After an intense manhunt lasting nearly two weeks in the rugged hills of northern Arkansas, law enforcement officials have finally caught Grant Hardin — the former police chief and convicted killer who escaped from a state prison. Known as the “Devil in the Ozarks,” Hardin was found just 1.5 miles northwest of the prison he broke out from, bringing an end to a desperate search across challenging terrain.
Hardin, who once served as police chief in the tiny town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border, was serving long sentences for murder and rape. His dark past and daring escape even inspired a TV documentary bearing his notorious nickname.
The capture happened Friday afternoon when officers spotted Hardin and approached him. Although he tried to run briefly, he was quickly tackled to the ground, according to Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Corrections. “He’d been on the run for a week and a half and probably didn’t have any energy left in him,” Champion said.
Hardin’s identity was confirmed through fingerprinting by the Izard County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities noted he appeared unharmed but planned to check for dehydration and other medical concerns after being in the wild for so long. The prison spokesperson shared a photo of Hardin being led away by officers, remaining silent throughout the arrest. Investigators are eager to question him in the coming days.
How the Escape Unfolded
Grant Hardin had been held at Calico Rock prison since 2017 after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in the 2017 killing of James Appleton, a 59-year-old water department worker found shot in the head near Garfield, Arkansas. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder.
In a bold and clever move, Hardin escaped by disguising himself as a corrections officer, fooling a prison guard into opening a secure gate. “He impersonated a corrections officer in dress and manner,” a court document revealed. However, officials admitted there was a serious lapse in verifying his identity before he walked out of the facility, and this failure is now under investigation.
Following his escape on May 25, law enforcement launched a large-scale search operation. Bloodhounds tracked Hardin’s scent for about a quarter of a mile before heavy rains disrupted the trail. “That was one of the most frustrating things,” Champion said. “They were able to track him but then lost him because of the rain.”
The manhunt expanded with the addition of a highly trained U.S. Border Patrol Tactical Team, who brought specialized skills to navigate the region’s rocky, forested landscape filled with caves. The federal agency shared images of Hardin shirtless, muddy, and restrained, confirming he was handed over to Arkansas State Police without injury.
A Criminal History Steeped in Violence
Hardin’s crimes extend beyond murder. His DNA was linked to a 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers, Arkansas, for which he received a 50-year prison sentence. His violent past and law enforcement background make his story all the more troubling.
Cheryl Tillman, mayor of Gateway and sister of James Appleton, expressed relief at Hardin’s capture. Speaking to the Associated Press, she described it as a “big sigh of relief” for her family and the community. “We don’t have to walk around, turning around all the time, thinking somebody’s on our back,” she said, thanking the officers involved in the arrest.
Troubled Law Enforcement Career
Though Hardin’s time as police chief of Gateway lasted just four months in 2016, his law enforcement career spanned several decades across northwest Arkansas, but it was marked by problems.
His first job as a police officer in Fayetteville ended abruptly when he was dismissed. Despite this, Hardin found work in other departments, including Huntsville, where he resigned after about six months, and Eureka Springs, where he served from 1993 to 1996. The Eureka Springs police chief at the time, Earl Hyatt, stated Hardin resigned to avoid being fired over incidents involving excessive force, bluntly saying, “He did not need to be a police officer at all.”
By the time he became police chief in Gateway, locals remembered Hardin for erratic behavior, including chasing cars without cause, as recounted in the documentary “Devil in the Ozarks.”
Grant Hardin’s story serves as a stark reminder of the complexities and dangers surrounding some individuals in law enforcement and the serious consequences of oversight failures in prison security. The community he once policed now breathes easier, knowing he’s back behind bars after nearly two weeks on the run in Arkansas’s rugged wilderness.
