Escaped Tennessee Killer's Abandoned Truck Offers Clues in Manhunt, Ex-FBI Agent Says

The abandoned truck used by a convicted killer who escaped from a Tennessee prison may provide valuable clues in the ongoing multi-state manhunt, according to a retired FBI special agent.

Jacob Allen Morley escaped from the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee, on Sunday. Authorities were alerted when prison staff noticed he was unaccounted for around 11:30 p.m. Surveillance footage later showed Morley crossing the facility's perimeter fence. Early Monday morning, approximately two miles south of the prison, Morley stole a pickup truck from a private residence.

The stolen truck was discovered abandoned by law enforcement officers Tuesday morning in Marion, Illinois. Morley, however, was not located. The search for Morley has involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Illinois State Police and the U.S. Marshals Service.

Retired FBI special agent Jonathan Gilliam told Fox News Digital that the truck's discovery offers insights into Morley's potential next steps. "But when he got the truck, now they found that two and a half hours north, he is probably gonna lay low or he's gonna try to get another vehicle," Gilliam said. He noted that the stolen vehicle, described as a "work truck," was highly identifiable, which could make it difficult for Morley to evade detection if he remained with it.

Gilliam suggested that if Morley acquired a less conspicuous vehicle, it could significantly broaden the search area. "If he's in a vehicle that's nondescript and nobody reports it missing, he could go a very long ways without being caught," Gilliam stated. "He could be halfway across the country."

Morley, 28, is described as 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing 240 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has issued a warning that he should be considered dangerous and has added him to the state's most wanted list.

Morley was serving a life sentence for the 2022 murder of Cody Birchfield. Birchfield disappeared in February 2022, and his body was discovered under Morley's home in March 2022, following a police chase. Morley was also convicted of burglary, vandalism, tampering with evidence, and evading arrest.

Authorities are urging anyone with information regarding Morley's whereabouts to contact the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 844-832-3463.