A manhunt is underway for Jacob Morley, a convicted murderer who escaped from a Tennessee prison. Morley was confirmed missing Sunday night from the Trousdale Turner Correctional Center, prompting an emergency headcount and search within the facility. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has added him to its most wanted list, and authorities are offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to his arrest.
Morley, whose supervision level was listed as "low," was not eligible for parole until December 2083. He was sentenced in June 2025 after being convicted of first-degree murder for the 2022 killing of his colleague, Cody Birchfield. According to court records, Birchfield's body was discovered in a metal box beneath Morley's home, and a pathology report indicated the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the back of the head. Bullet casings found at the scene matched a gun recovered from Morley's residence.
In addition to murder, Morley was convicted of vandalism, tampering with evidence, aggravated burglary, and evading arrest. His request for a new trial was denied in May. This is not the first time Morley has evaded law enforcement; his 2022 arrest followed a police chase that extended across state lines into North Carolina.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol has deployed aviation assets and state troopers to aid in the search. On Tuesday afternoon, investigators reported that a stolen vehicle, believed to be used by Morley, was found in Illinois, approximately 120 miles north of Tiptonville, but Morley was not located.
This escape follows another incident earlier this month where Gregory Redden, 69, serving a sentence for aggravated robbery, briefly escaped custody before being recaptured. In September, Christa Pike, another inmate convicted of murder, survived a botched lethal injection, which led to the resignation of the TDOC Commissioner Frank Strada.