Prison Officer Who Fell in Love With Inmate Broke Him Out of Jail and Went on the Run—It Ended in Tragedy

In 2022, a jailbreak case shocked the country when a corrections officer fell in love with an inmate and helped him break out of prison. At the time, Vicky White, 56, was the assistant director of corrections at the Lauderdale County Detention Center in Florence, Alabama.

Vicky White had worked at the prison for nearly two decades and was highly respected by her colleagues. During her career, she earned the Employee of the Year title four times. However, everything changed when she came across 38-year-old inmate, Casey White, who had a history of violence.

Sparks allegedly flew between the two, and Vicky chose to break workplace rules to set the man she loved free. However, she eventually paid the price with her life. Casey was serving a 75-year sentence after going on a violent spree in 2015, which included attempted murder, robbery, and carjacking.

Casey initially served his sentence at the William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility but was moved to the Lauderdale County Detention Center in 2020, where he met first met Vicky for the first time. Despite his history of violence, Vicky began providing him with extra food and special privileges in prison.

According to Vicky’s colleagues, they had never seen her being romantic with a man. She was a widow with no children. Meanwhile, Casey wrote her love letters, and the two began imagining a life together. Their relationship continued for two years, and they reportedly also became intimate inside the prison.

Suddenly, in 2022, Vicky made a surprise announcement about her retirement. April 29, 2022, was to be her last day at the center. In the days leading up to her retirement, Vicky sold her house for a loss, withdrew her savings and bought various firearms.

Finally, around 9:30 a.m. on April 29, 2022, Vicky told her co-workers that she was taking Casey to the county courthouse for a mental health evaluation. No one questioned the move because of her seniority and reputation.

However, when Vicky and Casey failed to return to the jail by the afternoon, prison workers alerted authorities. A massive manhunt was launched. For the next 11 days, the couple moved from state to state, while local authorities, the U.S. Marshals, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) searched for them.

To avoid detection, the duo changed vehicles several times and stayed at different motels. They evaded authorities until May 9, 2022, when a car wash employee tipped off the police about their stay at a motel in Evansville, Indiana.

When law enforcement officers arrived at the motel, Vicky and Casey tried to escape in a Cadillac. A high-speed chase then ensued, and the Cadillac eventually crashed into a patrol car. Casey was arrested at the scene, while Vicky was found injured inside the car with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. She died at a hospital later that night.

In June 2023, Casey was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. During the hearing, he said, “Vicky took me out because she said, 'Right was right. Wrong is wrong.' First person to show me affection. First person to give me a hug in six years.” Casey is now serving his life sentence and 75-year sentence concurrently at the William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility.