A man serving a life sentence for murder has escaped from Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee. Authorities reported that the inmate, Jacob Morley, slipped through a fence late on Sunday night.
Subsequent investigations unveiled surveillance footage showing Morley stealing a truck early Tuesday morning. The video captured Morley taking a white 2008 Ford F-350, displaying Tennessee plates and marked with a Lindamood Planting Company logo, from Lake County, which encompasses Tiptonville.
Jacob Morley, 28, was unaccounted for at the prison as of 11:30 p.m. Sunday, according to the Tennessee Department of Correction.
Officials released Morley’s booking photo from July 24, 2025. They noted that details of how he managed to breach the prison fence remain undisclosed. Furthermore, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced Morley is on its ‘most wanted’ list.
The bureau is offering a reward up to $2,500 for information leading to his capture. Residents are encouraged to review home security footage, including doorbell and trail cameras, for glimpses of Morley or the stolen truck. Local law enforcement has been actively searching nearby buildings and structures.
Morley stands at 5-foot-11 and weighs 240 pounds. He has brown hair and green eyes. He was convicted in 2022 for the murder of a co-worker, Cody Birchfield. Authorities discovered Birchfield’s body in a box under Morley’s home in Carter County after weeks of failing to locate him.
Besides first-degree murder, Morley faced charges of aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, vandalism, and evading arrest. In 2022, Morley led police on a chase terminating in North Carolina.
The Northwest Correctional Complex, housing up to 1,776 men including minors tried as adults, has witnessed multiple violent incidents. Reports detail attacks involving inmates and staff. A grand jury recently returned several indictments for five inmate murders and further assaults and violence cases.
An audit in 2023 highlighted the Department of Correction’s staffing challenges, reporting a 61% vacancy rate for correctional officers during that fiscal year.