A 28-year-old convicted murderer serving a life sentence escaped through a Tennessee prison fence Sunday night before stealing a truck and fleeing, and has not yet been located, according to Tennessee authorities. on October 25, staff at the Northwest Correctional Complex learned that Jacob Morley was missing, according to the Tennessee Department of Corrections. He had been sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of first-degree murder, aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, evading arrest and vandalism. Security camera footage later revealed that Morley “violated the perimeter fence” and left the facility wearing his prison uniform, the department said. It is unclear how he escaped through the fence. Video obtained by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation shows Morley stealing a white 2008 Ford F-350 with Tennessee plates around 1 a.m. Oct. 26, the agency said. Video shows an escaped inmate stealing a truck in Lake County, Tennessee, early Monday morning. Video shows an escaped inmate stealing a truck in Lake County, Tennessee, early Monday morning at 1:21. The Hornbeak Fire Department, which is about 15 miles from the Northwest Correctional Complex, said it captured video of Morley driving past the fire department building in the stolen truck around 1:18 a.m. Morley is the second inmate to escape Tennessee Department of Corrections custody in the past week. Morley was found guilty of first-degree murder for the killing of Cody Birchfield, who was initially reported missing in February 2022, according to the Carter County Sheriff’s Office. Birchfield’s body was found in a box under Morley’s home weeks after she disappeared, The Associated Press reported. Morley also led police on a chase that ended in North Carolina after he found officers at his home in 2022, according to authorities. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which has added Morley to its “Most Wanted” list, is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to his arrest. The Northwest Correctional Complex can hold up to 1,776 male inmates, according to the Tennessee Department of Corrections.
