Crime & Safety
Missouri Police Capture Convicted Murderer Who Escaped Tennessee Tuesday Nov 3
Carroll County, MO – A convicted murderer who escaped custody in Tennessee while serving …
By Marcus Hale · 2026-11-03T18:37:42.721Z
Marion, IL – A convicted murderer who escaped a Tennessee prison and allegedly stole vehicles while fleeing across state lines has been captured in Missouri, ending a nine day search that brought heightened police patrols and widespread concern to southern Illinois.
According to the Williamson County Sheriff's Office, 28 year old Jacob Allen Morley escaped from the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee, on Sunday, Oct. 25, while serving a life sentence for murdering a coworker approximately four years earlier.
Following his escape, Morley allegedly stole a vehicle and fled Tennessee.
Investigators determined that the stolen vehicle was abandoned in Marion, Illinois, at approximately 4:40 a.m. Monday, Oct. 26.
The Marion Police Department discovered the vehicle the following morning, Oct. 27, but Morley had already disappeared on foot.
His whereabouts remained largely unknown for several days.
The discovery prompted an extensive search involving the Williamson County Sheriff's Office, municipal police departments and surrounding law enforcement agencies.
Authorities conducted enhanced patrols, investigated hundreds of leads and devoted thousands of hours to locating the escaped prisoner.
Despite those efforts, investigators had no confirmed sightings establishing that Morley remained in southern Illinois.
Then, on Tuesday, Nov. 3, deputies responded to another stolen vehicle report southwest of Marion at approximately 7:34 a.m.
Investigators determined that Morley had allegedly stolen a white 2005 Ford pickup truck used as a farm vehicle.
As agencies exchanged intelligence, investigators developed evidence that Morley had left southern Illinois.
At approximately 11:34 a.m. Tuesday, Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers and partnering agencies captured Morley near Norborne in Carroll County, Missouri, northeast of Kansas City.
Williamson County Sheriff Jeff Diederich praised the coordinated investigation, emphasizing that public safety remained the priority throughout the search.
The operation involved Illinois State Police, the U.S. Marshals Service, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and numerous local agencies.
With Morley back in custody, authorities confirmed there is no longer an active search for him in Williamson County.
Additional details about his return to Tennessee custody have not been announced.