Former Arkansas police chief Grant Hardin, dubbed the “Devil in the Ozarks,” was apprehended on June 6 after a 12-day manhunt involving various law enforcement agencies. Hardin, 56, had escaped from a prison where he was serving lengthy sentences for murder and rape. He was captured just a mile and a half away from the prison he had fled nearly two weeks earlier.
Arkansas Department of Corrections spokesperson Rand Champion reported that tracking dogs located Hardin near Moccasin Creek in Izard County. Photos of his arrest showed a disheveled Hardin with a noticeably thinner face than in previous mugshots. Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders expressed relief at Hardin’s recapture, crediting the collaborative efforts of local, state, and federal authorities, including a team from Border Patrol sent by Secretary Kristi Noem.
Hardin had achieved notoriety as the subject of the documentary “Devil in the Ozarks,” detailing his 1997 rape of a school teacher and 2017 murder of a water department worker. His escape from the North Central Unit prison in Calico Rock involved impersonating a law enforcement officer and walking out through a secure entryway on May 25.
Various law enforcement agencies, including Arkansas State Police, U.S. Marshals, FBI, and Border Patrol, were instrumental in capturing Hardin near Moccasin Creek. Arkansas Division of Correction Director Dexter Payne commended the collaborative effort and expressed gratitude for the tireless work of all involved.
Hardin’s criminal history included the murder of James Appleton in 2017 and a 1997 rape in Rogers, Arkansas. A DNA test linked him to the unsolved rape case. Hardin’s capture followed a notable jailbreak in New Orleans involving multiple inmates, some of whom were facing murder charges.
Former law enforcement officer Grant Hardin has been convicted of multiple crimes, including two counts of rape, resulting in a total of 80 years in prison. Described as a sociopath by former Benton County prosecutor Nathan Smith, Hardin had a turbulent career in Arkansas law enforcement dating back to 1990. He worked for various police departments before briefly serving as the police chief in Gateway in 2016.
Hardin’s dismissal from the Fayetteville job due to poor performance and an inability to accept feedback was followed by similar issues in Huntsville, where he was accused of using excessive force and making questionable decisions. Now facing charges for escaping prison, these actions are just the latest in a string of troubling incidents.
Former police chief Grant Hardin, currently serving lengthy prison sentences for murder and rape, was apprehended after a 12-day manhunt in Arkansas. He was captured wearing a makeshift Arkansas Department of Corrections uniform and pushing a cart filled with supplies.
