The Anniston man charged with abducting a 75 year old woman in Calhoun County is now behind bars after being captured late yesterday (Tuesday, July 5th) in Kentucky.
Tony Lamar White, 47, was arrested by State Police in Richmond – following a launch of a massive manhunt on Monday.
At approximately 1:30 that afternoon – the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office received a 9-1-1 call reporting that Betty Cobb was missing. Sheriff Matthew Wade stated that a call came in from family members saying they had searched her house, and property, but were unable to locate her. She was found some six hours later – bound with duct tape – inside the closet of the suspect’s home.
Sheriff Wade said that Ms. Cobb, a retired bus driver and former volunteer firefighter – is known to practically everyone in the county, including himself – and hundreds of area residents, including law enforcements officials, firefighters, and members of the general public gathered quickly to form search parties.
Sheriff Wade stated, as Cobb was shopping on the 4th of July, White apparently chose her as his next victim, following her from store to store, and then finally to her home; White apparently attacked Cobb while she was unloading groceries – then forced her into the trunk of his car – taking her to his home in Anniston.
Investigators obtained video from the stores that Cobb had visited that morning, and using the technology and the resources of the East Alabama Metro Crime Center were able to identify White as the suspect and got a license plate for his vehicle.
The information then led investigators to a South Wilmer Street address in Anniston, where deputies cleared the residence and found Cobb bound inside a closet.
Wade said White had attacked Cobb with a knife inflicting lacerations however she is expected to fully recover; the sheriff said White fled after receiving a call from his ex-wife saying police were looking for him. Wade added he believes White’s plan was to sexually assault Cobb, but the phone call prevented that from happening.
White is currently facing charges of kidnapping and burglary. and additional charges could be forthcoming. Sheriff Wade said White works as a certified nursing assistant who works for a company that cares for the elderly, and he’s previously worked with mentally-challenged patients. White had previous arrests for domestic violence and third-degree robbery. in 2003 and 2006.
(AL.COM/www.al.com)
