Morley manhunt: investigators weigh unconfirmed Wisconsin bank robbery lead
Police are checking if Jacob Morley, who escaped from a Tennessee prison, is tied to a bank robbery in Wisconsin. The TBI says it has no confirmation he was involved, but Wisconsin deputies have not ruled him out. A prosecutor says prison staff waited hours to call outside police.
Investigators are looking into whether Jacob Morley could be tied to a bank robbery in Wisconsin. Morley, 28, escaped from a Tennessee prison late Sunday and is still at large. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says it has no confirmation he is the robber. CNN and WMC Action News 5 reported the lead.
The robbery hit the Bank of Deerfield in Dane County, Wisconsin, shortly before closing on Tuesday, WMC reported. "Two bank employees were restrained and forced to surrender an undisclosed amount of cash," the Dane County Sheriff's Office said in a release quoted by CNN. No one was hurt.
"At this time, the Tennessee inmate has not been eliminated as a suspect," the sheriff's office said.
Morley got out through a fence at the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville. He then stole a pickup truck in Lake County, the TBI said. Police in Marion, Illinois, say video suggests the truck was left there early Monday and found nearly 30 hours later.
The Department of Correction says staff realized he was missing around 11:30 p.m. Sunday, CNN reported. District Attorney General Danny Goodman Jr. says prison staff were slow to call for help, WBBJ reported. He said staff alerted an internal investigator early Monday, but the TBI, the Highway Patrol and his office were not notified until about three and a half hours later. "He was already in Marion, Illinois, before they ever called anyone outside of TDOC," Goodman said. The cited reports carry no prison response to his account.
Morley is serving a life sentence for the 2022 murder of Cody Birchfield in Carter County, CNN and WMC reported. The TBI and the Department of Correction list a reward of up to $17,500 for information leading to his arrest. Officials say he is dangerous and should not be approached. Anyone who sees him should call 911.
What we know: Morley is still at large and has not been ruled out in the robbery.
What we don't: Whether he had any role in the robbery, where he is now, and why outside police were alerted hours later.
Where outlets agree The cited reports agree Morley escaped the Northwest Correctional Complex and remains at large, and the TBI has not linked him to the Wisconsin robbery.
Where they differ The cited reports agree on the key facts so far.