Convicted Killer Taken Into Custody Following Second Vehicle Theft
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WOKI / WVLT) – Escaped Tennessee inmate Jacob Allen Morley has been captured in Missouri, ending a multi-state manhunt that lasted more than a week after his escape from the Northwest Correctional Complex in Lake County.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Morley was taken into custody Tuesday near Kansas City after authorities received information from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation that he may be traveling westbound on Interstate 70.
Investigators used FLOCK camera technology to locate the suspect vehicle, a stolen white 2005 Ford pickup truck that officials say Morley stole Tuesday morning in southern Illinois. Undercover officers, state troopers, and local law enforcement agencies coordinated efforts to track the vehicle.
The Kansas City Police Department’s helicopter located the truck and followed it as it traveled through several Missouri highways. Authorities said the vehicle eventually became stuck on a rural road in Carroll County. A Missouri state trooper then confronted Morley and took him into custody without incident.
Officials emphasized that no active vehicle pursuit occurred and that emergency equipment was never activated during the operation.
Second Stolen Vehicle Led Investigators to Morley
The break in the case came early Tuesday when deputies in Williamson County, Illinois, responded to the theft of a farm truck.
Investigators quickly developed evidence linking Morley to the theft and determined he was heading west. Information was shared among multiple agencies, including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Illinois State Police, U.S. Marshals Service, and Missouri authorities, ultimately leading to his arrest.
A spokesperson for FLOCK praised the coordination between agencies and said the company’s camera technology played a key role in tracking Morley’s movements across state lines.
Escape Sparked Week-Long Search
Morley escaped from the Northwest Correctional Complex on the night of Oct. 25.
Investigators say another inmate falsely accounted for Morley during a head count, allowing him time to hide near the prison kitchen before cutting through perimeter fencing and escaping.
Authorities said Morley later stole a utility truck in Lake County and drove into Illinois, where he abandoned the vehicle. He remained at large for more than a week before allegedly stealing the second truck that ultimately led investigators to him.
Serving Life Sentence for Carter County Murder
The 28-year-old was serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole for the 2022 murder of coworker Cody Birchfield in Carter County, Tennessee.
During the manhunt, authorities warned the public that Morley should be considered dangerous. Investigators were also examining whether he may have been connected to other crimes committed while on the run.
Officials have not yet announced when Morley will be returned to Tennessee. Additional charges related to his escape and the vehicle thefts are expected, though formal extradition and charging details have not been released.
