Tennessee adds escaped murderer to Most Wanted List after fence breach

Jacob Morley, a convicted murderer serving a life sentence, is on the run in Tennessee after escaping from the Northwest Correctional Complex in Lake County. Officers discovered the inmate missing late Sunday night, October 25. Surveillance footage shows Morley cutting through a perimeter fence to leave the facility while wearing his prison uniform.

Authorities say Morley stole a white 2008 Ford F-350 around 1 a.m. on Monday, October 26. The vehicle carries a Tennessee license plate numbered 138BBQV and displays the name Lindamood Planting Company on its side.

Morley was found guilty on February 3, 2025, and sentenced to life with the chance of parole. His conviction stems from the 2022 killing of Cody Birchfield in Carter County. He also received guilty verdicts for abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, and aggravated burglary.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has added Morley to the Tennessee Most Wanted List. Officials advise that he should be considered dangerous. A reward of up to $2,500 is available for information leading to his arrest. The bureau asks anyone with information to call 911 or 1-800-TBI-FIND.

Morley is the second inmate to escape Tennessee Department of Corrections custody in less than a week. The state agency continues to search for him across Lake County.