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Tennessee inmate Jacob Morley escapes prison in truck he stole

By Drooid · Oct 27, 2026, 23:42 UTC · How we work

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Summary

Tennessee authorities say inmate Jacob Morley escaped from the Northwest Correctional Complex.
Morley, 28, stole an unlocked truck near Tiptonville at about 1 a.m. Monday.
The truck was found abandoned Tuesday in Marion, Illinois, 120 miles north of prison.
Prison officials offered a reward of $2,500 for information leading to Morley’s arrest.
Commissioner Frank Strada announced resignation after under three years, following the failed execution of Christa Pike on Sept. 30.

Summary

Officials conducted an emergency count and searched nearby buildings after Morley was found missing.
A 2023 audit revealed a 61% correctional officer vacancy rate at Northwest Complex.
TDOC urged residents to check doorbell and trail cameras for sightings of the fugitive.
The prison, near a Mississippi River bend, houses 1,776 men and adult-convicted minors, complicating law-enforcement coordination.

History

In April 2006, high-escape-risk inmate Richard Lee McNair slipped out of USP Pollock, Louisiana, by hiding in a pallet of mailbags—a break that marked the first federal prison escape since 1991 and echoed his earlier 1987 and 1992 escapes. The recent theft of an unlocked truck at Tennessee’s Northwest Correctional Complex revives those security concerns and fuels calls for staffing reforms.

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Historical Context

In April 2006, high-escape-risk inmate Richard Lee McNair slipped out of USP Pollock, Louisiana, by hiding in a pallet of mailbags—a break that marked the first federal prison escape since 1991 and echoed his earlier 1987 and 1992 escapes. The recent theft of an unlocked truck at Tennessee’s Northwest Correctional Complex revives those security concerns and fuels calls for staffing reforms.

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