Jacob Morley, a 28-year-old convicted murderer who escaped from a Tennessee prison, was captured near Norborne, Missouri, on November 3, authorities said. His arrest came more than a week after he went missing from the Northwest Correctional Complex.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol said it made the arrest around 11:30 a.m. local time with several partner agencies. Tennessee investigators had received information that Morley might be traveling through Missouri, supported by footage from license-plate reader cameras, according to The Associated Press.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation thanked members of the public for tips and law enforcement agencies for their work in bringing the search to an end. Officials have not released further details about the circumstances of Morley’s capture.
Morley escaped from the prison perimeter
Morley was reported missing from the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville late on October 25. Security footage showed him crossing a perimeter fence while wearing his prison uniform, the Tennessee Department of Correction said. Investigators have not publicly explained how he reached the fence.
Morley was serving a life sentence for the 2022 murder of former coworker Cody Birchfield. Authorities said Birchfield’s body was found in a box beneath Morley’s home in Carter County after he had been missing for several weeks. Morley was also convicted of aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, vandalism and evading arrest.
During the search, authorities said a white Ford F-350 stolen in Lake County was later found in Marion, Illinois. The vehicle’s discovery did not reveal Morley’s whereabouts, which remained unknown until his arrest in Missouri.
Reid Bentley