Life-sentenced killer Jacob Morley escapes Tennessee prison by slipping through fence

TIPTONVILLE, TENNESSEE: A man serving a life sentence for killing his co-worker has escaped from a prison in northwest Tennessee after slipping through a fence. Authorities discovered that Jacob Morley, 28, was missing from Northwest Correctional Complex late on Sunday, October 25, and have launched a search to locate him.

The Tennessee Department of Correction said investigators reviewed security camera footage and confirmed that Morley escaped while wearing his prison uniform.

Officials have offered a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to his arrest but have not released further details about how he managed to get through the fence.

Jacob Morley escapes Tennessee prison as manhunt begins

Authorities discovered that Morley was unaccounted for at around 11:30 pm on Sunday at the prison in Tiptonville. The facility is located about 90 miles north of Memphis, in a rural area near a bend in the Mississippi River, close to Missouri.

After reviewing surveillance footage, investigators confirmed that Morley had escaped.

However, officials have not explained how he managed to get through the fence or provided further details about the circumstances surrounding his escape.

Law enforcement officers across the area have been searching buildings and other structures near the prison as efforts to find him continue.

A reward of up to $2,500 has also been announced to encourage people to provide information that could lead to his arrest.

Morley is described as 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing around 240 pounds. He has brown hair and green eyes. Authorities said he was wearing his prison uniform when he escaped.

Jacob Morley serving life for killing Cody Birchfield

Morley was sentenced to life in prison for killing his co-worker, Cody Birchfield, in 2022.

Birchfield's body was discovered inside a box beneath Morley's home in Carter County after he had been missing for several weeks.

Morley was convicted of first-degree murder, along with aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, vandalism, and evading arrest.

The case also involved a police chase after Morley encountered deputies at his home in 2022. According to authorities, he fled, leading officers on a pursuit that ended in North Carolina.

His escape from prison has now triggered a search by law enforcement agencies across the surrounding area. Officials have not shared further details about where he may have gone after leaving the facility.

Tennessee prison faces violence and staffing shortages

The escape comes as Northwest Correctional Complex has faced scrutiny over violence inside the facility and staffing shortages.

Several violent incidents involving inmates and employees have been reported at the prison in recent years.

In July, a grand jury returned dozens of indictments related to five inmate murders, assaults against staff and inmates, and other violent incidents.

The facility can house up to 1,776 men and also accommodates minors who have been convicted as adults, according to the Tennessee Department of Correction.

A 2023 audit of Tennessee prisons also found that the department was struggling to fill vacant positions at Northwest Correctional Complex. During that fiscal year, the prison had a 61% vacancy rate among correctional officers.