Authorities launched a manhunt after Jacob Allen Morley, a 28-year-old inmate serving a life sentence for murder, escaped from the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee, late Sunday by breaching a perimeter fence and fleeing in a stolen truck.
State prison officials realized Morley was missing at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, according to the Department of Correction. Security footage reviewed by investigators showed the inmate slipping through the perimeter fence while wearing his prison uniform before making his way off the grounds in an isolated, rural section of Lake County located near a bend in the Mississippi River.
The Northwest Correctional Complex operates with a capacity to hold up to 1,776 male inmates and individuals convicted as adults. The facility has faced staffing hurdles in recent years; a 2023 state prison audit revealed a 61 percent correctional officer vacancy rate at the Tiptonville institution. Furthermore, a grand jury returned numerous indictments in July covering five inmate murders, assaults on staff, and additional incidents of violence within the facility.
The Stolen Ford F-350 and Early Morning Sightings
Surveillance cameras captured the fugitive taking a vehicle from a lot in Lake County. Investigators with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released footage showing Morley stealing a white 2008 Ford F-350 bearing Tennessee license plate 138BBQV at around 1 a.m. on Monday. The truck, which was marked on the side with Lindamood Planting Company
, belonged to a local farming operation.
Co-owner John Lindamood noted that because the vehicle was out of service, employees did not realize it was missing until midday Monday. Local security equipment tracked the truck’s movement shortly after it was taken. The Hornbeak Fire Department, situated about 15 miles from the correctional facility, recorded the vehicle passing its station at 1.18 a.m., and subsequent sightings placed the truck moving through Troy, Tennessee.
Carter County Murder Conviction and Past Pursuit
Morley was serving a life sentence following his conviction for the 2022 killing of his co-worker, Cody Birchfield. Following weeks during which he was unaccounted for, Birchfield’s remains were discovered inside a container positioned beneath Morley’s residence in Carter County.
Upon spotting deputies at his residence in 2022, Morley initiated a law enforcement pursuit that ultimately concluded in North Carolina. In addition to first-degree murder, a jury convicted him of aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, vandalism, and evading arrest.
Most Wanted Status and Public Safety Warnings
Following the breach, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation placed Morley on the state’s Most Wanted list and announced a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to his apprehension. Authorities have warned residents throughout the region not to approach the fugitive.
I’m genuinely scared knowing that someone convicted of such a violent crime is out there, not knowing where he’s headed. I believe he’s extremely dangerous and I’m genuinely concerned that someone else could end up hurt if he’s not caught soon.
Diana Reid, childhood friend of victim Cody Birchfield, via Fox News
Law enforcement agencies have urged residents to check home security systems, doorbell cameras, and trail cameras for any trace of the stolen truck or the escapee. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact 911 immediately or reach out to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
