Jacob Morley Steals Truck After Escaping Tennessee Prison Fence
The 28-year-old convicted murderer was spotted on camera taking a white Ford F-350 in the early hours of Tuesday.
By Charlotte Dubois ·
Jacob Morley, 28, stole a white 2008 Ford F-350 after escaping from the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee. Investigators released surveillance footage showing Morley driving off with the vehicle shortly after slipping through the facility's perimeter fence. The truck bears Tennessee license plates and the logo of Lindamood Planting Company on its door. It was taken from Lake County, the region that includes the prison.
Prison staff noticed Morley was missing around 11:30 p.m. on Sunday. The Tennessee Department of Correction confirmed the escape in a statement released Monday. Review of security cameras showed Morley exiting the facility in his standard prison uniform. Officials have not disclosed the specific method he used to get through the fence. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation placed Morley on its most wanted list immediately upon discovering the breach.
The escape follows a string of violent incidents at the facility. A grand jury returned dozens of indictments in July for five inmate murders, assaults on staff, and other violence. The prison, located about 90 miles north of Memphis in a rural area near the Mississippi River, holds up to 1,776 men. An audit in 2023 found the department struggled to fill staffing vacancies, with a 61% vacancy rate for correctional officers that year.
Morley has been serving a life sentence for the 2022 killing of his co-worker, Cody Birchfield. Birchfield’s body was discovered in a box under Morley’s home in Carter County after the victim had been missing for several weeks. Morley also received convictions for aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, vandalism, and evading arrest. In 2022, he led deputies on a car chase that ended in North Carolina after he spotted officers at his residence.
Authorities are searching buildings and structures near the prison for Morley. He stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 240 pounds. He has brown hair and green eyes. The bureau offered a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to his arrest. Officials urged residents in Lake County to check home security systems, including doorbell and trail cameras, for any sightings of Morley or the stolen truck.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation continues to coordinate the search with local law enforcement. No further details on Morley's current location have been released as of Tuesday. The department maintains that he remains at large and is likely traveling in the stolen vehicle.
