Manhunt under way for Tennessee killer who escaped prison through a fence
Convicted murderer Jacob Allen Morley has escaped from the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tennessee. Authorities are conducting a manhunt after he was caught on camera stealing a vehicle, which was later recovered in Illinois.
Why it matters
The escape of a high-security inmate serving a life sentence poses a significant public safety risk and raises questions about prison security protocols.
Figure caption, Officials say this video shows escaped inmate stealing a truck
A manhunt is under way in Tennessee after a convicted murderer serving a life sentence escaped from prison.
Jacob Allen Morley, 28, was found guilty of the 2022 killing of his co-worker and sentenced in 2025, prison records show.
He escaped on Sunday from the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, about 90 miles (145 km) north of Memphis, according to the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC).
It said security camera footage confirmed Morley had breached the prison's perimeter fence and escaped in his prison uniform.
Investigators have released security camera video they say shows him stealing a nearby farm's work car.
Image source, Tennessee Department of Correction Image caption, Morley was convicted of first-degree murder over the killing of his colleague Cody Birchfield in 2022
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