has crossed state lines, after the truck he is accused of stealing during his escape turned up abandoned about 120 miles north of the prison, in Marion, Illinois

Jacob Allen Morley, 28, was serving a life sentence at the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee, when staff discovered him missing around 11:30 p.m. Sunday. A review of surveillance video showed he had slipped through the prison's perimeter fence while still wearing his prison uniform. About two hours later, cameras captured him stealing a white 2008 Ford F-350 pickup, marked with the logo of Lindamood Planting Company, from a property roughly two miles south of the prison.

Marion police said the truck had been driven behind a shopping center around 4 a.m. Tuesday and was left neatly parked there, and that a local resident who had seen a news report about the escape called in a tip later that morning. Marion's police chief said surveillance footage showed the vehicle being parked around 4 a.m., though officers who searched the area found no sign of Morley himself. The TBI said his whereabouts "remain unknown" and called locating him "an urgent priority for law enforcement."

The case has drawn in agencies well beyond Tennessee. Illinois State Police said they have offered assistance to Tennessee investigators, and the TBI confirmed the U.S. Marshals Service is also part of the search. Authorities have offered a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to Morley's arrest and are asking anyone with information to contact the TBI or call 911.

Morley was convicted in February 2025 of first-degree murder, aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, evading arrest and vandalism Birchfield's body was later found in a box beneath Morley's house, where it had been for weeks, according to the Carter County Sheriff's Office.

The escape has reopened grief for people close to Birchfield. His sister, Carrie Norman, told ABC News she felt she was "reliving this horrible tragedy all over again." Daniel Russell, described as Birchfield's childhood best friend, said knowing Morley was imprisoned had helped him begin to heal, and that he now fears someone else could be hurt. A close friend of Birchfield's, Diana Reid, told Fox News she believes Morley "is extremely dangerous" and is urging the public to learn his appearance and keep their distance.

Officials have not said whether they believe Morley is still in the Marion area or has continued moving. The investigation remains active, with authorities asking residents in the region to report any sightings rather than approach him directly.

References

1. 1.CNN — reported the truck's discovery in Illinois, TBI and Illinois State Police statements, and Morley's conviction details
2. 2.AP/Chicago Tribune — corroborated the truck being found abandoned in southern Illinois
3. 3.ABC7 Chicago — details on the Marion, Illinois location, timeline of the escape, and perimeter fence breach
4. 4.Fox News — reported on comments from Birchfield's close friend Diana Reid and the retired FBI agent's analysis of the abandoned truck
5. 5.ABC News — reported comments from Birchfield's sister Carrie Norman and friend Daniel Russell
6. 6.KFVS12/Action News 5 — local coverage confirming Marion police chief's account of the truck being parked around 4 a.m.