Tennessee inmate escapes, steals truck

Jacob Morley escaped from the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee, by slipping through a fence while still wearing his prison uniform. The 28-year-old man is serving a life sentence for the 2022 murder of his co-worker, Cody Birchfield. Authorities discovered Morley was unaccounted for around 11:30 p.m. Sunday night.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released surveillance footage showing Morley stealing a white 2008 Ford F-350 at approximately 1:00 a.m. Tuesday. The truck, which bears Tennessee plates and a Lindamood Planting Company logo on the door, was taken from Lake County. Investigators have not yet explained the specific method Morley used to breach the prison perimeter.

The Tiptonville facility is located in an isolated, rural area about 90 miles north of Memphis, near a bend in the Mississippi River close to the Missouri border. Law enforcement agencies across the region are searching buildings and structures near the prison. The bureau has placed Morley on its most wanted list and is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to his arrest.

In a statement, officials asked residents in the area where the truck was stolen to review home security systems, including doorbell and trail cameras, for any sightings of Morley or the vehicle. The description provided by authorities lists Morley as 5-foot-11 and 240 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes.

Morley was sentenced to life in 2022 after being convicted of first-degree murder, aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, vandalism, and evading arrest. Birchfield’s body was found in a box under Morley’s home in Carter County after he had been missing for several weeks. When deputies arrived at Morley’s residence that year, he led them on a car chase that ended in North Carolina.

The Northwest Correctional Complex, which holds up to 1,776 men, has seen a rise in violent incidents in recent years. A grand jury returned dozens of indictments in July for five inmate murders, assaults against staff and inmates, and other acts of violence. A 2023 audit of Tennessee prisons found the department struggled to fill open positions at the facility, reporting a 61% vacancy rate for correctional officers during that fiscal year.