Jacob Allen Morley, 28, an inmate serving a life sentence for murder, has been apprehended in Missouri after a week on the run, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) announced Tuesday.
Morley was captured near Kansas City, Missouri, approximately 800 miles from the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee, where he escaped on October 25. Surveillance footage showed Morley walking out of the facility around 6 p.m., but his absence was not discovered until approximately 11:30 p.m. that night.
Morley was convicted in February 2025 of the murder of his coworker, Cody Birchfield, 34, in February 2022. Birchfield's body was found buried beneath Morley's home in March 2022. Authorities stated that Morley shot Birchfield in the back of the head. The motive for the killing remains unclear, though Morley claimed self-defense during his trial.
Morley was serving a life sentence for murder, along with convictions for aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, evading arrest, and vandalism. How he breached the prison's perimeter security and evaded detection for several hours remains under investigation.
During his escape, Morley reportedly stole a white 2008 Ford F-350 pickup truck, which was later found abandoned in Marion, Illinois. Investigators added Morley to the TBI's Most Wanted List, warning the public that he was considered armed and dangerous.
