Casey White, the Alabama convict who escaped prison with his jail boss-turned-lover Vicky White, was charged Tuesday with felony murder in her death.
The charge was announced by Lauderdale County District Attorney Chris Connolly, according to AL.com.
Casey White and Vicky White, who were not related, were on the lam for 11 days after Vicky helped him escape Lauderdale County Jail in Florence, Alabama, where she was a corrections officer.
Casey White, the Alabama inmate who went on the run with jail-boss and lover Vicki White, was charged with felony murder in her death. Dan Busey/The TimesDaily via APThey were caught on May 9 in Indiana, after Casey crashed his car during a police chase and Vicky fatally shot herself in the head.
It’s not clear if the murder charge for Casey means prosecutors have changed their account of how the prison guard died but felony murder charges are filed when a murder is committed in the commission of a felony.
He is also facing charges of first-degree escape.
Prosecutors said in their indictment that “in the course and furtherance of committing escape in the first degree, [Casey White] caused the death of Vicky White, who died from a gunshot wound to the head,” according to AL.com.
Casey’s attorney said that his client will enter a not guilty plea.
“The defense team will file a number of pre-trial motions including a motion for the state to provide the defense team with a copy of the autopsy of Vicky White. After receiving the results of the autopsy, the defense team will file additional motions stating the relief sought,” his lawyer Mark McDaniel said in a statement provided to the outlet.
The couple were on the run for 11 days after Vicky helped Casey escape from Lauderdale County Jail in Florence, Alabama.
He is currently serving time for a 2015 crime spree and facing a capital murder charge, which is expected to go to trial at the end of this year.
Casey’s former lawyer, Dale Bryant, has said the inmate “suffers from a mental illness.”
“When he’s on medication and in a supervised environment … he’s a decent person,” Bryant said. “When he gets out of incarceration, he is unable to stay on his medication and he even self-medicates by smoking methamphetamine or taking other illegal substances.”
Casey White is expected to go to trial for another murder charge this year. Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s OfficeBefore the escape, Vicky had told co-workers she was taking Casey to a mental health evaluation at the courthouse, but there was never an appointment scheduled.
Instead, she ditched the police cruiser she was driving and fled with Casey. She had recently submitted her retirement papers and sold her home in Lexington.
A date for the trial has not yet been set.
