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'Devil in the Ozarks' escapes from prison, massive manhunt on in Arkansas
Grant Hardin, once the police chief of Gateway, Arkansas, a town of just 450 residents near the Missouri border, was serving a combined 80-year sentence.
A manhunt is underway in the rugged terrain of northern Arkansas after Grant Hardin, a former police chief convicted of murder and rape, escaped from a prison by impersonating a correctional officer.
Hardin, once the police chief of Gateway, Arkansas, a town of just 450 residents near the Missouri border, was serving a combined 80-year sentence when he vanished from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock. Known nationally as the “Devil in the Ozarks,” Hardin's crimes were the subject of a chilling 2023 HBO documentary that chronicled his descent from trusted officer to violent predator.
Authorities say Hardin walked out of the facility undetected around 2.55 pm Sunday after donning a makeshift uniform meant to resemble that of a law enforcement officer. A gate was opened for him by a prison official, unaware of the ruse. Officials didn’t announce the escape until nearly two hours later.
Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Corrections, said Hardin’s outfit did not match any standard issue inmate or guard uniforms. “There’s nothing inside the prison that looks like that,” he said. “So that’s one of the challenges - we’re still trying to find out how he was able to obtain or manufacture it.”
The prison, with a capacity of about 800 inmates, is now under scrutiny for how a convicted killer could exploit such a breach in security. “The decision to house Hardin in a medium-security facility was made based on assessments of his crimes and the needs of our facilities,” Champion added.
Fugitive in the wilderness
The escape has prompted an extensive search operation using drones, helicopters, canine units, and ground teams to comb the rocky wilderness of the Ozark Mountains. Rain and challenging topography have slowed efforts, and authorities have not released specific details about the search perimeter.
“The terrain around Calico Rock is extremely rugged—it limits his escape routes but also complicates our efforts,” Champion said. “It’s called Calico Rock for a reason.”
Local sheriffs have urged residents to stay indoors, secure their properties, and report any suspicious activity. “We’re telling people to lock everything and stay alert,” said Izard County Sheriff Charley Melton.
Community on the edge
Cheryl Tillman, sister of James Appleton, whom Hardin murdered in 2017, said the escape has reopened old wounds for her family. “He saw us during his trial,” Tillman said. “He knows who we are. We’ve lived with the grief, and now the fear is back.”
Appleton, 59, worked for the Gateway water department and was gunned down in his car. Nine months earlier, Hardin had resigned as Gateway’s police chief under pressure after just four months in the position. The HBO documentary detailed the escalating tension between Hardin and Appleton, who had clashed over a city police vehicle. Hardin eventually pleaded guilty to Appleton’s murder.
While imprisoned, Hardin’s DNA also linked him to the 1997 rape of a teacher in Rogers, Arkansas, committed while he served as a Eureka Springs police officer. That crime added 50 years to his sentence.
“He is just an evil man,” Tillman said. “He is no good for society.”
