Prison Escape: Jacob Morley's Week On The Run Ends In Kansas City

Jacob Morley, a 28-year-old man serving a life sentence for murder, spent more than a week evading police before his capture near Kansas City. Officials revealed on Wednesday the details of his escape, which involved hiding in a rural shed, stealing a vehicle, and writing a note to a farmer.

Morley fled the Northwest Correctional Complex in northwestern Tennessee on the night of Oct. 25. Surveillance video showed him stealing a truck from a farm near the prison shortly after his breakout. He drove that vehicle for some distance before abandoning it near Marion, Illinois, which is approximately 127 miles from his starting point.

Williamson County Sheriff Jeff Diederich said investigators believe Morley walked about three miles to a different farm after leaving the first truck. Security cameras captured Morley walking along Route 13, but the area’s fields and woods made it difficult for officers to spot him. At the second farm, Morley hid in a shed that hunters used periodically.

Evidence recovered from the shed indicated that Morley drank beer and prepared food, including garlic bread. He also stole clothes and three firearms from the property. After taking the truck from this farm, Morley left behind a handwritten note apologizing to the owner, according to Sheriff Diederich.

The route Morley took from Marion to Kansas City remains unclear. He was driving in the Kansas City area, more than 350 miles from Marion, when authorities located him. Diederich described Morley’s arrival in Marion as a mystery and said there is no evidence that the 28-year-old received help from anyone during his time on the run.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol was notified on Tuesday morning that Morley was possibly traveling west on Interstate 70. Troopers used roadside cameras and a helicopter to track his vehicle. They found the truck stuck in mud. Officers recovered two rifles and a shotgun from the vehicle.

Morley was compliant during his arrest. He was transported to the Lafayette County jail in Lexington, Missouri, according to Justin Ewing, a spokesperson for the Missouri State Highway Patrol. No charges have been filed in Missouri courts as of Wednesday, though the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In federal court, Morley faces two new charges. He was charged in Tennessee with one count of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. He was also charged Tuesday in Missouri with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. A deputy U.S. marshal interviewed Morley at the jail on Tuesday. Morley admitted to escaping the prison, stealing the truck in Marion, and taking the three guns, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Morley was originally convicted in 2022 for killing his co-worker, Cody Birchfield. Birchfield’s body was found in a box under Morley’s home after a several-week disappearance. Morley had been convicted of first-degree murder, aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, vandalism, and evading arrest. He had led officers on a chase that ended in North Carolina before his initial conviction.

District Attorney General Danny Goodman Jr. in Tennessee said in a phone interview that he plans to file additional charges. It is not yet clear when Morley will be returned to Tennessee. Kim Wheeler-Elder, a spokesperson for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, stated in a text message that all available information regarding Morley’s whereabouts has been released.