Convicted Killer Jacob Morley Vanishes After Escaping Tennessee Prison, Triggering Multi-State Manhunt

A convicted murderer serving a life sentence escaped from a Tennessee prison after allegedly slipping through a perimeter fence, setting off a multi-agency search that stretched beyond state lines.

Jacob Allen Morley, 28, was discovered missing from the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee, late on October 25. The Tennessee Department of Correction said staff realized he was unaccounted for at approximately 11:30 p.m. and immediately began an emergency count and search of the facility.

Security footage later confirmed that Morley had breached the prison’s perimeter fence and left the facility wearing his prison uniform.

Authorities say Morley allegedly stole a white 2008 Ford F-350 pickup truck around 1 a.m. on October 26. Surveillance footage released by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation showed a man believed to be Morley taking the vehicle near the prison. The truck, which belonged to a local planting company, was later discovered abandoned in Marion, Illinois, roughly 120 miles north of the facility. Morley was not found there.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Marshals Service and other law enforcement agencies joined the search. Officials warned the public not to approach him, describing him as dangerous.

Morley is approximately 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs around 240 pounds. He has brown hair and green eyes. Authorities urged residents to review home security systems, doorbell cameras and trail-camera footage for possible sightings.

Morley was serving a life sentence following his conviction for the 2022 first-degree murder of his former co-worker, Cody Birchfield. Birchfield disappeared in February 2022, and his body was later discovered hidden in a container beneath Morley’s home, according to court records and law enforcement reports.

In addition to first-degree murder, Morley was convicted of aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, evading arrest and vandalism.

The escape has also drawn attention to security and staffing concerns at the Tennessee prison system. An Associated Press report noted that the Northwest Correctional Complex had experienced serious incidents involving violence and staffing shortages.

As of the latest reports available from October 29, Morley remained at large. Authorities had increased the reward for information leading to his capture to $17,500, according to the Nashville Tennessean. His current status should be checked against official law-enforcement updates before publication.

Anyone with information about Morley’s whereabouts is urged not to approach him and to contact 911 or the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-TBI-FIND.

Sources: DAILYMAIL