Convicted murderer still at large after escaping Tennessee prison through fence and stealing truck
Escape and truck theft
Authorities said Morley got out of a northwest Tennessee prison by passing through a fence. Investigators reviewed security footage and saw him leaving in his prison uniform, but officials have not shared how he made it through.
Surveillance video later showed a truck being stolen in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Investigators released the footage as they searched for Morley and the vehicle.
Search and reward
As of Monday, the bureau still included Morley on its most-wanted list. Officials are offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information that leads to his arrest.
The bureau asked people in the area where the truck was taken to check home security systems. It specifically mentioned doorbell and trail cameras as possible sources of sightings of Morley or the stolen truck.
Life sentence and prison violence
Morley received a life sentence for killing his co-worker, Cody Birchfield, in 2022. Birchfield’s body was discovered in a box beneath Morley’s home in Carter County after he had been missing for several weeks.
Northwest Correctional Complex has seen reports in recent years of violent incidents involving inmates and employees. In July, a grand jury returned dozens of indictments involving five inmate murders, assaults against staff and inmates, and other violence.
Key points
- Morley escaped from a northwest Tennessee prison by getting through a fence.
- Security footage showed Morley in prison clothing and later captured a truck theft.
- The bureau offered up to $2,500 for information leading to his arrest.
- Morley is serving life for killing co-worker Cody Birchfield in 2022.