A statewide and regional manhunt is underway for Jacob Allen Morley, a 28-year-old convicted murderer who escaped from a Tennessee prison over the weekend and remains at large.

Morley was serving a life sentence at the Northwest Correctional Complex in Lake County, in the far northwestern corner of Tennessee, when prison staff discovered he was missing around 11:30 p.m. on October 25, 2026. An emergency count and facility search were immediately launched. Security camera footage later showed him breaching the perimeter fence and leaving the grounds while still wearing his Tennessee Department of Correction uniform.

Within hours of the escape, authorities say Morley stole a white 2008 Ford F-350 pickup truck. Surveillance video captured him taking the vehicle around 1 a.m. on October 26 from the 400 block of Keystone Drive in Lake County. The truck carried Tennessee license plate 138BBQV, displayed “Lindamood Planting Company” on its side, and had an air compressor in the bed. The vehicle was later spotted near the Hornbeak Fire Department in nearby Obion County.

On the afternoon of October 27, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced that the stolen truck had been found abandoned in Marion, Illinois — roughly 120 miles north of the prison. Morley’s current location remains unknown.

Morley was convicted in the 2022 killing of Cody Birchfield in Carter County. Birchfield had been reported missing in February 2022; his body was later discovered hidden beneath Morley’s house. Morley was arrested in North Carolina the following month and ultimately sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder. He was also convicted of additional charges including evading arrest, aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, and vandalism.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has added Morley to its Most Wanted list. A reward of up to $2,500 is being offered for information that leads to his arrest. Law enforcement agencies across the state, along with the Tennessee Highway Patrol and federal partners, are ᴀssisting in the search. Aviation ᴀssets have also been deployed.

Authorities are urging the public to review home security footage, doorbell cameras, and trail cameras for any possible sightings of Morley or the stolen truck. Residents are strongly advised not to approach him. Anyone who believes they have seen him should immediately call 911 or contact the TBI tip line at 1-800-TBI-FIND. Additional tips can be directed to the Tennessee Department of Correction at 844-832-3463.

Morley is described as approximately 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing about 240 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes. He is considered dangerous.

This escape marks the second incident involving an inmate leaving TDOC custody in less than a week. Officials continue to treat the search as an active priority.

Sources : The Tennessean