Authorities in Tennessee have launched an intense manhunt for a convicted murderer who they say escaped from a state prison, stole a work truck and remains at large.
Jacob Allen Morley, 28, escaped from the Northwest State Correctional Complex in Tiptonville shortly before he was reported missing at 11:30 p.m. Sunday, prison officials said in a statement Monday.
“Further review of security cameras confirmed that Morley crossed the perimeter fence and left the facility in his TDOC uniform,” the Tennessee Department of Corrections said in a statement.
At 1 a.m. Monday, he allegedly stole a white Ford F-350 flatbed truck in the town of about 3,500 people, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of Memphis, law enforcement and state corrections officials said.
Tiptonville is near the Mississippi River and the Missouri border. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation placed Morley on its most wanted list and asked town residents to check any video they may have of him.
“Residents are urged to check their home security systems, including doorbell cameras and surveillance cameras, for any sightings of Morley or the stolen truck,” the office said in a statement.
Security video shows a man wearing a beanie walking around the rear of the vehicle to the driver’s side door of the flatbed truck. It then shows the truck’s windshield wipers moving before the truck drives off.
Morley is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 240 pounds, the corrections department said.
It says a reward of up to $2,500 is being offered to anyone with information leading to his capture. Anyone who sees him is asked to immediately call 911 or 1-800-TBI-FIND.
Morley fatally shot co-worker Cody Birchfield, 34, in the back of the head in 2022, according to court documents shared by the Carter County Clerk’s Office. Birchfield’s body was found in a large metal box under Morley’s residence, documents state.
Morley was convicted in February 2025 and sentenced to life behind bars.
He was also convicted of abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence and aggravated burglary – the latter for stealing tools from the victim, according to court documents.
Morley was described at trial as a “loner,” the clerk’s office said. He claimed self-defense and said he suffered from mental health issues, including bipolar disorder.
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