Tennessee murder suspect Jacob Morley captured in Missouri after 10-day escape
The 28-year-old inmate was found when his stolen truck became stuck in mud near Kansas City.
By Lucas Navarro ·
Jacob Morley, a 28-year-old Tennessee prisoner convicted of murder, was arrested Tuesday near Kansas City, Missouri, ending a ten-day manhunt. Authorities recovered two rifles and a shotgun from the truck where he was found. Morley had been serving a life sentence for killing a co-worker in 2022 before he slipped through a fence at the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tennessee’s far northwestern corner on Oct. 25.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation stated that surveillance video showed Morley stealing a truck from a farm near his prison while still wearing his prison clothes. He later abandoned that vehicle near Marion, Illinois, and walked approximately three miles to a different farm, according to Williamson County Sheriff Jeff Diederich. Diederich noted that security cameras captured Morley walking along Route 13, but the surrounding fields and woods likely prevented others from spotting him.
Investigators found evidence that Morley spent several days in a shed at the Marion farm, a location periodically used by hunters. Diederich said Morley drank beer and prepared garlic bread and other food before stealing a second truck and some clothing from the property. He left a handwritten note apologizing for the theft. Diederich believes Morley also took the three firearms found in the vehicle from the same farm.
The reason for Morley’s travel to Marion and his subsequent drive more than 350 miles to the Kansas City area remains unclear to investigators. Diederich described the route as a mystery and said there is no evidence that anyone helped Morley during his time on the run. The Missouri State Highway Patrol was informed Tuesday morning that Morley was possibly traveling west on Interstate 70.
Troopers used roadside cameras and a helicopter to track Morley’s movements. His truck eventually got stuck in mud, allowing officers to approach him. Authorities said Morley was compliant during the arrest. Justin Ewing, a spokesperson for the Missouri State Highway Patrol, confirmed that Morley was transported to the Lafayette County jail in Lexington, Missouri.
A deputy U.S. marshal interviewed Morley at the jail on Tuesday. In a probable cause affidavit, Morley admitted to escaping the Tennessee prison and stealing the truck and three firearms in Illinois. He was charged in federal court in Tennessee with one count of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. He was also charged in federal court in Missouri with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. No additional charges have been filed in Missouri courts, according to online records.
District Attorney General Danny Goodman Jr. said he plans to file additional charges in Tennessee. It is not yet known when Morley will be returned to the state. Kim Wheeler-Elder, a spokesperson for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, said all available information regarding Morley’s whereabouts has been released. The Lafayette County Sheriff's Office did not respond to a request for comment.
