Captured fugitive: Ex-chief of police and convicted murderer who made a jailbreak in Arkansas.
A notorious felon, the infamous "Devil in the Ozarks" - formerly serving as a small-town police chief - was apprehended by authorities a stone's throw away from the very prison he so audaciously fled, following a grueling, almost two-week-long manhunt through the rugged wilderness of north Arkansas[3].
Grant Hardin, a malevolent figure notorious for murder and rape, had gained infamy, ultimately leading to a TV documentary, "Devil in the Ozarks". His sentences for heinous crimes had left him behind bars, but not for long.
As law enforcement approached him on a fateful Friday afternoon, Hardin attempted to evade capture momentarily before being subdued to the ground by the searching officers[4]. "With over a week on the run, he probably didn't have much left in him," Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas prison system, observed.
Fingerprinting confirmed Hardin's identification, and he was taken into custody by the Izard County Sheriff's Office[6]. Though there's no evidence of injuries, medical checks will determine if dehydration and other health issues were a concern for the fleeing convict.
Now, investigators, ravenous for insight, remain eager to question Hardin on his escape and crime spree[4]. Champion, who managed to capture an image of Hardin being led away in handcuffs, noted that Hardin was seemingly silent during the exchange.
The Escape: A Familiar Lapse
Hardin had been confined at the Calico Rock prison since 2017, following his sentence for first-degree murder in a fatal shooting. Eager to break free, he donned a convincing makeshift uniform, styled as a corrections officer's attire[1], and tricked a prison officer into opening a secured gate, facilitating his escape[7].
Champion pointed out the lapse in the security checks as an oversight that's now under investigation[7]. Shortly after escaping on May 25, a bloodhound quickly picked up Hardin's scent - only to lose it during the ensuing downpour[8]. This setback left search teams with a challenging puzzle as the convict vanished, leaving no trace of his whereabouts.
Hope rekindled with the recent addition of an elite Border Patrol team, known as BORTAC[7]. These highly trained experts were integrated into the search party, bringing advanced capabilities and a keen understanding of navigating difficult terrain that would aid in the hunt for the fugitive[9]. After all, the rugged, thickly forested, and cave-ridden landscape of the Ozark Mountains would prove a daunting challenge[9].
Crimes of a Fallen Officer
Hardin's guilty plea for the murder of James Appleton--an employee of the Gateway water department--earned him a 30-year sentence in prison in 2017. Moreover, his DNA was linked to the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers, north of Fayetteville[10]. Cheryl Tillman, Appleton's sister, joined her family in a collective sigh of relief upon learning that Hardin had been apprehended[10].
Tillman, who also serves as the mayor of Gateway, expressed her gratitude to the officers who captured Hardin[10]. "We no longer need to worry about shadows looming over our shoulders," she emphasized.
A Troubled Past in Law Enforcement
Hardin's tenure as a police officer, scattered across multiple northwest Arkansas communities, was marred with controversy and red flags[11]. His very first stint in law enforcement in Fayetteville introduced a series of issues, resulting in his dismissal. Over the years, however, he continued to find work in the law enforcement sector[11].
Hyatt, former chief of the Eureka Springs Police Department, stated that excessive force was the reason for Hardin's eventual termination from his employment[12]. By the time he became Gateway's police chief in 2016, Hardin was documented as pursuing vehicles without just cause[11].
Jeff Martin, The Associated Press
[1] https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article251778617.html[2] https://www.kcou.org/post/ozarks-devil-grant-hardin-summary-and-updates[3] https://www.arkansas-democratgazette.com/news/2022/more/20220617/former-police-chief-grant-hardin-captured/[4] https://www.arkansas-democratgazette.com/news/2022/more/20220617/former-grant-hardin-captured-near-prison-after-massive-manhunt/[5] https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article251778617.html[6] https://www.arkansas-democratgazette.com/news/2022/more/20220617/former-police-chief-grant-hardin-captured/[7] https://www.arkansas-democratgazette.com/news/2022/more/20220617/former-grant-hardin-captured-near-prison-after-massive-manhunt/[8] https://www.arkansas-democratgazette.com/news/2022/more/20220617/former-grant-hardin-captured-near-prison-after-massive-manhunt/[9] https://www.arkansas-democratgazette.com/news/2022/more/20220617/border-patrol-back-in-arkansas-searching-for-former-police-chief-grant-hardin/[10] https://www.arkansas-democratgazette.com/news/2022/more/20220617/former-police-chief-grant-hardin-captured/[11] http://www.fox16.com/story/35698537/police-records-detail-troubled-past-of-convicted-former-gateway-police-chief-grant-hardin[12] https://www.katre.com/news/arkansas/arkansas-border-patrol-assists-in-search-for-escaped-con-grant-hardin/article_f46872c0-632e-11ea-8bbb-edab6d1e7b6e.html
In the realm of general-news, updates about the captured fugitive, Grant Hardin, have emerged from the Ozark Mountains. Once a small-town police chief, Hardin's apprehension comes after a tumultuous escape from prison, a series of events that have sparked discussions in politics and crime-and-justice circles. Despite being on the run for nearly two weeks, Hardin - notorious for crimes like murder and rape - was identified and taken into custody by the Izard County Sheriff's Office.
