A wanted inmate allegedly left an unusual apology for property owners before stealing their truck during a failed escape from a Tennessee prison.
Jacob Morley, 28, was serving a life sentence at the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville after being convicted of killing co-worker Cody Birchfield in 2022.
Still wearing his prison clothes, Morley reportedly escaped overnight by cutting through the facility’s security fences, CNN reported.
The escape occurred at about 11:30 p.m. on October 25. He remained at large for more than a week before authorities arrested him on Tuesday.
After getting out of prison, Morley reached a farm near Marion, Illinois, roughly 127 miles from the correctional complex.
Williamson County Sheriff Jeff Diederich told the Independent that Morley stayed at a hunting shed on the rarely used property, where he drank beer and prepared garlic bread.
Before leaving, Morley allegedly wrote an apology to the property owners for taking a truck, the sheriff said.
“He had left a letter with specific information in that letter, basically just saying ‘sorry I stole your truck,’ and, you know, ‘tell my mom I love her’ and stuff like that, but it had some specific information on it,” Diederich told CNN.
Jacob Morley, 28, escaped from the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville on October 25 before turning up at a hunting shed in Marion
Police said Morley spent time at the hunting shed, drank beer and made garlic bread on the seldom-used property
Authorities said he stole a truck from the property and left an unusual note for its owners
According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Morley initially took a white 2008 Ford F-350 with Tennessee license plates on October 26.
He allegedly drove the truck more than 130 miles from the prison before abandoning it in Marion.
Police said surveillance footage showed Morley walking away from the truck and appearing at several other locations along his escape route.
“He walked away from that scene and walked down the state highway, and we’ve got images of him progressively as he moves along that, but ultimately lose him and the ability to follow where he went,” Diederich told CNN.
Marion Police Lt. Justin Dwyer told the outlet that authorities found the truck 24 hours after it had been abandoned.
The escaped inmate was not spotted again for eight days. Officials believed he remained in the surrounding area for several days.
“We’re talking about hundreds and hundreds of acres, and it adjoins the national forest, so he could have probably been in a deer stand or a hunting cabin that’s not occupied,” Diederich told the outlet.
Officials warned that Morley was considered dangerous and could have been anywhere.
Following the escape, Morley was placed on the TBI’s most-wanted list.
Authorities initially offered a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to his arrest. The reward was increased by $15,000 on Wednesday.
The truck became stuck in mud after Morley drove away from the farm, allowing police to arrest him near Kansas City almost a week later
Morley was convicted of killing his co-worker Cody Birchfield in 2022
More than a week after the escape, investigators received a crucial tip that directed them to a hunting-camp shed in Illinois, CNN reported.
They recovered the handwritten note, which helped link Morley to the property.
By then, Morley had traveled south on Missouri Route 291, more than 300 miles from Marion.
Investigators tracked the truck’s license plate using automatic plate-reader technology before asking local authorities to watch for the vehicle.
Authorities said the fugitive was arrested near Norborne, Missouri, about 50 miles east-northeast of Kansas City. Roadside cameras and a helicopter helped officers locate him after the truck became stuck in mud.
Police also alleged that Morley stole clothing and three firearms from the farm. Two rifles and a shotgun were recovered from the vehicle.
Investigators have not determined why Morley went to Marion or what led him to drive toward the Kansas City area.
The sheriff said authorities had found no evidence that anyone assisted Morley in escaping.
“How he ended up in Marion is kind of a mystery,” Diederich told the Independent.
Morley was taken to the Lafayette County Jail in Lexington, Missouri, Missouri State Highway Patrol spokesperson Justin Ewing said.
Court documents reviewed by WCYB 5 say he was charged in federal court in Tennessee with one count of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
In Missouri federal court, Morley was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. A probable-cause affidavit states that he admitted escaping prison, stealing the truck and possessing the two rifles and shotgun.
Morley could face additional charges in Illinois, Judicial District Attorney General Danny Goodman Jr. told the outlet. Goodman said he planned to file further charges, although it remained unclear when Morley would be returned to Tennessee.
Morley was convicted of killing his co-worker Cody Birchfield in 2022.
Birchfield’s body was discovered inside a box beneath Morley’s home after he had been missing for several weeks.
Morley was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced in June 2025. His request for a new trial was denied in May.
