How did an escaped Tennessee inmate evade capture for 10 days? How the manhunt unfolded

Tennessee How did an escaped Tennessee inmate evade capture for 10 days? How the manhunt unfolded At one point, authorities said Jacob Morley, an escaped Tennessee inmate who was considered dangerous, was spotted by surveillance video in downstate Illinois By The Associated Press • Published November 5, 2026 • Updated on November 5, 2026 at 11:50 am Authorities are still trying to piece together how an escaped Tennessee prisoner convicted of murder evaded capture for more than a week before being tracked down more than 100 miles away in Illinois and then captured in Missouri. Jacob Morley, who was serving a life sentence for killing a co-worker four years ago, was apprehended Tuesday near Kansas City, authorities said. Morley was found after troopers used roadside cameras and a helicopter to track him down and his truck got stuck in the mud. Two rifles and a shotgun were recovered from the truck. Stream NBC 5 for free, 24/7, wherever you are. WATCH HERE Authorities believe Morley found his way to a farm near Marion, Illinois — about 127 miles away — in the days after his escape, spending some time in a shed that was used periodically by hunters. Investigators found evidence that he drank beer and prepared garlic bread and other food — and that he left behind an apologetic handwritten note after stealing a truck from the farm, according to Williamson County Sheriff Jeff Diederich. Morley is also suspected of stealing clothes and the three firearms from the property. Diederich believes Morley walked about 3 miles to the farm after abandoning a different truck he had driven after his escape. Security cameras captured Morley walking away from the truck and at a couple of locations along Route 13, but the terrain — which includes fields and woods — would have made it tough for him to be spotted, Diederich said. It’s unclear why Morley traveled to Marion and why he was driving near Kansas City, more than 350 miles away. “How he ended up in Marion is kind of a mystery,” Diederich said. Local Brighton Park 4 hours ago ‘Very traumatized': Family mourns mom of five killed in apparent road rage shooting Lincoln Park 5 hours ago Chicago's best free sample table is at a Lincoln Park seafood shop Diederich said there’s no evidence Morley had help from anyone. Escaped Tennessee inmate Jacob Morley, who was serving a life sentence after being convicted of murdering a co-worker, stole a truck from a nearby farm and apparently made it to southern Illinois before abandoning it, authorities said Tuesday. How did get escape? Morley, 28, escaped from the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tennessee’s far northwestern corner on Oct. 25, after he slipped through a fence in his prison clothes. Surveillance video showed him stealing a truck from a farm near the prison , which he abandoned in Marion in downstate Illinois. Kim Wheeler-Elder, a spokesperson for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, wrote in a text message that all “available information” regarding Morley’s whereabouts when he was on the run has been released. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says it was informed Tuesday morning that Morley was possibly traveling west on Interstate 70 in the Kansas City area. Authorities said he was compliant when he was arrested. Morley was transported to the Lafayette County jail in Lexington, Missouri, according to Justin Ewing, a spokesperson for the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. No charges have been filed against him in Missouri courts, according to online court records. Before Morley was apprehended, he was charged in federal court in Tennessee with one count of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, court documents show. Morley was also charged Tuesday in federal court in Missouri with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. A deputy U.S. marshal interviewed Morley at the Lafayette County jail on Tuesday and Morley admitted to escaping the Tennessee prison, stealing the truck in Marion as well as the two rifles and shotgun, according to a probable cause affidavit. District Attorney General Danny Goodman Jr. in Tennessee said in a phone interview that he plans to file additional charges but it’s unclear when Morley will be returned to Tennessee. Morley was convicted of killing co-worker Cody Birchfield in 2022. Birchfield’s body was found in a box under Morley’s home after he had been missing for a few weeks. When Morley saw deputies at his home, he led officers on a chase that ended in North Carolina, authorities said. Morley was convicted of first-degree murder, aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, vandalism and evading arrest. This article tagged under: Tennessee