A convicted murderer’s abandoned truck may provide insights into his intentions after he escaped from a prison in Tennessee, prompting a large-scale manhunt, according to a former FBI special agent.
Jacob Allen Morley broke out of the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee, on Sunday. Officials have not yet revealed the exact time of his escape, but he was discovered missing around 11:30 p.m. Staff later reviewed surveillance footage that showed him exiting the prison by breaching the perimeter fence.
Authorities reported that Morley stole a pickup truck from a location about two miles south of the prison shortly after 1 a.m. on Monday. The truck was located abandoned in Marion, Illinois, early on Tuesday, but Morley was not apprehended.
The manhunt has garnered help from various agencies, with an Illinois State Police spokesperson stating they have cooperated with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The U.S. Marshals Service is also aiding in the effort to find Morley.
Retired FBI Special Agent Jonathan Gilliam indicated that the abandoned truck could suggest Morley’s next steps.
“Taking that truck, and now it’s found 2½ hours north, he might try to lay low or find another vehicle,” Gilliam explained.
He noted that this particular truck resembled a work vehicle, making it relatively identifiable.
However, if Morley manages to steal a more inconspicuous vehicle, it could hinder the ongoing search significantly.
“If he’s in a nondescript vehicle that isn’t reported missing, he could travel quite far without being caught,” Gilliam said, adding that Morley’s financial constraints might limit his movement unless he resorts to committing more crimes for resources.
Unless Morley has outside support, which authorities have not suggested, Gilliam speculated that he seems focused on putting as much distance as possible between himself and the prison. He ventured north, which could mean he’s distancing himself from any familiarity he might have in the area.
Described as 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighing 240 pounds, Morley is deemed dangerous and is now among Tennessee’s most wanted. Along with first-degree murder, he has prior convictions for burglary, vandalism, and evading arrest.
Morley was serving a life sentence for the murder of Cody Birchfield, who disappeared in early February 2022 in Elizabethton, Tennessee. An investigation revealed signs of a violent crime at Birchfield’s residence, and after a chase that ended at North Carolina’s state line, Morley was arrested. Birchfield’s remains were later found under Morley’s home.
Anyone with information regarding Morley’s location is urged to reach out to authorities.
