A search is underway for an Alabama corrections officer and capital murder suspect who disappeared without a trace.

According to WVTM, Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office employee Vicki White and inmate Casey Cole White (they are not related, FYI) have been missing since Friday. The two were last seen at 9:30 a.m. when she reportedly left the detention center with the prison, telling the booking officer that she was escorting Casey to the courthouse for a mental health evaluation. After dropping him off at the court appointment, Vicki said she planned on seeking medical attention since she was not feeling well at the time.

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Her 2013 Ford Taurus patrol car was then spotted in the parking lot of a nearby shopping center at around 11 a.m. on Friday, ABC News reported. But officers grew concerned when they realized six hours had passed since they last heard from Vicki. At around 3:30 p.m., the booking officer attempted to contact her by phone, but it kept going to voicemail. They soon discovered that Vicki never showed up to court and never returned Casey to jail – prompting them to start a search.

What have they discovered so far? It turned out that the suspect never had a mental health evaluation scheduled that day. And upon calling local urgent care centers, police learned that there was also no record of Vicki ever visiting on Friday. So now the question is: did she help him escape or was she kidnapped? Sheriff Rick Singleton said, per WVTM:

“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 and, you know, taken against her will?”

The sheriff also noted that the deputy broke protocol by transporting Casey by herself, saying it is a “strict violation of policy.” However, he claimed no one questioned it because she is the head of operations and coordinates all of the transports.

Nevertheless, Singleton noted that her life is potentially in danger and believe he could have her police issued 9mm handgun in his possession:

“Knowing the inmate, I think [Officer White] is in danger whatever the circumstances. He was in jail for capital murder. He has nothing to lose.”

A blue alert, which is activated when an officer has been killed or injured and the perpetrator is at large, has since been issued. It read:

“Casey White is being held on capital murder charges. If anyone should spot them contact 911 immediately and DO NOT APPROACH!”

According to WVTM, Casey was held on capital murder charges for the “brutal death” of Connie Ridgeway in 2015. The charge also includes first-degree burglary.

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[Image via Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office]