Authorities are searching across state lines for a convicted murderer who escaped from a Tennessee prison on Oct. 25. Jacon Allen Morley, 28, reportedly got past the perimeter fence at the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville and disappeared into the surrounding area.
According to CNN, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has placed Morley on its “Most Wanted” list and warned the public that he is considered dangerous. Morley was serving a life sentence for first-degree murder. Multiple law enforcement agencies are now involved in the search.
Prison staff realized Morley was missing at around 11:30 p.m. Sunday. Investigators later reviewed security footage that reportedly showed him escaping through the perimeter fence while still wearing his prison uniform. Officials have yet to explain how he managed to get past the facility’s security.
This the second inmate to escape from state custody in a single week.
Morley allegedly stole a white 2008 Ford F-350 utility truck about an hour and a half later. Surveillance footage reportedly captured the theft at approximately 1 a.m. on Oct. 26. The truck belonged to Lindamood Planting Company, a farming business located near the prison. It was temporarily out of service, and employees did not realize it had been stolen until around midday Monday.
Investigators subsequently tracked the vehicle past the Hornbeak Fire Department at 1:18 a.m. The department is about 15 miles from the prison. Morley’s movements suggest he managed to leave Tennessee, although authorities have not released a complete account of his route.
On Tuesday morning, the TBI announced that the stolen Ford F-350 had been found abandoned in Marion, Illinois. It remains unclear where Morley went after abandoning the truck or whether he has since found another way to travel.
The escape is also drawing attention to security problems within the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC). Morley is reportedly the second inmate to escape from state custody in a single week. Another inmate, Gregory Redden, escaped while receiving treatment at a Nashville hospital on October 21, 2026, but was soon recaptured.
The department was already facing scrutiny following the resignation of TDOC Commissioner Frank Strada earlier in October 2026. His departure came after a controversial execution attempt involving death row inmate Christa Pike. The attempt reportedly left Pike on a ventilator before she was returned to a maximum-security cell.
Conditions at the Northwest Correctional Complex have also come under criticism. The facility has faced concerns over understaffing, operational difficulties, and violence among inmates. In July 2026, a grand jury returned multiple indictments connected to five separate inmate homicides and other violent incidents at the prison.
Staffing shortages remained a concern months later. During a September 2026 hearing before a state Senate subcommittee, prison administrators reportedly told lawmakers that the facility had 470 vacancies across its workforce.
There’s a $2,500 reward for anyone with helpful information
Critics say those shortages can leave prisons struggling to maintain security and adequately monitor inmates. Morley’s escape is likely to intensify questions about whether the facility has enough staff to prevent similar incidents.
Authorities are offering up to $2,500 for information that directly helps them find and apprehend Morley. Anyone who knows where he might be is urged to contact law enforcement.Ther
Published: Oct 28, 2026 07:00 pm