The Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) are turning to the public for help locating escaped inmate Jacob Allen Morley after newly obtained video showed him allegedly stealing a pickup truck in Lake County early Tuesday morning.
Morley escaped from the Northwest Correctional Complex late Sunday night and has been added to the TBI’s Most Wanted list. The agency said he should be “considered dangerous” and is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to his arrest.
UPDATE: New video shows escaped inmate Jacob Allen Morley stealing a white 2008 Ford F-350 (TN tag 138BBQV) around 1 a.m. today from the 400 block of Keystone Dr. in Lake County.
If you spot Morley or the vehicle, do not approach. Call 911 or 1-800-TBI-FIND immediately. pic.twitter.com/C8M3VB2jwa
— Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (@TBInvestigation) October 26, 2026
In a Tuesday social media post, the TBI said video showed Morley (pictured above) stealing a white 2008 Ford F-350 around 1:00 a.m. from the 400 block of Keystone Drive in Lake County. The truck bears Tennessee license plate 138BBQV and has Lindamood Planting Company marked on the side.
UPDATE — ESCAPED INMATE#TNMostWanted: The truck was taken from the 400 block of Keystone Drive and is marked with Lindamood Planting Company on the side.
If you see Morley or the vehicle, do not approach. Call 911 immediately or contact TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND. https://t.co/2qN9ne9Q7t pic.twitter.com/aJDOyOL4Ax
— Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (@TBInvestigation) October 26, 2026
The Missouri State Highway Patrol also warned residents about the escape, noting that the prison Morely escaped from is near the Missouri-Tennessee border in Tiptonville. The agency urged Missouri residents, particularly those near the border, to remain alert and check their security cameras for possible sightings.
Authorities are asking anyone who sees Morley or the vehicle not to approach either and to call 911 immediately or contact the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.
Morley is described as 6 feet tall, weighing approximately 270 pounds, with green eyes and brown hair.
#TNMostWanted: We need your help to find Jacob Allen Morley, wanted by the Tennessee Department of Corrections and TBI for Escape.
Jacob is 6’0”, 270 lbs. with green eyes and brown hair.
Spot him? Call 1-800-TBI-FIND #TNMostWanted pic.twitter.com/wMdAOIxLVB
— Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (@TBInvestigation) October 26, 2026
TDOC first announced Monday that it was seeking the public’s assistance in locating Morley following his escape from the correctional facility.
The department said it has coordinated with law enforcement partners to search and clear buildings and structures in the surrounding area. The Tennessee Highway Patrol also deployed aviation assets and state troopers to assist in the search.
Authorities are encouraging residents to review home security footage, doorbell cameras, trail cameras, hunting cameras, and other surveillance systems for possible sightings or activity that could help investigators locate Morley.
Morely was convicted in 2025 of murdering Cody Birchfield three years earlier. He was sentenced to life in prison.
Anyone with information about Morley’s whereabouts is urged to contact the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND or call 911 if they spot him or the stolen truck. Authorities warn the public not to approach him.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
