Escaped Tennessee Inmate Found in Missouri After Week on the Run, Still Recognizable

A convicted murderer who escaped from a prison in Tennessee has been apprehended in Missouri after evading authorities for a week. Jacob Allen Morley, 28, was captured near Kansas City, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).

The TBI released surveillance footage showing Morley with his distinctive red beard and black glasses, both of which he maintained upon his capture. He was seen wearing a camouflage sweatshirt, appearing confident despite the handcuffs.

A major manhunt began when prison officials discovered Morley was missing from the Northwest Correctional Complex at approximately 11:30 PM on October 25. He reportedly exited the facility around 6 PM, a lapse that left authorities baffled.

Morley was serving a life sentence for the murder of his coworker, Cody Birchfield, 34, who was killed in February 2022. Birchfield’s body was subsequently discovered buried beneath Morley’s home the following month.

The escape involved Morley breaching a security fence, but the specifics of how he managed to evade detection remain undisclosed. Officials have not yet clarified the breach in security that allowed him to make his escape.

After escaping, Morley was added to the TBI Most Wanted List and was deemed armed and dangerous. Investigators soon learned that he had stolen a pickup truck shortly after fleeing. Surveillance footage later confirmed that he had taken a white 2008 Ford F-350 truck, which was later located in Marion, Illinois—approximately 500 miles from the prison.

By the time of his capture on Tuesday, Morley had traveled almost 800 miles from the correctional facility. The search for him extended beyond the prison grounds, with law enforcement scouring nearby structures for clues.

Initially, a missing-person investigation began when Birchfield disappeared in 2021. His remains were ultimately uncovered underneath Morley’s residence, revealing that he had been shot in the back of the head.

The motive behind the murder remains murky, as Morley claimed self-defense during his trial, but he was convicted of murder and multiple charges, including aggravated burglary and tampering with evidence.

Details regarding the final circumstances of his arrest are still incomplete, with the Daily Mail reaching out to the TBI for further comment.