital Casey White and the location of Vicky White, who was believed to be a possible hostage victim at the time.
“Casey White is believed to be a serious threat to the corrections officer and the public,” U.S. Marshal Marty Keely said at the time.
The U.S. Marshals Service 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.
He had confessed to the murder of Ridgeway and was awaiting trial at the Lauderdale County Jail prior to his escape on Friday, 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, 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.
Vicky White also transported the suspect alone, which is a strict violation of policy as two sworn deputies are needed to transport a suspect with the charges that Casey White is facing, according to the sheriff.
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. last Friday 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.