Ex-Corrections Officer Shoots Herself During Police Chase After She Escaped With Inmate, Dies In Hospital

Alabama police have finally caught up with prison officer Vicky White who had helped a suspect escape from jail. On Monday, the 10-day long manhunt for White ended in Evansville, Indiana where officials said Vicky White had fatally shot herself while being chased by cops.

According to PEOPLE, authorities located the suspect Casey Cole White and Vicky White after investigators followed up on a tip that led them to a hotel in Indiana. The pair, who are not in any way related, were tracked down by officers and had the cops chasing them down on a hot pursuit. The duo fled the hotel and boarded a black Cadillac and went on a high-speed chase that ended in a collision wreck with a US Marshall Services vehicle. Both suspects were said to be in a romantic relationship.

Upon their apprehension amid the wreck, Vicky was found to have suffered injuries that appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot. She was taken to a hospital however, she did not survive her injuries and died later on.

Sheriff Dave Wedding of Vanderburgh County said further investigation will be launched to determine if Vicky had actually shot herself. At a press conference, Wedding said, “When this occurred, the female driver of the vehicle shot herself and the passenger was injured. Her injuries are very serious.”

“It’s hard to believe they’ve been here that many days but we’re glad we stumbled on them today,” the sheriff added.

Casey White was arrested in 2020 on two counts of capital murder for an alleged murder-for-hire plot of 59-year-old Connie Jane Ridgeway in October 2015. White pleaded not guilty to the charges and was being held at the Landale County Detention Center where Vicky was assigned as the assistant director of the corrections facility.

On April 29, Vicky drove off with Casey telling authorities she was bringing him to court for mental health evaluation. However, there was nothing on record to show of the said appointment. Incidentally, it was also her last day of work, and based on investigations, she had already sold her house the previous month. A warrant was issued for Vicky’s arrest on charges of facilitating escape in the first degree, forgery in the second degree, and identity theft.

US Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Task Force said the couple’s getaway vehicle was discovered in Tennessee hours after their escape. The car seemed to have been abandoned due to mechanical issues which led authorities to triangulate a specific area to focus on their manhunt.