Tennessee murder convict caught in Missouri after 10-day escape

Jacob Morley, a 28-year-old serving a life sentence for murder, was captured near Kansas City, Missouri, on Tuesday. Authorities ended a 10-day search that began after he escaped from a Tennessee prison on October 25. The arrest followed a series of movements that led the inmate from the Midwest to the East, a journey that remains difficult to reconstruct.

Morley slipped through a fence at the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tennessee while wearing his prison clothes. He stole a truck from a nearby farm and drove to Marion, Illinois, a distance of about 127 miles. Williamson County Sheriff Jeff Diederich said Morley likely walked the final three miles to a second farm after abandoning the first vehicle. Surveillance cameras caught him walking along Route 13, but the surrounding fields and woods obscured his path.

At the Marion farm, Morley hid in a shed used by hunters. Sheriff Diederich stated that Morley drank beer and prepared garlic bread during his stay. He also left a handwritten note apologizing for stealing a truck from the property. Investigators found two rifles and a shotgun in the truck, which Morley is suspected of taking from the same farm.

The inmate’s next destination was unclear until he appeared near Kansas City, more than 350 miles from Marion. Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers received a tip on Tuesday morning that Morley was traveling west on Interstate 70. A helicopter and roadside cameras helped track his vehicle until it became stuck in the mud. Morley was compliant when officers took him into custody.

Morley was transported to the Lafayette County jail in Lexington, Missouri. A deputy U.S. marshal interviewed him on Tuesday, and he admitted to escaping prison and stealing the truck and firearms, according to a probable cause affidavit. No charges have been filed against him in Missouri courts as of Wednesday.

In Tennessee, federal prosecutors charged Morley with one count of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. He also faces a new federal charge in Missouri for being a felon in possession of a firearm. District Attorney General Danny Goodman Jr. said he plans to file additional charges in Tennessee. It is not yet determined when Morley will be returned to the state.

Morley was convicted in 2022 for killing his co-worker, Cody Birchfield. Birchfield’s body was found in a box under Morley’s home after he disappeared for several weeks. During the initial arrest, Morley led officers on a chase that ended in North Carolina. He was found guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, vandalism, and evading arrest.

Kim Wheeler-Elder, a spokesperson for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, confirmed that all available information regarding Morley’s whereabouts has been released. Sheriff Diederich said there is no evidence that Morley received help from anyone during his time on the run.