Prison guard helped inmate escape in US, investigations say

After another week of investigating the disappearance of an inmate with a corrections officer in Alabama, authorities say the inmate, Vicky White, and the inmate, Casey White, may have had a romantic relationship.

By all accounts, Vicky White is described by her supervisors as a “model employee” and a “trustworthy person” – and the case has left friends, family and everyone who knew her stunned at the possibility that she might have developed a crush on her. a man accused of murder and possibly helped him escape.

But Vicky White’s case is not unique. A quick look at the history of some murderers and serial killers shows that some had many followers, and many married them while they were still in prison.

Experts say there is a term for this type of attraction.

“Sometimes referred to in our culture as ‘bad man syndrome,’ hybridism is the sexual attraction or interest in those who commit crimes, particularly atrocious and violent crimes such as rape and murder,” said the criminologist and business professor. of Justice and Law Casey Jordan of Western Connecticut State University.

“Vicky White definitely believes she’s in love with Casy White because he gives her the feeling of being alive after decades of feeling serious and safe and ‘trusted’,” Jordan added.

These are some examples of novels that did not encounter obstacles through prison bars:

Richard Matt and David Sweat

Prison worker Joyce Mitchell, who helped two convicted murderers, Richard Matt and David Swat, escape from an upstate New York prison in 2015, was convicted of promoting prison smuggling and crime facilitation, and was released in 2020, just after completing five years in prison.

Authorities said Mitchell, the prison’s tailor, gave Matt and Sweat tools so they could cut through cell walls to escape the Dannemora, New York facility. But she failed to fulfill her role in the escape plan, which included having Matt kill Mitchell’s husband, Lyle Mitchell.

“Detainee Matt and I got along well. We talked every day and he treated me with respect and was kind to me. He made me feel special,” Mitchell said in his confession.

Jordan said Vicky White’s psychology seems to match Mitchell’s.

“The deep emptiness they feel in midlife as they struggle with the aging process, the pain of diminishing attractiveness and loss of enthusiasm in their lives, are somehow transformed by the attention of a ‘bad guy’…they act like teenagers. and take unimaginable risks no matter how it ends,” Jordan explained.

“I know I had agreed to help them escape and run away with them, but I panicked and couldn’t go through with the rest of the plan. I really love my husband and he’s the reason I haven’t met inmate Matt and inmate Sweat,” Mitchell said in his depositions at the time.

“Human behavior is complex, and the motivations behind it can be diverse. And for some, depending on what motivated the behavior or psychiatric conditions they have, when they’re out of that context, or something else happens in their lives, they realize the mistakes they’ve made,” said Arielle Baskin-Sommers, associate professor of psychology and psychiatry at Yale University.

Ted Bundy

Ted Bundy preyed on young women and eventually confessed to over two dozen murders before he was executed, but it may be linked to more murders.

While in court for murder, he married Carole Ann Boone, with whom he had a child. Boone, who worked with Bundy at the Washington State Department of Emergency Services, testified on his behalf as a character witness, and they were married during the trial, literally while she was testifying.

“People who want to fix or save someone believe they have been given a sign (usually from God or another power) to save the criminal. She generally refuses to admit evidence of guilt, insists the crime was fabricated, and believes he has unique thoughts in his psyche,” Jordan said.

Bundy, with his handsome looks and college degree, could also be very charming. He studied psychology in college, volunteered at a suicide prevention helpline while he was in college, and was assistant director of the Seattle Crime Prevention Council at one point.

“On a human level, people want to feel wanted and connected and praised, and some of these men are really good at doing those things. Bundy was very charming and engaging. So you can imagine that for any human being, the moment you’re engaged and delighted, will do anything to discount the examples of behavior that can be problematic,” said Baskin-Sommers.

Charles Manson

Mass murderer Charles Manson, 80, planned to marry 26-year-old Afton “Star” Burton while in prison. She began communicating with him via letters and phone calls, and then moved to nearby Corcoran State Prison in California, where he was incarcerated when she was 19.

She believed in his innocence, spent years trying to clear his name, and continued to support him, even though she said she knew people thought she was crazy.

“I don’t care what that kind of person thinks. It makes no difference. The man I know isn’t the one in the movies, documentaries, or books. He’s not like that. He doesn’t tell people what to do. He’s not manipulative at all,” Burton said at the time.

“These women usually have a long history of being involved with ‘bad boys’, seeking to change their bad ways or bring them to salvation. In their minds, their unwavering faith and commitment will fix it,” Jordan said.

Baskin-Sommers said some convicted murderers show features consistent with a disorder called psychopathy. “Their disorder is associated with shallow, charming behavior, and a lack of genuine relationships…they used women to do things: help them escape jail, pay for services,” she explained.

Erik Lyle Menendez

Erik Menendez and his brother Lyle, who were convicted of killing their parents in 1989, were married while incarcerated. Lyle Menendez married Anna Erikkson, with whom he exchanged letters for a long time, but they divorced and he remarried. Erik Menendez married Tammi Ruth Saccoman.

“The most basic underlying reason for the attraction is the infamy of these criminals…who have been overrated in the media and are household names,” Jordan said.

“Many deeply insecure people who crave attention and validation from an acquaintance seek out famous criminals to be the subject of their love and attraction. Their lives are often empty and alone, with no prospect of achievement or self-actualization, so they believe that association with a serial killer will help fill the void.”