In the U.S. state of Tennessee, 28-year-old Jacob Morley, who was sentenced to life in prison for murdering a colleague, managed to escape from prison by making his way through a fence. Law enforcement launched a large-scale search and announced a reward for his capture. The Associated Press reports this, citing the Tennessee Department of Correction, UNN writes.
Details
The incident occurred late in the evening on October 25 at the Northwest Correctional Complex in the city of Tiptonville. The inmate's disappearance was recorded at approximately 11:30 p.m.
After reviewing surveillance footage, investigators determined that Morley left the facility wearing prison clothing. The administration has not yet explained exactly how he managed to get over the fence.
Reward announced for fugitive
Authorities offered up to $2,500 for information that would help capture Morley. Police are searching buildings and other structures near the prison, located approximately 145 kilometers from Memphis.
The fugitive is known to be about 180 cm tall and weigh 109 kg. He has brown hair and green eyes.
Morley was serving a life sentence for the 2022 murder of his colleague, Cody Birchfield. After several weeks of searching, the man's body was found in a box beneath the convict's house.
In addition to murder, Morley was found guilty of aggravated burglary, concealing evidence, vandalism, and attempting to evade arrest.
This was not the first time the man had tried to flee law enforcement. During his arrest in 2022, he led police on a chase that ended in the neighboring state of North Carolina.
The prison from which Morley escaped had previously made the news repeatedly because of violence among inmates and attacks on staff.