Escaped Tennessee inmate caught after 10 days on the run when his truck gets stuck in the mud

An escaped Tennessee captive convicted of execution was recaptured Tuesday adjacent Kansas City, Missouri, erstwhile his motortruck got stuck successful the mud aft troopers utilized roadside cameras and a chopper to way him down, ending much than a week connected the run, authorities said.

Jacob Morley, who was serving a beingness condemnation for sidesplitting a co-worker 4 years ago, was apprehended astatine astir noon, officials said.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says it learned Tuesday greeting that Morley was perchance traveling westbound connected Interstate 70 successful the Kansas City area. The conveyance was located utilizing automated licence sheet readers and undercover officers traveling connected a authorities road successful occidental Missouri.

Morley was driving a “metal flatbed enactment truck” with a achromatic cab, said Sgt. Justin Ewing, a spokesperson for the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Two rifles and a shotgun were recovered from the vehicle, which authorities fishy was stolen successful Illinois, according to Ewing.

It's unclear wherever Morley was going. Morley whitethorn person had connections successful the Kansas City area, but authorities don't deliberation that helium stopped astatine immoderate residences, Ewing said.

A Kansas City constabulary chopper besides followed the vehicle, which made it into Carroll County, a tiny region successful northwest Missouri. Morley drove disconnected the roadworthy and got stuck successful mud, according to Ewing, and a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper took him into custody without incident, ending a weeklong hunt. Morley was “compliant” erstwhile helium was arrested, Ewing said.

Williamson County Sheriff Jeff Diederich said successful a telephone interrogation that Morley is suspected of stealing a achromatic workplace motortruck from a workplace southwest of Marion, Illinois. Morley is besides suspected of stealing apparel and 3 firearms from the farm, according to Diederich.

Deputies besides recovered an apologetic handwritten enactment successful the spot wherever the motortruck was stolen, according to Diederich. The motortruck had a afloat vessel and other fuel. Information sharing betwixt agencies was “critical” to Morley’s apprehension, Diederich said.

Morley, 28, escaped from the Northwest Correctional Complex successful Tennessee’s acold northwestern country connected Oct. 25, aft helium slipped done a obstruction successful his situation clothes.

Surveillance video showed him stealing a motortruck from a workplace adjacent the prison, which helium abandoned past week successful Marion, Illinois. That is astir 120 miles (193 kilometers) northbound of the prison.

Morley was serving a beingness condemnation for sidesplitting co-worker Cody Birchfield successful 2022. Birchfield’s assemblage was recovered successful a container nether Morley’s location aft helium had been missing for a fewer weeks. The 2 lived successful Carter County, successful eastbound Tennessee.

When Morley saw deputies astatine his home, helium led officers connected a pursuit that ended successful North Carolina, authorities said. Morley was convicted of first-degree murder, aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, vandalism and evading arrest.

After his escape, instrumentality enforcement agencies searched buildings and different structures adjacent the prison, which is successful Tiptonville, astir 90 miles (145 kilometers) northbound of Memphis successful level farmland adjacent a crook successful the Mississippi River. Prison officials offered a reward of up to $17,500 for accusation starring to Morley’s arrest.

Morley’s flight is the latest blemish for Tennessee’s situation system.

Several convulsive attacks betwixt inmates and by employees person been reported successful caller years astatine Northwest Correctional Complex. A expansive assemblage successful July returned dozens of indictments for 5 inmate killings and different convulsive acts.

Following the failed execution of Christa Pike successful September, Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada resigned aft little than 3 years connected the job.

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Kelety reported from Phoenix. Associated Press writer Laura Turbay successful Little Rock, Arkansas, contributed.