Car wash owner who spotted Casey White and Vicky White reflects one year later

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT)- It was one year ago today that a nationwide manhunt for two fugitives ended in Evansville. Casey White and Vicky White made national headlines after Casey White escaped from jail in Alabama with the help of Vicky White, a longtime correctional officer.

A truck spotted at Weinbach Car Wash in Evansville helped bring the manhunt to an end.

“It is just so unreal, and everybody, even today, cannot believe that they were in Evansville, especially for how long they were,” says James Stinson, the car wash owner.

As Stinson works in his car wash today, he reflects on when his life turned upside down on May 9, 2022.

“It was really like a rollercoaster,” he says.

Stinson says Casey White abandoned a truck in one of his wash bays on May 3.

“A year ago today, a vehicle was dropped off here and I kept looking at it and kept trying to figure out why it was there,” he says.

Authorities say Casey White and Vicky White spent days in Evansville. Their time under the radar ended once Stinson reported the suspicious truck to police, along with surveillance video of a person who closely resembled escapee Casey White. Video showed White getting into a car with a driver that looked like corrections officer Vicky White.

“You know, I was really concerned when I saw Casey there and I figured that it was him, and I thought that Vicky was long gone out of the picture,” Stinson says.

On May 9^th, that car was spotted leaving a motel on Highway 41. Weeks on the run came to crashing end, with Casey in handcuffs and Vicky White dead after Casey White says she took her own life. A lot has happened since then, but Stinson says he cannot forget what happened. He even made the trip to Alabama to see Casey White plead guilty to escape 5 days ago. In return, the murder charge against Casey White was dropped.

“It was a very dramatic day in court, it caught the powerhouse attorneys off guard… Vicky White’s mother was sitting in there and it was very emotional for her,” Stinson says.

Stinson has visited Alabama three other times and says he has gotten to know the family of Connie Ridgeway. Casey White was charged with Ridgway’s murder in 2020. Although Stinson aided police in arresting Casey White, he did not receive reward money for his capture. But the family of Ridgway decided he needed something.

“They came up here to see me. They had started a go-fund-me to increase their reward for the capture and when they were caught. They turned the go-fund-me over to benefit me and they came over and brought me that. And we have become friends,” Stinson says.