Convicted murderer Jacob Morley escapes Tennessee prison and steals truck; manhunt underway

Jacob Allen Morley, 28, a convicted murderer serving a life sentence, escaped from the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee, on Sunday night, October 25, 2026, after staff found him missing at about 11:30 p.m. Camera footage showed him breach the perimeter fence and leave in his prison uniform, the Tennessee Department of Correction said. By 1 a.m. Monday, he allegedly stole a white Ford F-350 flatbed truck in Tiptonville, a town of about 3,500 near the Mississippi River, state officials said. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation placed Morley on its most-wanted list and urged residents to check doorbell and trail cameras. He is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 240 pounds, and Lake County issued a public safety alert Monday morning as the manhunt continued.

Left-leaning CBS News and NBC News led with the manhunt and the public appeal for camera footage, with NBC also detailing the fence breach, the truck theft and the department's statement. Alternative AP and TMZ stressed the crime and video: AP highlighted that Morley was serving a life sentence for killing a co-worker four years ago, while TMZ led with Monday evening's TBI-posted video of the truck theft. Right-leaning Daily Mail and Just the News differ most: Daily Mail leads with a claim that the murder victim's body was found buried beneath Morley's home in 2022 and adds a $2,500 reward, while Just the News relays the department's statement, lists his convictions and gives a tip line. All sides agree on the escape, the stolen truck and the manhunt; the left emphasizes the public search, while the right stresses the criminal history and reward.