Convicted murderer escapes prison and allegedly steals a white Ford F-350. Then police find the truck abandoned 120 miles away: ‘He has vanished’
Tennessee's prison problems are piling up.
A convicted murderer serving a life sentence escaped from a Tennessee prison, stole a pickup truck during his getaway, and left investigators with a new mystery after the vehicle was found abandoned about 120 miles away in Illinois.
Jacob Allen Morley, 28, was discovered missing from Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee, at approximately 11:30 p.m. on October 25, according to the Tennessee Department of Correction. A review of security footage showed that Morley had breached the facility’s perimeter fence and left while wearing his prison uniform.
According to the Associated Press, surveillance footage showed Morley getting into the truck at around 1 a.m. on October 26. The white 2008 Ford F-350 belonged to Lindamood Planting Company and was reportedly left unlocked when it was taken from a nearby farm in Lake County, Tennessee.
Marion Police Chief David Fitts said that investigators had not received reports of other suspicious activity in the area. “He has vanished,” Fitts said.
The stolen truck turns up, but the manhunt continues
Recovering the vehicle has given investigators a clearer picture of Morley’s movements after his escape, but it has not led them to the man himself.
Morley is described by the Tennessee Department of Correction as approximately 5 feet 11 inches tall and 240 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes. Officials consider him dangerous and have warned the public not to approach him.
Morley was serving a life sentence for the 2022 first-degree murder of his co-worker, Cody Birchfield. Birchfield had been missing for weeks before his body was discovered in a box beneath Morley’s home.
Morley was also convicted of aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, evading arrest, and vandalism. When deputies approached his home, he led them on a chase that ended in North Carolina.
Tennessee’s prison system faces scrutiny on several fronts
Morley’s escape comes as Tennessee’s correctional system faces broader scrutiny over prison safety, staffing, and execution procedures. These issues do not explain why Morley escaped, but they form part of the wider context surrounding the state’s prison system.
At Northwest Correctional Complex, WZTV reported several violent incidents involving inmates and staff. A grand jury returned dozens of indictments in July related to five inmate killings and other violent acts.
During a September hearing before a Tennessee Senate subcommittee, prison officials said the department had 470 vacancies across a workforce of roughly 6,000 employees. The staffing concerns also come amid wider questions about how Tennessee’s criminal justice system handles people in custody, including the case of Angela Lipps, who spent five months in jail over a crime she never committed.
Officials also warned that a 2022 law requiring inmates to serve more of their sentences was increasing prison populations and could contribute to overcrowding.
To add, Commissioner Frank Strada announced his resignation following the failed September 30 execution of Christa Pike, who remained alive after receiving two doses of the state’s lethal-injection drug. Tennessee subsequently faced questions about its execution procedures and launched an independent investigation into its death-penalty system, according to the Associated Press.
Authorities urge anyone with relevant information or footage to contact law enforcement rather than attempt to approach him themselves. A reward of up to $2,500 is being offered for information leading to his arrest. Anyone who sees Morley or has information about his whereabouts should call 911 or contact the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-TBI-FIND. The agency has also urged residents to review security-camera and doorbell footage that might show Morley or the stolen truck.
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