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Grant Hardin, the ‘Devil in the Ozarks,’ Recaptured Near Arkansas Prison After 12-Day Escape

His transfer to the Varner SuperMax Unit follows an internal probe into security lapses at the North Central Unit.

(L): A photo of Grant Hardin after being found by law enforcement officials in Calico Rock, Arkansas on Friday, June 6. (R): Hardin being escorted by law enforcement officer.
FILE - Prisoners walk through a yard at the Varner Unit of Arkansas' Department of Corrections, Friday, Aug. 18, 2023, in Gould, Ark. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)
Grant Hardin, a former police chief serving time for murder and rape in northwest Arkansas, escaped from prison and was apprehended 12 days later on Friday. Photo by Arksansas Department of Corrections/X

Overview

  • Hardin slipped out of the North Central Unit on May 25 by impersonating a corrections officer, prompting a guard to open a secure gate.
  • He was serving decades-long sentences for the 2017 murder of James Appleton and the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher.
  • Search teams faced heavy rainfall and high water around Moccasin Creek that limited tracking efforts during the 12-day manhunt.
  • On June 6, Arkansas law enforcement and U.S. Border Patrol bloodhounds led officers to arrest Hardin just 1.5 miles from the prison.
  • After fingerprint confirmation and a medical exam at the North Central Unit, Hardin was moved to Varner SuperMax as authorities investigate potential assistance in his escape.