Convicted murderer serving life escapes through Tennessee prison fence, uses stolen truck as getaway vehicle, officials say
By Julianna Bragg and Vivian Phillips, CNN
(CNN) — A 28-year-old convicted murderer serving a life sentence escaped through a Tennessee prison’s fence Sunday evening before stealing a truck and driving off — and has not yet been located, according to Tennessee authorities.
Around 11:30 p.m. on October 25, staff at the Northwest Correctional Complex learned Jacob Morley was missing, according to the Tennessee Department of Correction. 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 Morley “breached the perimeter fence” and left the facility wearing his prison uniform, the department said. It remains 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. on October 26, the agency said.
The Hornbeak Fire Department, which is about 15 miles from the Northwest Correctional Complex, said it captured video of Morley passing in front of the fire department building in the stolen truck around 1:18 a.m.
Morley is the second inmate to escape from the Tennessee Department of Correction’s custody in the past week.
Morley was convicted 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 house weeks after he went missing, The Associated Press reported. Morley also led police on a chase that ended in North Carolina after he found deputies 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 house up to 1,776 male inmates, according to the Tennessee Department of Correction.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
CNN’s Amanda Jackson contributed to this report.
