Jacob Allen Morley Linked to Wisconsin Bank Heist After Tennessee Prison Escape

Tennessee fugitive Jacob Allen Morley is the focus of a cross-state manhunt after a gunpoint robbery at a Wisconsin bank on Tuesday. Authorities in Dane County report that the suspect entered the Bank of Deerfield just before closing. He demanded cash, restrained two employees, and fled with money. No one was injured. The gunman stole a Lincoln MKZ from the parking lot to escape. Police later located the vehicle unoccupied.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation stated it is aware of the Wisconsin incident. The agency has not yet confirmed a direct link to Morley. He escaped the Northwest Correctional Complex in Lake County on Monday. During his escape, he took a white 2008 Ford F-150 with Lindamood Planting Company markings. Officers found the truck abandoned in Marion, Illinois, early Tuesday. Police said there is no evidence Morley remains in that area.

Morley is serving a life sentence for the 2022 murder of Cody Birchfield. Tyreece Miller, the U.S. marshal for the Western District of Tennessee, is leading the search. The reward for information leading to his arrest has been raised to $15,000. Daniel Russell, a friend of the victim, described Morley as a monster who will do it again. Morley is currently on the Tennessee Most Wanted List. Law enforcement advises the public to consider him dangerous. Anyone with information should call 1-800-TBI-FIND immediately. If you spot him, do not approach and call 911.

The investigation continues to connect the events in Tennessee, Illinois, and Wisconsin. The stolen Ford F-150 serves as a key clue in tracing his movement since Monday. The Lincoln MKZ found in Wisconsin provides a second potential lead. Both vehicles were abandoned by the time police located them. The financial toll of the bank robbery is still being assessed by local officials. The U.S. Marshals Service is coordinating with local police in all three states to close the gap in the timeline.