Sister of murder victim says police failed to notify her about brother’s killer escaping prison

TIPTONVILLE, TENNESSEE: The sister of murder victim Cody Birchfield says her family was left without a direct warning after his convicted killer, Jacob Allen Morley, escaped from prison. Carrie Norman said she learned about Morley’s escape from her best friend rather than law enforcement.

Morley escaped from Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville late on Sunday, October 25, before reportedly stealing a work truck and driving away early Monday, October 26. As authorities continued searching for him, Norman questioned why her family had not been notified and why the victim notification system had failed to alert them.

Carrie Norman says family learned of Jacob Allen Morley’s escape from a friend

Norman, 45, spoke to TMZ on Tuesday, October 27, and repeated her concerns about how she found out that Morley was on the loose. In a social media post cited by the outlet, she expressed disappointment with the justice system and questioned why no one from law enforcement had contacted the family.

"I've been following this all day. I'm really disappointed with the Justice System," Norman wrote.

She also criticised the Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE) system, which her family had been advised to use to receive updates about Morley.

"VINE is a joke," she wrote, before questioning who had informed her about the escape. "Who notified me that a convicted murderer is on the loose, my best friend. Has the Sheriff called to reassure the victims he's working on keeping us safe, NO."

Norman's account raises questions about how families of murder victims are informed when a person convicted of the crime escapes from custody. She said her family had been advised to rely on VINE for updates, but the system did not alert them to Morley's escape.

According to TMZ, VINElink continued to list Morley as being in custody as of Tuesday, October 27.

Jacob Allen Morley escape: VINE notification system under scrutiny

Norman said the local district attorney's witness coordinator contacted the family to ask whether they had received a threat. However, she said she had not received a direct notification from law enforcement about Morley's escape.

The lack of an alert left Norman questioning the process meant to keep victims' families informed. She also placed responsibility for the escape on the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC), raising concerns about how Morley was reportedly able to get past multiple fences at the facility.

The circumstances have left questions about both the prison's security and the communication process for people affected by the crime. Norman's criticism centres on why her family had to learn about the escape through a personal contact instead of receiving an official warning.

TDOC has released some information about the incident, but further details about how Morley managed to escape have not been made public.

Jacob Allen Morley escaped from Northwest Correctional Complex

Morley reportedly escaped from Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee, late Sunday night. According to CNN, he later stole a work truck and drove away at approximately 1 am on Monday, October 26.

A TDOC statement said staff discovered Morley's absence at around 11:30 pm Security footage reportedly showed that he had "breached the perimeter fence." The department has not publicly disclosed further details about how the escape happened.

Morley has since been placed on the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's Most Wanted list. Authorities are offering a $2,500 reward for information that leads to his arrest as the search continues.

His escape has drawn attention not only to the manhunt but also to the concerns raised by Birchfield's family about being notified. Morley was sentenced to life imprisonment in June 2025 after being found guilty of murder on February 3, 2025, according to ABC affiliate KLTV.

Birchfield, 34, was reported missing in February 2022. His body was discovered a few weeks later inside a box beneath Morley's home, according to the Associated Press.