Former Police Chief Escapes
A statewide manhunt is intensifying after Grant Hardin, a former police chief convicted of murder and rape, escaped from the North Central Unit prison on Saturday, May 25, 2025. The Arkansas Department of Corrections confirmed that Hardin, 56, now infamously known as the “Devil in the Ozarks,” slipped through security by impersonating a corrections officer.
Authorities say Hardin fashioned a fake uniform and simply walked out of the prison’s secure gate at approximately 2:55 p.m., triggering a lockdown and emergency search operation.
Hardin was serving two lengthy sentences—80 years for the 2017 execution-style murder of James Appleton and an additional 50 years for a 1997 rape connected to him through DNA evidence while he was already incarcerated.
Hardin’s escape has prompted an all-hands-on-deck response from local, state, and federal agencies, including the use of drones, helicopters, and K-9 units. The search is centered around the Ozark Mountains, where the rugged terrain and recent heavy rainfall have significantly hindered tracking efforts.
Hardin briefly served in law enforcement in 2016 before his dark past unraveled. He pleaded guilty in 2017 to Appleton’s murder. The rape conviction followed in 2019 after forensic testing identified him as the assailant in a cold case involving a schoolteacher.
Officials are warning the public that Hardin is extremely dangerous. Residents in northern Arkansas are being urged to stay indoors, remain vigilant, and report any sightings immediately.
The Arkansas Department of Corrections has opened a full investigation into the escape, probing how Hardin was able to obtain or create a corrections uniform—and whether he received inside help.
