Authorities in the United States have recaptured a convicted murderer who escaped from a Tennessee prison over a week ago, ending an intense manhunt that spanned multiple states.

Jacob Allen Morley, 28, was serving a life sentence for the 2022 killing of his colleague when he broke out of the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, about 90 miles north of Memphis.

Escape and Manhunt

According to the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC), security footage captured Morley, clad in his prison uniform, breaching the prison fence around 11:30 pm on 25 October. He then stole a vehicle from a nearby farm.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) announced on Wednesday that Morley was taken into custody following a coordinated operation involving local, state, and federal agencies.

A tip led authorities to an Illinois property where Morley was allegedly hiding, and from which a truck had also been stolen. The truck's license plate was tracked through automatic plate-reader technology as it traveled through Missouri, prompting local authorities to pursue.

Morley was apprehended by the Missouri State Highway Patrol "without incident" in Carroll County at 11:34 am local time on Tuesday. Three firearms that had been reported stolen were recovered from the vehicle, the TBI said.

Photos released by authorities showed Morley handcuffed and being led out of a field by officers.

Reward and Public Assistance

Following his escape, Morley was added to the TBI's most wanted list, and the TDOC offered a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to his arrest. The reward was increased by $15,000 on Wednesday.

The TBI's statement noted that members of the public provided information during the investigation but did not confirm whether the reward had been paid.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said the manhunt involved officers from the Kansas City Police Department, Independence Police Department, the FBI, US Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations.

Conviction and Background

Morley was convicted of first-degree murder for the death of his colleague Cody Birchfield in 2022. He was sentenced in June 2025, and his request for a new trial was denied in May.

According to Carter County court records reviewed by the BBC, Birchfield's body was found in a metal box under Morley's home. A pathology report cited in court stated that Birchfield died "as a result of a gunshot wound to the back of the head," and bullet casings matched a gun found in Morley's house.

In her victim impact statement, Birchfield's sister said the pair had developed a friendship while Birchfield was training Morley at the pallet manufacturing company where they both worked.

Besides murder, Morley was also convicted of vandalism, tampering with evidence, aggravated burglary, and evading arrest.

This is not the first time Morley has led law enforcement on a manhunt. His 2022 arrest came after a police chase that crossed state lines into North Carolina.

The Northwest Correctional Complex is a men's prison with a capacity of up to 1,776 inmates, ranging from low to maximum security, according to BBC partner CBS. The prison has seen numerous acts of violence in recent years, and in July a grand jury returned dozens of indictments over assaults on staff and the murders of five inmates.