Overview

• Grant Hardin slipped out of the North Central Unit on May 25 by impersonating a corrections officer and exiting through a gate opened by a guard.
• Video surveillance records show he left the facility at about 2:55 p.m., with officials only discovering his absence nearly two hours later.
• Law enforcement has deployed drones, helicopters, canine units and ground teams across the rugged Ozark terrain in an expanding search.
• Authorities are examining whether Hardin received outside assistance or sourced materials to create his non-standard uniform.
• Residents and victims’ families have been urged to secure homes and report any suspicious activity as fear grips the local community.