Law enforcement captured Grant Hardin, a former police chief, and a convicted murderer, just 1.5 miles from the prison in northern Arkansas where he had escaped. This incident sparked a significant manhunt through the mountainous region.
His identity was verified by fingerprints, as announced by the Izzard County Sheriff’s Office on their Facebook page.
Hardin, notorious for his past as the police chief in a small town near the Arkansas-Missouri border, was serving a lengthy sentence for murder and rape. His story was highlighted in the documentary “The Devil of the Ozarks.”
During the extensive search—which included the use of bloodhounds, horseback officers, drones, and helicopters— investigators had been actively tracking Hardin since he fled on May 25th.
This week, federal authorities revealed that a specialized U.S. Border Patrol team, known for its elite skills, had joined the pursuit. This tactical unit provided advanced operational support to enhance the search for Hardin.
The Ozark Mountains’ rugged terrain presented unique challenges for searchers, with its thick forests and complex cave systems, which made the situation even more complicated.
Hardin had been incarcerated at Calico Rock Prison since 2017 after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in a shooting that resulted in a 30-year sentence. He managed to escape by impersonating a corrections officer, which, according to court documents, allowed him to trick a guard into opening a secure gate.
Additionally, his DNA has been linked to a 1997 rape case involving a teacher at a primary school near Fayetteville, for which he received a 50-year sentence. His notoriety eventually led to his story being featured in the documentary.
Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the state prison system, remarked that proper identity verification should have occurred before allowing anyone to leave the facility, stressing that the oversight was a significant mistake. Investigators have theorized that Hardin may have fled Arkansas, yet search efforts continue around the Calico Rock area.
