FBI Offers $10,000 Reward in 'Devil in the Ozarks' Case to Capture Former Arkansas Police Chief on the Run
Fugitive former police chief Grant Hardin, dubbed 'the Devil in the Ozarks,' escapes Arkansas prison prompting FBI-led manhunt with $10,000 reward.
The FBI has announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to the recapture of Grant Hardin, a former Arkansas police chief convicted of murder and rape, who escaped from a medium-security prison on the afternoon of May 25. The escape occurred at the North Central Unit in Calico Rock, Arkansas, where Hardin, 56, had been serving a 30-year sentence for murder and additional years for rape.
Authorities are intensifying the manhunt for Hardin, known as “the Devil in the Ozarks,” and have warned the public to consider him extremely dangerous. The FBI, partnering with the U.S. Marshal Service, Arkansas Department of Corrections, and Arkansas State Police, emphasized Hardin’s ties to several communities in the region, including Garfield, Eureka Springs, Holiday Island, and Huntsville. Law enforcement agencies have set up a perimeter around Stone County and continue to pursue leads on his possible whereabouts.
Former FBI agent Rob D’Amico highlighted the unique challenge Hardin poses as a fugitive, explaining that Hardin’s experience as a police chief could give him an advantage in evading capture. “He knows how they do it. He knows what they look for, he knows how they follow leads. He knows how they do surveillance,” D’Amico remarked, stressing that Hardin's background makes tracking him particularly difficult. Officials believe there are numerous unmanned cabins and sheds scattered throughout the wooded areas near the Ozark Mountains, which could offer him temporary refuge.
Rand Champion, Communications Director for the Arkansas Department of Corrections, stated at a press briefing that authorities feel “fairly confident” about the route Hardin may have taken during his escape and believe he remains within the region. “As of this time, they are still very confident that he is in the area,” Champion told reporters, cautioning that, while a security perimeter is in place, “all it takes is one vehicle” for Hardin to make his way out of the current search zone.
The escape itself was discovered by prison staff in less than 30 minutes. Surveillance images posted by the Stone County Sheriff’s Office show Hardin wearing a prison-style uniform as he made his way through a sally port; however, officials clarified that the clothing was not an official prison uniform. Champion reminded citizens that Hardin should be considered “a very dangerous individual,” and authorities remain concerned about the potential risk of further crimes during his time at large.
Hardin’s criminal convictions stem from the 2017 murder of James Appleton, a city water employee who was found dead of a gunshot wound, and a previously unsolved 1997 rape case. His guilty plea in Appleton’s murder led to his incarceration, and subsequent DNA testing linked him to the cold case, resulting in additional charges and convictions in 2019.
His escape comes amid heightened concerns about security in correctional facilities after a series of recent jailbreaks elsewhere in the region, including New Orleans. Law enforcement officials are urging anyone who may have seen Hardin or knows of his whereabouts to contact the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Hardin is described as a white male, approximately 6 feet tall and weighing 259 pounds. Authorities reiterate that he should not be approached and any sightings should be reported immediately.
