Manhunt Underway in Tennessee for Convicted Killer Who Fled Prison and Stole Truck

Tennessee authorities have launched an intensive search for a convicted murderer who escaped from a state prison, allegedly stole a work truck and remains at large.

Jacob Allen Morley, 28, got out of the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville at some point before he was reported missing at 11:30 p.m. Sunday, according to a statement the prison system released Monday. The Tennessee Department of Correction said a review of security camera footage showed that Morley went over the perimeter fence and left the facility wearing his department uniform.

State law enforcement and corrections officials said that by 1 a.m. Monday, Morley is alleged to have taken a white Ford F-350 flatbed truck in Tiptonville, a city of about 3,500 people roughly 100 miles north of Memphis. The town sits near the Mississippi River and the Missouri state line.

Security video of the theft shows a man in a beanie walking around the back of the truck to the driver's side door. The truck's windshield wipers then come on and the vehicle is driven away.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has added Morley to its most-wanted list and is asking Tiptonville residents for help. "Residents are urged to check home security systems, including doorbell cameras and trail cameras, for any sightings of Morley or the stolen truck," the bureau said.

The Correction Department described Morley as 5 feet, 11 inches tall and 240 pounds. It said a reward of up to $2,500 is available for information leading to his capture. Anyone who sees him should call 911 immediately or contact the bureau at 1-800-TBI-FIND.

Morley was serving a life sentence for killing his co-worker, Cody Birchfield, 34, in 2022. Court documents provided by the Carter County Clerk's Office say Morley shot Birchfield in the back of the head and that the victim's body was later found in a large metal box beneath Morley's residence.

A jury convicted Morley in February 2025. Besides murder, he was found guilty of abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence and aggravated burglary, the last for stealing tools from the victim, according to the documents.

At trial, Morley was described as a "loner," the clerk's office said. He argued that he acted in self-defense and said he had mental health issues, including bipolar disorder.