Overview

• Hardin was serving an 80-year sentence after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of James Appleton and rape convictions dating to 1997.
• He walked out of the North Central Unit on May 25 dressed in an ADC-style uniform meant to mimic corrections officers.
• Canines, aerial drones and helicopters are combing rugged terrain despite heavy rain that has slowed the search.
• Prison officials are probing whether Hardin manufactured the disguise himself or received outside assistance to plan his escape.
• Hardin’s short stint as Gateway police chief and his portrayal in the documentary “Devil in the Ozarks” have intensified public and investigative scrutiny.