Jacob Morley Escapes Tennessee Prison in Uniform and Steals Ford Truck

Jacob Allen Morley, a 28-year-old convicted murderer, slipped out of a Tennessee state prison and stole a work vehicle before dawn on Monday. He was last seen wearing his orange prison uniform.

Prison officials reported Morley missing at 11:30 p.m. Sunday. Security footage reviewed by the Tennessee Department of Correction showed him cutting through the perimeter fence at the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville.

By 1:00 a.m. Monday, state law enforcement said Morley had taken a white Ford F-350 flatbed truck. The theft occurred in Tiptonville, a city of roughly 3,500 residents located about 100 miles north of Memphis near the Mississippi River.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation placed Morley on its most-wanted list. Agents asked local residents to review home security systems, including doorbell and trail cameras, for images of Morley or the truck. The bureau requested that anyone with video footage contact authorities immediately.

Video from a nearby camera captured a man in a beanie walking around the rear of the vehicle to the driver's side. The footage shows the windshield wipers moving before the truck pulls away.

The Department of Correction describes Morley as 5 feet 11 inches tall and 240 pounds. A reward of up to $2,500 is available for information leading to his capture. Witnesses can call 911 or 1-800-TBI-FIND.

Morley was convicted in February 2025 for fatally shooting his co-worker, Cody Birchfield, in 2022. Court documents state Birchfield's body was found in a metal box under Morley's home. Morley also received convictions for abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, and aggravated burglary. He claimed self-defense and cited bipolar disorder during the trial.