Tennessee murder convict steals pickup truck in prison escape

Jacob Allen Morley, 28, is on the run after escaping a Tennessee prison where he was serving a life sentence for first-degree murder. The escape from the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville triggered an immediate search and a statewide manhunt for the inmate, who is currently considered dangerous by state investigators.

Prison staff found Morley missing around 11:30 p.m. Sunday. An emergency count and facility search followed that discovery. Security video captured the inmate breaching a fence while still wearing his prison clothing. The Tennessee Department of Correction confirmed the escape in a statement provided to news outlets.

The escapee stole a vehicle shortly after leaving the facility. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reported that video footage showed Morley taking a white 2008 Ford F-350 on the 400 block of Keystone Drive around 1 a.m. Monday. That location is roughly two miles south of the prison. The truck displays the name Lindamood Planting Company on its side and carries an air compressor in the bed. Its Tennessee license plate number is 138BBQV.

Morley was convicted in 2025 of murdering Cody Birchfield, a crime that occurred three years prior. The verdict included guilty pleas or findings for burglary, vandalism, tampering with evidence, and evading arrest. Birchfield disappeared in early February 2022 after being last seen in Elizabethton. Investigators from the Carter County Sheriff's Office found indications of a violent crime inside the victim's house. Morley was arrested in March 2022 following a police chase that reached the North Carolina state line. Birchfield's body was later found underneath Morley's home.

Federal and state law enforcement agencies are assisting in the search for the fugitive. Morley stands 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 240 pounds. He has brown hair and green eyes. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation placed him on the state's most wanted list. Former girlfriend Landree Sheperd testified at trial that Morley once said he killed Birchfield. The public can provide information on Morley's whereabouts by calling 844-832-3463.