Escaped Alabama inmate Casey White charged with federal crimes in Evansville

Houston Harwood, Evansville Courier & Press
·3 min read
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EVANSVILLE — Alabama inmate Casey White, who escaped from an Alabama jail in April with the help of a corrections officer before being apprehended in Evansville, was indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday for illegally possessing five firearms at the time of his capture.

Vanderburgh County Sheriff Dave Wedding previously said Casey White was prepared for a "shootout" in Evansville.

On May 9, after being on the run for about one week, officers arrested Casey White and his partner - former corrections officer Vicky White - in Evansville near U.S. 41. According to Wedding, the pair ended up at Motel 41 in Vanderburgh County — almost 300 miles from their Alabama home — to "get their bearings" and ponder their next move.

Vicky White allegedly shot herself before officers could take her into custody.

More:How Evansville police connected pickup truck to Alabama prison escapee Casey White

Federal prosecutor Zachary Myers said White illegally possessed five firearms during his time in Evansville, including four handguns and one semi-automatic rifle. White has been charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a felon and one count of possessing a firearm as a felon.

Authorities collected weapons from a Cadillac sedan in which Alabama fugitives Casey White and Vicky White fled from police May 9.
Authorities collected weapons from a Cadillac sedan in which Alabama fugitives Casey White and Vicky White fled from police May 9.

Federal court documents allege that White possessed handguns manufactured by Hi-Point, Glock, and Smith & Wesson. Additionally, prosecutors said he possessed a "Mil-Sport Model AR15."

Prior to his escape, Casey White was serving a 75-year sentence in Alabama for attempted murder and kidnapping. He also reportedly confessed to the 2015 killing of Connie Ridgeway. Vicky White, meanwhile, was the Lauderdale County corrections officer who reportedly helped him escape on April 29. The two are not related.

More:'Their plan was pretty faulty': Casey White charged with felony murder. What we know

The Whites first showed up on Evansville authorities' radar several days prior to their capture, when police recovered a dark blue 2006 Ford F-150 from Weinbach Car Wash. The manager of the car wash, James Stinson, provided police with security footage that showed a man bearing a resemblance to Casey White standing near the truck.

Wedding said the vehicle had been abandoned there May 3.

Marty Keely, U.S. marshal of the Northern District of Alabama, told the Courier & Press previously that law enforcement obtained surveillance footage of Casey White leaving the Weinbach Car Wash in a Cadillac, which the Whites had also purchased at some point.

Law enforcement later spotted the Cadillac at Motel 41 and set up surveillance.

When Casey and Vicky White fled Motel 41 on May 9, law enforcement forced their vehicle into a ditch, at which point Vicky White shot herself and police arrested Casey White.

More:Casey White returned to Alabama prison after brief stay at Vanderburgh County jail

Casey White was taken back to Alabama on May 10.

In a news release, Myers said the federal firearms case was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office.

If convicted, Meyers said White could face up to 20 additional years in prison.

Houston Harwood can be contacted at walter.harwood@courierpress.com with story ideas and questions.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Casey White case: Escaped inmate faces federal gun charges, Evansville