Fugitive Grant Hardin, also recognized as the "Devil of the Ozarks," was apprehended not far from the prison following a two-week-long pursuit in Arkansas.
Alright, let's dive into the lowdown on the infamous ex-cop now dubbed the "Devil in the Ozarks" - Grant Hardin. The slippery character managed to pull off a daring escape from the Calico Rock prison in Arkansas, approximately two weeks back!
Grant, who was serving a memory-stretching sentence for heinous acts like murder and rape, slipped out of prison by sporting a fake law enforcement uniform, authorities revealed.
Brandon Long, the plucky Sheriff of the region, made the announcement of Hardin's arrest around 3:45 pm, just a stone's throw away from the pokey. Arkansas law enforcement, along with the U.S. Border Patrol, zeroed in on Hardin near Moccasin Creek in Izard County, around 1.5 miles west of the prison's North Central Unit. Sniffing dogs played a pivotal role in tracing the scent in the area.
Long ensured the public that Hardin no longer posed a risk to their safety as confirmation of his identity was confirmed through fingerprint analysis before announcing his capture.
Hardin had been lodged up in the slammer since 2017, following his guilty plea for first-degree murder. He pulled the trigger on 59-year-old James Appleton, a man with whom he had a history of disputes, according to the HBO documentary "Devil in the Ozarks."
For the murder, Hardin was hitched up with a 30-year prison sentence.
But it wasn't just the cold-blooded murder - his DNA also matched with the 1997 rape of a teacher at an elementary school in northwestern Arkansas. Hardin copped to two counts of rape, for which he was sentenced to 25 years behind bars for each count, adding up to a 50-year term.
So, there you have it folks, a brief but chilling recap of the escape and criminal history of one Grant Hardin, the dubious former police chief of Gateway, Arkansas, now infamously known as the "Devil in the Ozarks." Keep an eye out for more developments as this wild tale continues to unfold!
The escape of Grant Hardin, formerly a police chief in Gateway, Arkansas, now infamously known as the "Devil in the Ozarks," has caught the attention of the general news, crime-and-justice, and politics sectors. This ex-cop, on the run since his daring prison break, was found near Moccasin Creek in Izard County, not far from the Calico Rock prison, following a joint operation by Arkansas law enforcement and the U.S. Border Patrol. Grant had been serving a combined sentence of 80 years for first-degree murder, rape, and other heinous crimes, including the cold-blooded murder of 59-year-old James Appleton and the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in northwestern Arkansas.
