Public Safety · Lake County
Escaped Tennessee Inmate Stole Truck Found Abandoned in Marion, IL
Jacob Morley, 28, escaped from Northwest Correctional Complex near Tiptonville, Tennessee, late Sunday and stole a truck from a nearby farm around 1 a.m. Monday, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The stolen truck was found abandoned in Marion, Illinois, about 120 miles north of the prison, on Tuesday morning. Morley is serving a life sentence for the 2022 murder of co-worker Cody Birchfield in Carter County, Tennessee. Authorities have not located him and are offering a reward of up to $2,500. The escape comes amid broader concerns at Tennessee prisons, including staffing shortages and recent violence at Northwest Correctional Complex.