A major manhunt is underway after an inmate facing murder charges escaped prison in Alabama.
Casey White was last seen on Friday morning at the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office before disappearing with corrections officer Vicki White.
Ms White said she was taking Mr White to a mental evaluation. However, officials later found that no such assessment had been scheduled.
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Authorities are now working to uncover whether Ms White helped the offender escape or if she was taken hostage.
The pair are not related despite having the same surname.
Officers have warned that Mr White should be considered "armed and extremely dangerous" as he may have access to Ms White's gun.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton said Ms White left the detention centre with the prisoner at about 9.30am after telling colleagues she was going to drop him off at the courthouse for a mental health evaluation.
Sheriff Singleton added that Ms White said after she dropped Mr White off, she would be heading to get some medical attention as she was not feeling well.
However, shortly after 11am, her vehicle was found in a shopping centre car park.
Ms White then became uncontactable when officials realised that Mr White had not been returned to custody at around 3.30pm.
The US Marshals Service is now offering a reward of up to $10,000 (€9,500) for information leading to Casey White's recapture and the location of Vicki White.
Sheriff Singleton said in his statement that Ms White has been with the department for about 25 years. She currently holds a role as the assistant director of corrections, which makes her responsible for duties such as arranging courthouse transportation.
However, the sheriff confirmed that Ms White's decision to take the prisoner to the courthouse by herself violated policy as someone charged with such a severe crimes would normally be accompanied by two deputies.
He said: "I can tell you that every employee in this office is shocked that she is missing and that this has happened."
Sheriff Singleton said Ms White had been voted employee of the year several times and was an "exemplary employee".
He added that solid proof would be needed before Ms White is accused of any wrongdoing.
"Did she assist him in escaping? That's obviously a possibility. So we're looking into that as one angle of the investigation. Was she kidnapped en route to the courthouse? You know, taken against her will? That's obviously another angle we're looking at," he said.
"Knowing the inmate, I think she is in danger whatever the circumstances."
According to the US Marshals Service, White, 38, was charged with two counts of capital murder in September 2020 over the stabbing of 58-year-old Connie Ridgeway.
The US federal law enforcement agency said he was already serving time for a series of crimes in 2015, including burglary, vehicle theft, and a police chase.
Authorities added that he confessed to the murder and was awaiting trial at the Lauderdale County Jail when he disappeared.
White has planned to escape from prison before. Sheriff Singleton told ABC News officials found out about the plan - which involved taking a hostage - before he could attempt it in 2020.
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