Abandoned truck points north in Tennessee fugitive search
A retired FBI agent believes the vehicle Jacob Allen Morley left behind in Illinois signals he is trying to vanish into unfamiliar territory.
By Luka Evans ·
Jacob Allen Morley left his pickup truck in Marion, Illinois, early Tuesday morning, creating a geographic gap that investigators and experts say may reveal his current strategy.
Morley, 5 feet, 11 inches tall and 240 pounds, escaped the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee, on Sunday. Staff noticed he was missing at approximately 11:30 p.m. Surveillance footage later showed him crossing the facility's perimeter fence. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reported that Morley stole a truck from the 400 block of Keystone Drive around 1 a.m. on Monday. That location is roughly two miles south of the prison.
Law enforcement discovered the abandoned vehicle in Illinois more than two hours later. Morley was not inside. The truck was described by retired FBI Special Agent Jonathan Gilliam as a work truck that would have been easy for witnesses to identify. Gilliam told Fox News Digital that the choice of vehicle suggests Morley may be planning to swap it for something less conspicuous. If he steals a nondescript vehicle that no one reports missing, Gilliam noted, he could travel a considerable distance without raising suspicion.
The direction of travel offers another clue. Morley moved north into Illinois rather than east. Gilliam observed that Morley's family resources are located to the east. By heading north, Morley moved away from familiar support networks. Gilliam believes this suggests the fugitive is primarily focused on putting maximum distance between himself and the prison. Unless Morley has outside help, which authorities have not indicated, his limited cash reserves may restrict how far he can go without committing another crime.
The search has expanded beyond Tennessee. The Illinois State Police confirmed they are assisting the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The U.S. Marshals Service is also participating in the manhunt. Officials have placed Morley on the state's most wanted list and advised the public to consider him dangerous. He is described as having brown hair and green eyes. A tip line is available at 844-832-3463 for those with information on his whereabouts.
Morley is serving a life sentence for the 2022 murder of Cody Birchfield. Birchfield disappeared in early February 2022 after being last seen in Elizabethton, Tennessee. Investigators from the Carter County Sheriff's Office found signs of a violent crime in Birchfield's home. Morley was arrested on March 2, 2022, after a police chase that crossed into North Carolina. Birchfield's body was found under the floor of Morley's home. During the trial, Morley's former girlfriend, Landree Sheperd, testified that Morley admitted to killing Birchfield. He was also convicted of burglary, vandalism, tampering with evidence, and evading arrest.
