Tennessee Officials Say Manhunt Underway After Convicted Murderer Jacob Morley Escapes Prison

Tennessee authorities are searching for Jacob Allen Morley, a man convicted of first-degree murder who escaped from a state prison in Tiptonville on Sunday, October 25.

Morley, 28, is serving a life sentence, and authorities warn people to call 911 immediately if they encounter him and not to approach him, according to a report.

Staff at the Northwest Correctional Complex confirmed that Morley was unaccounted for at around 11:30 p.m. Sunday, and they immediately conducted an emergency count and searched the entire facility. The Tennessee Department of Correction reported that security cameras captured video showing Morley breaching the prison's perimeter fence and leaving while still in his TDOC uniform.

On Monday, October 26, the department issued a news release announcing Morley’s escape and stated that it has been working with local, state and federal law enforcement to locate him. The Northwest Correctional Complex is a medium-security prison in Lake County, in the state's northwest corner, about two hours from Memphis.

Morley is serving a life sentence for the murder of Cody Birchfield, an Elizabethton man whose body was discovered buried and hidden beneath Morley’s home in March 2022 after he had been reported missing, according to a report. The case was prosecuted in Carter County, in Northeast Tennessee, which is hundreds of miles away from the facility where Morley was incarcerated.

In addition to first-degree murder, Morley was also convicted of aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, evading arrest and vandalism. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation put Morley on its list of the state’s most wanted fugitives and warned that he should be considered dangerous.

“Anyone who encounters or believes they have spotted Morley should not approach, confront, or attempt to apprehend him,” officials said. The department did not release information on which direction he was heading.

According to a wanted poster the department released, Morley stands 5 feet, 11 inches tall, weighs 240 pounds, and has green eyes and brown hair. Those with possible tips or information were asked to call the Tennessee Department of Correction at 1-844-832-3463 or 911.

It’s still unclear how Morley got past the prison’s perimeter security before officials could stop him, and officials aren’t saying whether anyone assisted him. Department officials said they’re investigating the circumstances that allowed the escape during their ongoing search.

The Northwest Correctional Complex has a capacity of approximately 2,400 inmates at two sites in Tiptonville, and Morley was serving his life sentence there.