Manhunt for Escaped Arkansas Prisoner Grant Hardin Intensifies Amid Speculation of Out-of-State Escape
A U.S. Marshal has indicated that escaped Arkansas prisoner Grant Hardin may have left the state, as per a court document obtained by various media sources. Deputy U.S. Marshal Robert J. Hammons mentioned in a criminal complaint filed in federal district court that Hardin's departure from Arkansas was based on credible information and the inability to locate him within a week. The filing referenced two unconfirmed sightings of Hardin and suggested that he might be hiding in caves or rugged terrain in the Ozark Mountain region, where he has extensive knowledge.
The Marshals Service has not publicly released the complaint, which remains sealed in the court record. Despite this, Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Corrections, stated that there is no concrete evidence placing Hardin outside the state. Champion believes that the notion of Hardin fleeing the state is more speculative and exploratory than a confirmed stance.
Grant Hardin, a former police chief aged 56, escaped from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock, Arkansas, on May 25. He was serving time for the 2017 murder of James Appleton and the 1997 rape of a school teacher, as per the Arkansas Department of Corrections. Hardin managed to impersonate a corrections officer, leading to his escape from the facility, as detailed in an arrest affidavit by Special Agent Dennis Simons of the Izard County Sheriff’s Office.
The Arkansas Department of Corrections released a modified photo on June 3 to depict how Hardin might appear after a week on the run. The image was altered to show a week's worth of hair growth and a slimmer version of Hardin due to limited food availability during his escape. Hardin had previously pleaded guilty to murder in the first degree for the killing of Appleton in 2017 and was also connected through DNA evidence to the 1997 rape of a school teacher in Rogers, Arkansas.
In 2019, Hardin pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and was sentenced to serve 25 years in prison for each count consecutively. His criminal activities and escape were featured in the 2023 documentary "Devil in the Ozarks." The search for Hardin continues as authorities suspect he may have fled the state to avoid recapture.