Jacob Morley, 28, was captured Tuesday in a different state after a 10-day manhunt that began when he broke out of a Tennessee prison.
The convicted killer, who is serving life for the 2022 murder of co-worker Cody Birchfield, escaped from the Northwest Correctional Complex on Oct. 25. Authorities tracked him more than 350 miles to Marion, Ill., where he made himself at home in a farm shed.
During his time in the shed, Morley drank cold beer and prepared garlic bread as investigators closed in, according to authorities. He also stole a second truck from the farm, along with two rifles and a shotgun, according to a probable cause affidavit. Before leaving, he left behind a note apologizing for the theft.
“How he ended up in Marion is kind of a mystery,” Williamson County Sheriff Jeff Diederich said. Diederich noted there is no evidence Morley had help from anyone during his escape.
Surveillance cameras captured Morley walking away from a stolen vehicle and at several spots along Route 13. The rough terrain in the area made the search difficult for police, Diederich said.
Authorities believe Morley trekked about three miles on foot to the farm after ditching a separate stolen truck he had used following his prison break. It remains unclear why he ultimately ended up near Kansas City, more than 350 miles from the Tennessee lockup.
Morley was convicted of murdering Birchfield in 2022. Birchfield’s body was stuffed in a box and hidden under Morley’s home after he went missing for several weeks.
Tennessee District Attorney General Danny Goodman Jr. Said he plans to file additional charges against Morley related to the escape.
Morley is expected to face prosecution in Illinois and Tennessee for the crimes committed during his time on the run.