Authorities captured a convicted murderer who evaded law enforcement for more than a week after escaping from a Tennessee prison. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced Tuesday that Jacob Morley was back in custody. He was arrested near Kansas City, Missouri, investigators said.
“Thank you to the public for your assistance, vigilance and guidance provided during this investigation,” the office said in a statement. “We also thank all of our law enforcement partners for their continued efforts to safely complete this research.”
Investigators learned Tuesday morning that Morley was hiding in a shed at a hunting camp around Marion, Illinois, about 320 miles south of Chicago, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. Authorities also learned that a truck had been stolen from the property.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol said it handled Morley’s apprehension alongside several partner agencies, after authorities in Tennessee reported that Morley might be crossing into Missouri, based on footage obtained from Flock cameras. The arrest took place around 11:30 a.m. local time near Norborne, a small town about an hour’s drive from Kansas City, the state agency said.
Authorities said they also recovered three firearms that had previously been reported stolen from inside the truck.
Little information about the inmate’s escape and the searches for him in several states has been made available since Morley escaped from prison. But investigators said more information will be released as it becomes available.
Morley, 28, was serving a life sentence at the Northwest Correctional Complex in a remote part of Tiptonville, a town about 90 miles from Memphis in northwest Tennessee. He was convicted of murdering a co-worker four years ago, according to the Tennessee Department of Corrections.
Correctional officers discovered Morley missing from the prison around 11:30 p.m. local time on October 25, the department said. Analyzing security cameras later, investigators said they saw footage of Morley escaping the complex while wearing his prison uniform by sneaking through a fence on the property.
Authorities released additional security footage two days later showing the inmate stealing a white 2008 Ford F-350, with Tennessee license plates and a Lindamood Planting Company logo on the side door, in the early hours of October 27. It was stolen in Lake County, which includes Tiptonville, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said.
The truck was found later the same day in Marion, Illinois, about 150 miles north of Tiptonville, the investigative bureau said. Morley’s whereabouts were unknown at the time.
The bureau said earlier in the week that Morley was on its “most wanted” list because various agencies, including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the governor’s office and the U.S. Marshals, had offered combined rewards of up to $17,500 for information leading to his arrest.
Investigators have not shared details about how exactly the inmate escaped, beyond the fact that he climbed through a prison fence.
Morley was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Cody Birchfield, his former co-worker, in 2022. Authorities said Birchfield’s body was found in a box under Morley’s home in Carter County, Tennessee, after he had been missing for several weeks.
In addition to first-degree murder, Morley was convicted of aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, vandalism and evading arrest, as he fled when deputies arrived at his home in 2022. Authorities said the manhunt for him at the time ended in North Carolina.
The Northwest Correctional Complex is a men’s prison that can house 1,776 inmates in varying degrees of security, from the lowest to the maximum level, according to the Tennessee Department of Corrections. It also accommodates minors convicted of crimes as adults.
Numerous violent incidents have taken place within the prison in recent years, some of which involved attacks between inmates and prison staff. In July, a grand jury returned dozens of indictments for the murders of five inmates, assaults on staff and other acts of violence. At a recent meeting of the Tennessee Inmate Disciplinary Oversight Board, members discussed ongoing problems at the prison and suggested leadership issues played a role.
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