Manhunt Underway for Escaped Killer in Tennessee

A convicted killer is on the run in Tennessee, and state officials say he's now among their most wanted. Authorities say 28-year-old Jacob Allen Morley, serving a life sentence for the 2022 murder of Cody Birchfield, broke out of the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville late Sunday, Fox News reports. An emergency count began around 11:30pm after staff realized he was missing. The Tennessee Department of Correction describes him as 5-foot-11 and about 240 pounds with brown hair and green eyes, while the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation puts his height at 6 feet and his weight at 270 pounds. Both agencies say he should be considered dangerous.

Morley was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life last year. He was also convicted of burglary, vandalism, tampering with evidence, and evading arrest. the Tennessee Department of Correction says security camera footage shows Morley breaching a perimeter fence, still wearing his prison uniform, ABC News reports. The prison is in Lake County, where Sheriff Bryan Avery urged the public to remain vigilant and "exercise caution."

• "Anyone who encounters or believes they have spotted Morley should not approach, confront, or attempt to apprehend him," Avery said in a statement Monday. "Instead, immediately dial 911 and provide any relevant information to law enforcement.