LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A former Arkansas police chief convicted of rape and murder was captured Friday, nearly two weeks after escaping from a state prison by impersonating a law enforcement officer.
Grant Hardin, 56, was taken into custody less than two miles from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock, where he had walked out of the facility on May 25 dressed in what authorities described as a “makeshift” law enforcement uniform. The Arkansas Department of Corrections said tracking dogs led U.S. Border Patrol agents and Arkansas law enforcement officers to his location near a creek in Izard County.
His identity was confirmed through fingerprint analysis, according to a statement from the Izard County Sheriff’s Office.
“To every one of our Department staff that assisted in this manhunt over the last 13 days, I give my heartfelt thank you for your immeasurable contributions to bring this search to a peaceful conclusion,” Arkansas Secretary of Corrections Lindsay Wallace said in a statement.
Hardin’s escape sparked an extensive multi-agency manhunt. According to an affidavit, he approached a secured gate at the North Central Unit around 3 p.m. on May 25, impersonating a corrections officer and pushing a wheeled cart. Surveillance images released by authorities showed Hardin dressed in black and pushing what appeared to be wooden pallets.
The FBI, U.S. Department of Justice, Arkansas State Police, and Department of Corrections offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to his capture.
Hardin’s prior experience in law enforcement added complexity to the search. He briefly served as police chief in Gateway, Arkansas, in early 2016 and previously worked with the Fayetteville Police Department from 1990 to 1991 before being dismissed during training. He also held various roles including police officer, county constable, and corrections officer, according to NBC affiliate KNWA.
His criminal convictions stem from two separate cases. In 2017, Hardin was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder of Gateway city water employee James Appleton. He was also serving a 50-year sentence for the 1997 rape of schoolteacher Amy Harrison. Both cases drew national attention and were featured in the 2023 Max documentary Devil in the Ozarks.
Arkansas Department of Corrections spokesperson Rand Champion previously acknowledged that Hardin’s law enforcement knowledge made the search particularly challenging.
As of Friday, authorities have not disclosed how Hardin obtained the uniform or whether any prison staff may face disciplinary action in connection with the escape.
