Escaped Tennessee murderer Jacob Morley captured near Kansas City
The gist
Convicted murderer Jacob Morley, 28, escaped a Tennessee prison and was caught near Kansas City.
He was serving life for killing a co-worker; the manhunt lasted over a week.
How it unfolded
- 2022Morley killed co-worker Cody Birchfield, 34, in Carter County, Tennessee; Birchfield's body was found in a box under Morley's home after he had been missing for a few weeks.
- 2025Morley was convicted of murder, abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence and aggravated burglary in the 2022 killing.
- Oct 25, 2026 23:30Staff at the Northwest Correctional Complex confirmed Morley was unaccounted for and began an emergency count and search.