Overview

• Investigators say Hardin spent six months preparing in the North Central Unit kitchen, using Sharpies to darken clothing, kitchen aprons to mimic a vest labeled POLICE, and a can lid molded into a badge.
• He hid materials in a kitchen trash can that staff rarely checked, accessed the back dock without supervision, then directed a guard to open a gate without verification and walked out.
• The review notes he initially planned to scale fencing with a pallet-and-box ladder but abandoned that in favor of simply exiting through the gate.
• Officials report he survived in nearby woods on berries, bird eggs and ants, drinking creek and CPAP water, before K-9 teams led U.S. Border Patrol and state officers to arrest him about 1.5 miles from the prison.
• The committee found he was misclassified for a medium-security unit and recommended measures including removing black aprons, adding cameras for blind spots, changing gate locks, and stricter searches; two employees were fired, others disciplined, and DOC says it will implement the fixes.