Jacob Morley Timeline As Police Continue Manhunt for Escaped Killer - Newsweek

A convicted murderer who escaped from prison is still on the run more than a week after he went missing.

Jacob Morley, 28, was serving a life sentence for the 2022 murder of his coworker, Cody Birchfield, 34, when he escaped from the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee, on October 25. He was only sentenced to life in prison in June of last year.

Surveillance footage captured after Morley escaped shows him stealing a pickup truck, which was later recovered in Illinois.

Authorities have also investigated a possible connection to an armed bank robbery in Wisconsin, although no link has been established.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has identified Marion, Illinois, where the stolen truck was found, as Morley's last confirmed location.

Authorities are offering a $17,500 reward for information leading to his arrest. If you have information about Morley's whereabouts, you can contact the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND. Anyone who sees him should call 911 and avoid approaching him.

Sunday, October 25, 11.30 p.m.—Morley discovered missing

Staff at the Northwest Correctional Complex discovered Morley was missing, and started an emergency inmate count and search of the prison, according to the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC).

A review of security footage confirmed that Morley had breached the prison's perimeter fence and left the facility while still wearing his prison uniform.

Monday, October 26, 1 a.m.—Morley steals pickup truck

Surveillance footage captured Morley stealing a white 2008 Ford F-350 from a lot near Tiptonville, around two miles from the prison.

The truck, which has Tennessee license plate 138BBQV, had markings for Lindamood Planting Company.

The TBI released footage of the theft as investigators appealed for information about Morley's whereabouts.

Monday, October 26, 1.18am—Stolen truck spotted in Hornbeak and Troy

Security cameras at the Hornbeak Fire Department in western Tennessee recorded the stolen truck passing through the area.

The fire department later reported that the truck had also been spotted in the nearby city of Troy.

Police found the stolen Ford F-350 abandoned behind a shopping center in Marion, Illinois, 120 miles north of the prison.

Surveillance footage showed the truck being parked behind the shopping center before police recovered it.

Morley was not found with the vehicle, and investigators continued searching for him.

The TBI said his whereabouts remained unknown and warned members of the public not to approach him.

The combined reward for information leading to Morley's arrest increased to $15,000.

The TBI contributed $2,500, the U.S. Marshals Service offered $5,000, and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee pledged $7,500.

Morley remained on Tennessee's Most Wanted list, with authorities warning that he should be considered dangerous.

The combined reward for information leading to Morley's arrest reached $17,500.

The TBI continued to identify Marion, Illinois, as Morley's last confirmed location and appealed for information that could help investigators trace his movements.

Authorities confirmed they were examining a possible connection between Morley and an armed robbery at the Bank of Deerfield in Dane County, Wisconsin, on Tuesday, October 27.

According to the Dane County Sheriff's Office, an armed suspect restrained two bank employees, stole an undisclosed amount of money and fled in a stolen Lincoln MKZ, which was subsequently recovered.

The TBI said it was aware of the incident and was working with other law enforcement agencies to pursue potential leads.

The Dane County Sheriff's Office previously told Newsweek: "We are pursuing all leads at this point. While we have not eliminated Morley as a suspect, he is not our primary focus."

No connection between Morley and the robbery has been confirmed. Newsweek has not been able to verify if any arrests have yet been made in connection with the robbery.

Investigators appealed for footage from motorists who were near the Pilot Travel Center on Vernell Road in Marion between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. on October 26.

They asked anyone who had been in the area to review dashcam recordings for evidence that might help establish Morley's movements after the stolen truck reached Illinois.

Separately, the Dane County Sheriff's Office appealed for footage from roads around Deerfield as its investigation into the Wisconsin bank robbery continued.

More than a week after Morley was discovered missing, he remains on the TBI's Most Wanted list.

The reward for information leading to his arrest stands at $17,500, while Marion, Illinois, remains the last location publicly identified by investigators in connection with his movements.

The authorities have not publicly confirmed where Morley went after abandoning the stolen truck and as such, the killer is still at large.