Authorities continue searching for an escaped Tennessee prison inmate whose last confirmed sighting was in Southern Illinois nearly a week ago.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issued an update Monday afternoon confirming that Jacob Allen Morley remains at large, with no new information regarding his current whereabouts.
Morley escaped from the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tennessee on the night of October 25th.
According to investigators, the last confirmed sighting of Morley occurred on Monday, October 26th, between 5 and 7 a.m. at the Pilot Travel Center in Marion, Illinois, in Williamson County.
Before that sighting, Morley reportedly abandoned a truck he had stolen from Lake County, Tennessee, following his escape. The vehicle was discovered in another part of Marion.
Despite an ongoing search involving multiple law enforcement agencies, authorities have not confirmed any additional sightings.
The TBI is urging residents throughout the region to remain vigilant and check areas of their properties where someone could potentially hide or seek shelter.
Those locations include vacation homes, cabins, outbuildings, sheds, farm shops, barns, farm equipment and hunting properties.
Authorities emphasize that Morley should be considered dangerous and should not be approached.
Anyone who notices suspicious activity or discovers evidence that someone may have been hiding on their property is encouraged to contact law enforcement immediately.
A combined $17,500 reward is now being offered for information leading to Morley’s arrest. That includes $7,500 from the Tennessee Governor’s Office, $5,000 from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and another $5,000 from the U.S. Marshals Service.
Anyone with information concerning Morley’s whereabouts should contact the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-TBI-FIND (1-800-824-3463) or call 911.
Authorities say the search remains active, and residents across Southern Illinois are encouraged to remain alert until Morley is located and taken into custody.