Authorities are searching for Jacob Morley, a 28-year-old convicted murderer who escaped from a Tennessee prison, the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) said Monday.
Morley is serving a life sentence and escaped from the Northwest Correctional Complex, according to the agency.
TDOC said staff at the facility confirmed at about 11:30 p.m. on October 25, 2026, that Morley was missing. Officials then launched an emergency inmate count and searched the prison.
Security footage showed Morley crossing the perimeter fence and leaving the prison while wearing his TDOC uniform, officials said.
In a statement, TDOC said it was focused on public safety and urged anyone who sees Morley or has information about his whereabouts to contact law enforcement immediately.
The department is coordinating with local, state and federal authorities in an effort to capture him.
Morley was incarcerated for a life sentence stemming from a Carter County, Tennessee, conviction that included first-degree murder, aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, evading arrest and vandalism, according to TDOC.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said Monday that Morley had been placed on the state’s Most Wanted list. The agency is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information that leads to his arrest.
TBI warned that Morley should be considered dangerous.
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A TDOC wanted poster lists Morley as 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing 240 pounds. He has green eyes and brown hair.
Anyone with information about Jacob Morley’s location should call the Tennessee Department of Correction at 1-844-832-3463 or contact 911, according to the poster.
Lake County Sheriff Bryan Avery, whose jurisdiction includes the prison, urged residents to remain vigilant and use caution.
Avery said Monday that anyone who encounters Morley or believes they have seen him should not approach, confront or try to detain him. Instead, they should call 911 immediately and relay any useful information to authorities.
The Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee, has an operating capacity of 1,776 male inmates, with custody levels ranging from minimum to close, according to TDOC.
Morley was convicted of murder in 2022, ABC News Tennessee affiliate WJHL reported.
WJHL reported that Morley received a life sentence in connection with the killing of a man who had previously been reported missing. The man’s body was found buried beneath Morley’s home in March 2022.
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