Tennessee Murderer Caught In Mud

Jacob Morley, a 28-year-old Tennessee inmate serving life for murder, was arrested Tuesday near Kansas City after evading capture for ten days. The Missouri State Highway Patrol found him when his vehicle became stuck in mud. Troopers used roadside cameras and a helicopter to locate the truck. Morley was compliant during the arrest and was transported to the Lafayette County jail in Lexington, Missouri.

Morley escaped from the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tennessee on Oct. 25. Surveillance footage showed him slipping through a fence in his prison clothes. He then stole a truck from a farm near the prison. He drove the vehicle to Marion, Illinois, a distance of roughly 350 miles. Investigators believe he abandoned the truck there and walked approximately three miles to a second farm in Williamson County.

Sheriff Jeff Diederich of Williamson County said Morley spent several days at the Marion farm. He used a shed typically reserved for hunters. Diederich stated that evidence showed Morley drank beer and prepared food, including garlic bread. The inmate also stole clothes and three firearms from the property. Diederich noted that Morley left a handwritten note apologizing for taking the truck.

The route Morley took after Marion remains unclear to investigators. Diederich described the movement from Marion to the Kansas City area as a mystery. He said there is no evidence that anyone helped Morley during the ten-day period. The terrain between Marion and the farm included fields and woods, which made it difficult for the inmate to be spotted by ground patrols.

Authorities recovered two rifles and one shotgun from the truck in Missouri. A deputy U.S. marshal interviewed Morley at the jail on Tuesday. In a probable cause affidavit, Morley admitted to escaping prison and stealing the truck and firearms in Marion. He was charged in federal court in Missouri with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He had already been charged in federal court in Tennessee with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

Morley was originally convicted in 2022 for the murder of his co-worker, Cody Birchfield. Birchfield’s body was found in a box under Morley’s home after a weeks-long disappearance. Morley led deputies on a car chase that ended in North Carolina after the discovery. He was later convicted of first-degree murder, aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, vandalism, and evading arrest.

Danny Goodman Jr., the District Attorney General in Tennessee, said he plans to file additional charges against Morley. It is not yet determined when Morley will be returned to Tennessee. 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 has not yet responded to requests for comment.