Convicted Murderer Jacob Morley at Large After Escaping Tennessee Prison and Stealing Truck
Jacob Morley, a convicted murderer serving a life sentence, escaped a Tennessee prison and remains at large after stealing a truck. Reward offered.
POLICY WIRE — Tiptonville, Tennessee — A convicted murderer serving a life sentence has escaped from the Northwest Correctional Complex in northwest Tennessee, prompting an urgent manhunt. Authorities confirmed that 28-year-old Jacob Morley managed to breach a prison fence before fleeing the facility.
The Tennessee Department of Correction reported that officials discovered Morley was missing at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Sunday. Security footage captured the inmate fleeing the grounds while still dressed in his prison uniform, though specific details regarding how he bypassed the perimeter fence have not been disclosed.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation later released surveillance footage showing Morley stealing a white 2008 Ford F-350 at roughly 1 a.m. on Tuesday. The vehicle, which features a Lindamood Planting Company logo on the door and Tennessee license plates, was taken from Lake County.
While the stolen truck was recovered Tuesday afternoon in Marion, Illinois, Morley’s current whereabouts remain unknown. The bureau has placed Morley on its most wanted list and is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information that leads to his capture.
Residents in the area where the vehicle was stolen are being urged by investigators to review home security footage, including doorbell and trail cameras, for any signs of the fugitive. Law enforcement agencies have conducted extensive searches of structures surrounding the prison, which is located in a remote, rural region roughly 90 miles north of Memphis.
Morley is described as being 5-foot-11 and 240 pounds, with green eyes and brown hair. He was sentenced to life in prison in 2022 for the murder of his co-worker, Cody Birchfield, whose body was discovered inside a box beneath Morley’s home in Carter County.
In addition to his first-degree murder conviction, Morley was found guilty of aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, vandalism, and evading arrest. His 2022 arrest followed a police pursuit that spanned from his home to North Carolina.
The Northwest Correctional Complex, which has a capacity of 1,776 inmates, has faced significant scrutiny recently due to reports of violence. A grand jury issued dozens of indictments in July related to five inmate murders and various assaults at the facility.
A 2023 audit of the Tennessee prison system highlighted severe staffing challenges at the complex, noting a 61% vacancy rate for correctional officers during that fiscal year. Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
