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Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Los Angeles Times
Ex-police chief, convicted killer who escaped from Arkansas prison is captured
A former police chief and convicted killer known as the 'Devil in the Ozarks' was captured by law enforcement 1.5 miles northwest of the prison he escaped from following a massive, nearly two-week-long manhunt in the rugged mountains of northern Arkansas, authorities announced Friday. Grant Hardin, a former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border, was serving lengthy sentences for murder and rape. Eventually, his notoriety led to a TV documentary, 'Devil in the Ozarks.' Hardin briefly attempted to run from officers when he saw them approach Friday afternoon, but he was quickly tackled to the ground, said Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas prison system. 'He'd been on the run for a week and a half and probably didn't have any energy left in him,' he added. Hardin's identity was confirmed through fingerprinting, the Izard County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post. Investigators are 'chomping at the bit and really ready to talk to him,' said Champion, who used his cellphone to capture an image of Hardin being led away by officers. Hardin said nothing during those moments. Hardin had been held at the Calico Rock prison since 2017 after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in a fatal shooting. In order to escape, he impersonated a corrections officer 'in dress and manner,' according to a court document. A prison officer in one of the guard towers opened a secure gate, allowing him to walk out of the facility. Champion said that someone should have checked Hardin's identity before he was allowed to leave, describing the lack of verification as a 'lapse' that's being investigated. Searchers had been using bloodhounds, officers on horseback, drones and helicopters in their hunt for Hardin since he escaped May 25. Shortly after the escape, a bloodhound found — then quickly lost — Hardin's scent when heavy rains blew through the area, Champion said. 'That was one of the most frustrating things, that they were able to track him but then they lost him,' Champion said. An elite and highly trained U.S. Border Patrol team had recently joined the search, federal authorities said. The Border Patrol Tactical Team provided 'advanced search capabilities and operational support,' U.S. Customs and Border Protection said. Its members are experienced in navigating complex terrain, the agency said. The team tracked Hardin through the region known for its rocky and rugged landscape, thick forests and an extensive cave network. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol shared photos on Facebook of Hardin shirtless and covered in mud, laying face down with his hands tied behind his back on Friday. The post said that Hardin was 'turned over to Arkansas State Police unharmed' by the federal agency. Hardin pleaded guilty in 2017 to first-degree murder for the killing of James Appleton, 59. Appleton worked for the Gateway water department when he was shot in the head Feb. 23, 2017. Police found Appleton's body inside a car. Hardin was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Hardin's DNA was also matched to the 1997 rape of a teacher at an elementary school north of Fayetteville. He was sentenced to 50 years for that crime. Though Hardin was police chief in Gateway for just four months, he had served as an officer in multiple communities around northwest Arkansas, his police records show. In his first job as a police officer 35 years ago in Fayetteville, Hardin struggled almost immediately, his supervisors said. He was dismissed by Fayetteville police, but kept getting hired for other law enforcement jobs in northwest Arkansas over the years. Hardin worked about six months at the Huntsville Police Department before resigning; records do not give a reason for his resignation. He later worked at the Eureka Springs Police Department from 1993 to 1996. Former Chief Earl Hyatt said Hardin resigned because Hyatt was going to fire him over incidents that included the use of excessive force. Martin and Riddle write for the Associated Press.
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Ex-police chief and convicted killer who escaped from an Arkansas prison has been captured
A former police chief and convicted killer known as the 'Devil in the Ozarks' was captured by law enforcement 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) northwest of the prison he escaped from following a massive, nearly two-week-long manhunt in the rugged mountains of northern Arkansas, authorities announced Friday. Grant Hardin, a former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border, was serving lengthy sentences for murder and rape . Eventually, his notoriety led to a TV documentary, 'Devil in the Ozarks.' Hardin briefly attempted to run from officers when he saw them approach Friday afternoon, but he was quickly tackled to the ground, said Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas prison system. 'He'd been on the run for a week and a half and probably didn't have any energy left in him,' he added. Hardin's identity was confirmed through fingerprinting, the Izard County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post. There's no indication that Hardin was injured, though he will be checked for dehydration and other medical problems. Now, investigators are 'chomping at the bit and really ready to talk to him,' said Champion, who used his cellphone to capture an image of Hardin being led away by officers. Hardin said nothing during those moments. How the escape happened Hardin had been held at the Calico Rock prison since 2017 after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in a fatal shooting. In order to escape, he impersonated a corrections officer 'in dress and manner,' according to a court document. A prison officer in one of the guard towers opened a secure gate, allowing him to walk out of the facility. Champion said that someone should have checked Hardin's identity before he was allowed to leave, describing the lack of verification as a 'lapse' that's being investigated. Searchers had been using bloodhounds, officers on horseback, drones and helicopters in their hunt for Hardin since he escaped on May 25. Shortly after the escape, a bloodhound found — then quickly lost — Hardin's scent when heavy rains blew through the area, Champion said. The bloodhound tracked Hardin's path for less than a quarter of a mile, after which could have gone in any direction. 'That was one of the most frustrating things, that they were able to track him but then they lost him because of the rain,' Champion said. An elite and highly trained U.S. Border Patrol team had recently joined the search, federal authorities announced this week. The Border Patrol Tactical Team known as BORTAC provided 'advanced search capabilities and operational support,' U.S. Customs and Border Protection said. Its members are experienced in navigating complex terrain, the agency said. The Ozark Mountains region is known for its rocky and rugged landscape, thick forests and an extensive cave network. Hardin's criminal convictions Hardin pleaded guilty in 2017 to first-degree murder for the killing of James Appleton, 59. Appleton worked for the Gateway water department when he was shot in the head Feb. 23, 2017, near Garfield. Police found Appleton's body inside a car. Hardin was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Hardin's DNA was also matched to the 1997 rape of a teacher at an elementary school in Rogers, north of Fayetteville. He was sentenced to 50 years for that crime. Cheryl Tillman, Appleton's sister , was with her mother and sister at a flea market in Ozark, Missouri, when law enforcement called to tell her Hardin had been captured. Tillman is also the mayor of Gateway, the 450-person town where Hardin was briefly police chief. Tillman told The Associated Press that Hardin's capture was a 'big sigh of relief' for her whole family. 'We don't have to walk around, turning around all the time, thinking somebody's on our back,' Tillman said, emphasizing her appreciation for the officers who helped capture Hardin. A problematic past in law enforcement Though Hardin was police chief in Gateway for just four months, he had served as an officer in multiple communities around northwest Arkansas, his police records show. In his first job as a police officer 35 years ago in Fayetteville, Hardin struggled almost immediately, his supervisors said. He was dismissed by Fayetteville police, but kept getting hired for other law enforcement jobs in northwest Arkansas over the years. Hardin worked about six months at the Huntsville Police Department before resigning, but records do not give a reason for his resignation. He later worked at the Eureka Springs Police Department from 1993 to 1996. Former Chief Earl Hyatt said Hardin resigned because Hyatt was going to fire him over incidents that included the use of excessive force. 'He did not need to be a police officer at all,' Hyatt told television station KNWA. By the time he was the police chief in Gateway in 2016, 'he was out chasing cars for no reason,' Tillman recalled in the documentary 'Devil in the Ozarks.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Toronto Star
2 days ago
- Toronto Star
Ex-police chief and convicted killer who escaped from an Arkansas jail has been captured
A former police chief and convicted killer known as the 'Devil in the Ozarks' was captured by law enforcement 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) northwest of the prison he escaped from following a massive manhunt in the mountains of northern Arkansas, authorities announced on Friday. Grant Hardin's identity was confirmed through fingerprinting, the Izard County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post. Hardin, a former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border, was serving lengthy sentences for murder and rape. He was the subject of the TV documentary 'Devil in the Ozarks.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Searchers had been using bloodhounds, officers on horseback, drones and helicopters in their hunt for Hardin since he escaped nearly two weeks ago on May 25. An elite and highly trained U.S. Border Patrol team had recently joined the search, federal authorities announced this week. The Border Patrol Tactical Team known as BORTAC provided 'advanced search capabilities and operational support' in the hunt for Hardin, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said. Its members are experienced in navigating complex terrain, the agency said. The Ozark Mountains region is known for its rocky and rugged landscape, thick forests and an extensive cave network. Hardin had been held at the Calico Rock prison since 2017 after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in a fatal shooting for which he was serving a 30-year sentence. In order to escape, he had impersonated a corrections officer 'in dress and manner,' according to a court document. A prison officer in one of the guard towers opened a secure gate, allowing him to walk out of the facility. Hardin's DNA was matched to the 1997 rape of a teacher at an elementary school in Rogers, north of Fayetteville. He was sentenced to 50 years for that crime. Eventually, his notoriety led to a TV documentary, 'Devil in the Ozarks.' Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the state prison system, said that someone should have checked Hardin's identity before he was allowed to leave, describing the lack of verification as a 'lapse' that's being investigated. A deputy U.S. Marshal has said in court papers that investigators theorize that he has likely fled Arkansas, but searchers are continuing to hunt for Hardin around the prison at Calico Rock.
Toronto Star
2 days ago
- Toronto Star
Ex-police chief and convicted killer who escaped from Arkansas jail captured
A former police chief and convicted killer known as the 'Devil in the Ozarks' was captured 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) northwest of the prison grounds by law enforcement official safter he escaped from a prison, triggering a massive manhunt in the mountains of northern Arkansas, authorities announced on Friday. Grant Hardin's identity was confirmed through fingerprinting, the Izard County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post. Hardin, the former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border, was serving lengthy sentences for murder and rape. He was the subject of the TV documentary 'Devil in the Ozarks.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW An elite and highly trained U.S. Border Patrol had joined the search in the Ozark Mountains for Hardin federal authorities announced this week. The Border Patrol Tactical Team known as BORTAC provided 'advanced search capabilities and operational support' in the hunt for Hardin, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said. Its members are experienced in navigating complex terrain, the agency said. The Ozark Mountains region is known for its rocky and rugged landscape, thick forests and an extensive cave network. Searchers had been using bloodhounds, officers on horseback, drones and helicopters in their hunt for Hardin since he escaped nearly two weeks ago, on May 25. Hardin had been held at the Calico Rock prison since 2017 after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in a fatal shooting for which he was serving a 30-year sentence. In order to escape, he had impersonated a corrections officer 'in dress and manner,' according to a court document. A prison officer in one of the guard towers opened a secure gate, allowing him to walk out of the facility. Hardin's DNA was matched to the 1997 rape of a teacher at an elementary school in Rogers, north of Fayetteville. He was sentenced to 50 years for that crime. Eventually, his notoriety led to a TV documentary, 'Devil in the Ozarks.' Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the state prison system, said that someone should have checked Hardin's identity before he was allowed to leave, describing the lack of verification as a 'lapse' that's being investigated. A deputy U.S. Marshal has said in court papers that investigators theorize that he has likely fled Arkansas, but searchers are continuing to hunt for Hardin around the prison at Calico Rock.
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Elite US Border Patrol team joins hunt for escaped Arkansas prisoner known as 'Devil in the Ozarks'
An elite and highly trained U.S. Border Patrol team has joined the search in the Ozark Mountains for Grant Hardin, an inmate known as the 'Devil in the Ozarks' who escaped from an Arkansas prison nearly two weeks ago, federal authorities announced this week. The Border Patrol Tactical Team known as BORTAC is providing 'advanced search capabilities and operational support' in the hunt for Hardin, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said. Its members are experienced in navigating complex terrain, the agency said. The Ozark Mountains region is known for its rocky and rugged landscape, thick forests and an extensive cave network. The team's unique training and capabilities are 'well-suited for the demands of this critical mission,' Chief Patrol Agent Gloria Chavez said in announcing the deployment. Searchers have been using bloodhounds, officers on horseback, drones and helicopters in their hunt for Hardin since he escaped nearly two weeks ago, on May 25. A former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border, Hardin had been held at the Calico Rock prison since 2017 after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in a fatal shooting for which he was serving a 30-year sentence. Hardin's DNA was matched to the 1997 rape of a teacher at an elementary school in Rogers, north of Fayetteville. He was sentenced to 50 years for that crime. Eventually, his notoriety led to a TV documentary, 'Devil in the Ozarks.' Rand Champion, a spokesman for the state prison system, said that someone should have checked Hardin's identity before he was allowed to leave, describing the lack of verification as a 'lapse' that's being investigated. A deputy U.S. Marshal has said in court papers that investigators theorize that he has likely fled Arkansas, but searchers are continuing to hunt for Hardin around the prison at Calico Rock. BORTAC was created in 1984. The way it selects and trains its members is designed to be similar to methods used by the U.S. military's Special Forces, Customs and Border Protection says in background materials on the unit. It conducts operations and training within the U.S. and in foreign countries. BORTAC members have also played roles in civil disturbances far from United States borders in recent years. They saw an expanded role in the summer of 2020, where they were deployed to Portland, Oregon, for massive protests over the police killing of George Floyd. In Portland, they worked with local law officers to guard the downtown area during large protests that went on for days. That was unusual, but not unprecedented, experts said. BORTAC members have protected emergency workers during natural disasters and were sent to Los Angeles during riots in the early 1990s after the beating of Rodney King, Michael Fisher, a former senior official with the agency and member of the unit, has said. The unit's role has expanded over the years to include searches for fugitives and even prison escapees. In September 2023, a dog named Yoda that is part of BORTAC ended a two-week manhunt for an escaped prisoner in Pennsylvania. Yoda, a Belgian Malinois, pursued Danilo Cavalcante as the fugitive scrambled through underbrush while armed with a rifle. Yoda bit the escapee on the forehead and then clenched his teeth into his thigh and held on, authorities said. Last month, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem described the unit's operations. Members 'don't just operate within their own agency, but also partner with other law enforcement agencies and meet needs around the country at a moment's notice,' Noem said in a House Homeland Security Committee hearing. "So their skill set is unique, their specialty training is needed, and in fact, it needs to be expanded,' she said.
