Latest news with #DOC-issued
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
Former Police Chief, Who Was Convicted of Rape and Murder, Found After 2 Weeks on the Run Following Prison Escape
Grant Hardin, the former police chief who was convicted of rape and murder, has been found after he escaped prison last month and was on the run for two weeks Hardin, also known as the 'Devil in the Ozarks,' was located 1.5 miles away from the prison he had been held at since his 2017 conviction The criminal was wearing 'a makeshift outfit designed to mimic law enforcement" during his escape, police saidA former police chief, who was convicted of rape and murder, has been found after he escaped prison and was on the run for two weeks. Grant Hardin, also known as the 'Devil in the Ozarks,' was captured by authorities 1.5 miles away from the Calico Rock North Central Unit in Arkansas, where he had been held since 2017, on Friday, June 6, the Izard County Sheriff's Office (ICSO) said in a news release shared on Facebook. Hardin's identity was confirmed through fingerprinting, per police. "We sincerely appreciate the continued support of the community for all law enforcement and Department of Corrections personnel involved in this operation," the ICSO said in a statement. According to a statement from the Arkansas Department of Corrections, Hardin was wearing 'a makeshift outfit designed to mimic law enforcement" during his escape. Officials confirmed he was not wearing a DOC uniform and said that all DOC-issued equipment had been accounted for. A prison officer in one of the guard towers opened a secure gate that allowed Hardin to freely exit, the Associated Press reported, citing a court document. Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the state prison system, told the outlet that the lack of verification of Hardin's credentials was a 'lapse" and would be investigated. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Hardin was the former police chief for the city of Gateway, Ark. In 2017, he pleaded guilty to murder after fatally shooting 59-year-old James Appleton, who worked in the city of Gateway's water department, CBS News, 5News and The New York Times reported, citing an affidavit. The legal document states that Hardin murdered Appleton in February 2017 after pulling up to his parked car and shooting him through the window while the victim was on the phone, according to the Times. A motive remains unknown. While serving his 30-year murder sentence, Hardin also pleaded guilty to the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers, Ark., 5 News reported. Hardin was tied to the long-unsolved crime after authorities linked him to DNA taken from the victim's clothes, authorities said, per the outlet. According to authorities, the victim said Hardin pointed a gun at her and raped her after she exited the school restroom, the Times reported. He was sentenced to 50 years for that crime, per the Associated Press. Reacting to Hardin's capture, Secretary of Corrections Lindsay Wallace said, 'I'm incredibly appreciative to all of our dedicated law enforcement agencies that spent countless hours, both day and night, sacrificing their time, utilizing their resources and lending their invaluable expertise to this search." She added, "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.' Read the original article on People
Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Major manhunt after convicted killer cop escapes prison in police disguise
Officials say Grant Hardin, one of about 1,000 men housed at Calico Rock North Central Unit ion Arkansas, had been missing for 15 to 20 minutes before anyone noticed A former police chief convicted of murder and rape was today being hunted by his former colleagues after escaping prison dressed as cop. The manhunt began on Sunday afternoon, during a routine inmate count. Officials say Grant Hardin, one of about 1,000 men housed at Calico Rock North Central Unit, had been missing for 15 to 20 minutes before anyone noticed. According to the Stone County Sheriff's Office, he managed to exit the prison through a controlled gate while pushing a trolley of utility materials and wearing an outfit intended to resemble a police uniform. 'It has been determined that Hardin was wearing a makeshift outfit designed to mimic law enforcement when he escaped the North Central Unit. "He was not wearing a Department of Corrections uniform, and all DOC-issued equipment has been accounted for,' said Rand Champion, a spokesman for the Arkansas Department of Corrections. He added that the department is reviewing hours of surveillance footage, retracing Hardin's movements, and conducting interviews with staff. While there is video of Hardin exiting through the controlled gate, it remains unclear where and when he changed into the disguise or how he managed to move within the prison undetected. Complicating the search were adverse weather conditions. Heavy rainfall at the time of the escape significantly hampered officers' ability to deploy drones and scent-tracking dogs. 'It's hard for the dogs to pick up a scent, to put out a drone or helicopters,' Champion explained. 'It hindered our officers, but hopefully it hindered the escapee as well.' Given the time that has passed, officials say the search radius is expected to expand significantly. Hardin's history in Arkansas law enforcement spans several decades, though it is marred by controversy and misconduct. Since the 1990s, he had held numerous positions, including elected constable, but was repeatedly terminated for reasons ranging from excessive use of force to falsifying police reports. Despite his past, Hardin remained in various roles within law enforcement until his arrest in 2017. That year, he was arrested and charged with the murder of James Appleton, an employee of the Gateway water department. According to police affidavits, Appleton was driving a pickup truck and speaking on the phone with a relative when he was pulled over and shot in the head at point-blank range with a shotgun. Witnesses identified Hardin as the shooter. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 30 years in prison, though he never provided a motive. While serving his sentence, a DNA match linked Hardin to an unsolved rape and kidnapping case dating back to 1997. Amy Harrison, an elementary school teacher in Rogers, Arkansas, was assaulted in her school building while preparing her classroom on a Sunday. She was raped at gunpoint in a restroom, even as a church service took place down the hall. DNA recovered from her clothing was preserved for years, ultimately matching Hardin after he entered the prison system. He pleaded guilty in 2018 and received an additional 50-year sentence. In the wake of the escape, police have set up roadblocks while checking every vehicle. Authorities fear that Hardin may attempt to steal a vehicle or take someone hostage in an effort to flee the area. 'I don't feel like he's got a whole lot of choice but to get a vehicle,' Stone County Sheriff Brandon Long said. 'Whether he just steals a vehicle or he takes someone hostage with the vehicle is our biggest fear.' Residents in the surrounding counties have been urged to remain vigilant, secure their homes and vehicles, and report any suspicious activity immediately. Law enforcement is warning the public not to approach Hardin if spotted.
Straits Times
27-05-2025
- Straits Times
Former US police chief, jailed for murder and rape, breaks out of prison
Grant Hardin, serving 80 years for his offences, was dressed in a fake police uniform when he escaped. PHOTOS: FACEBOOK/STONE COUNTY ARKSANSAS SHERIFF'S OFFICE Manhunt on after ex-US police chief, jailed for murder and rape, breaks out of high-security prison ARKANSAS - A manhunt entered its second night in northern Arkansas on May 26 after a former police chief convicted of first-degree murder and rape slipped out of a high-security prison, dressed in a fake law enforcement uniform. The search began on the afternoon of May 25, during a routine inmate count. Grant Hardin – one of about 1,000 housed at Calico Rock North Central Unit – had already been missing for 15 to 20 minutes before anyone noticed, officials say. Hardin, 56, who had previously served as the police chief in Gateway, Arkansas, escaped around 2.50pm, county officials said. He is considered extremely dangerous. An image released by the Stone County Sheriff's Office on its Facebook page shows what it says is Hardin wearing clothes similar to a law enforcement uniform, escaping through a controlled gate while pushing a cart of utility materials. 'It has been determined that Hardin was wearing a makeshift outfit designed to mimic law enforcement when he escaped the North Central Unit. He was not wearing a Department of Corrections uniform, and all DOC-issued equipment has been accounted for,' Mr Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Corrections (DOC), said in a statement. Mr Champion said the agency is conducting interviews, retracing steps and reviewing hours of surveillance. There is video footage of Hardin leaving through the controlled gate but nothing showing how or when he put on the makeshift uniform, Mr Champion said. It also remains unclear how far he navigated through the prison in the uniform. When Hardin left the facility, it was raining heavily, which officials say made it difficult for officers and tracking dogs to pursue him. 'It's hard for the dogs to pick up a scent, to put out a drone or helicopters,' Mr Champion said. 'It hindered our officers, but hopefully it hindered the escapee as well.' Mr Champion said he expects the search for Hardin to continue to widen given the amount of time that has passed since his escape. Hardin was briefly the police chief in Gateway, a small town near the Missouri border. He held several other law enforcement positions in the state beginning in the 1990s, including as an elected constable, according to public records and local news reports. He was terminated multiple times, and was trailed by reports of using excessive force, poor performance and, in one instance, falsifying a police report, according to local news media. In 2017, Hardin was arrested and charged with shooting James Appleton just outside Gateway, where Mr Appleton worked in the water department. According to the police affidavit, Mr Appleton was pulled over in a pick-up truck while he was on the phone with his brother-in-law, then was shot in the head at point-blank range with a shotgun. Witnesses identified the shooter as Hardin, who was arrested and pleaded guilty not long after, but he did not offer a motive. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison. While Hardin was in prison, his DNA was tied to an unsolved rape case from more than 20 years earlier. According to an affidavit filed in that case, Amy Harrison, an elementary schoolteacher in Rogers, Arkansas, had arrived at her classroom on Nov 9, 1997, a Sunday, to prepare for the week. When leaving the teachers' restroom, she was confronted by a man who pointed a gun at her and raped her. The attack occurred around the same time as a community church service was happening down the hall. Investigators were not able to identify a suspect at the time, but they obtained DNA evidence from Ms Harrison's clothing. After Hardin entered the prison system, he was found to be a match for the DNA. He pleaded guilty to rape and kidnapping in 2018, and was sentenced to an additional 50 years in prison. Law enforcement officials described Hardin as 'extremely dangerous' and warned residents not to approach him if they see him. Roadblocks were in place between Stone and Izard counties, where officials suspected Hardin might flee, and passengers were being checked in every car, according to local news reports. 'I don't feel like he's got a whole lot of choice but to get a vehicle,' Stone County Sheriff Brandon Long said in an interview with local CBS affiliate, 5NEWS. 'Whether he just steals a vehicle or he take someone hostage with the vehicle is our biggest fear.' NYTIMES Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
Ex-Police Chief Killed a Man and Raped a Teacher — and Just Escaped Prison in a Cop Uniform
A manhunt is underway for Grant Hardin, 56, who escaped from a prison in Calico Rock, Ark. around 3:40 p.m. on Sunday, May 25 Hardin, a former police chief, was serving a 30-year sentence for first-degree murder and an additional sentence for rape The escapee's whereabouts remain unknown as of 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, officials saidArkansas officials are searching for a former police chief convicted of murder and rape who escaped from prison in a makeshift law enforcement uniform. Grant Hardin, 56, who has been held at North Central Unit in Calico Rock, Ark., since 2017, escaped from the prison around 3:40 p.m. on Sunday, May 25, according to a statement from the Arkansas Department of Corrections. Hardin was serving a 30-year sentence for first-degree murder and an additional sentence for rape, per the statement. He was the former police chief for the city of Gateway. Inmate records show Hardin is 6 feet tall and weighs 259 lbs. While officials are investigating what led to Hardin's escape, the DOC said in a Sunday night update that he was wearing 'a makeshift outfit designed to mimic law enforcement.' Officials confirmed he was not wearing a DOC uniform and said that all DOC-issued equipment had been accounted for. The Stone County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that Hardin should be considered 'extremely dangerous and should not be approached.' Hardin pleaded guilty in 2017 to murder after fatally shooting 59-year-old James Appleton, who worked in the city of Gateway's water department, according to an affidavit cited by CBS News, 5News, and The New York Times. The affidavit states Hardin murdered Appleton in February 2017 after pulling up to his parked car and shooting him through the window while the victim was on the phone, the Times reported. A motive remains unknown. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. While serving his 30-year murder sentence, Hardin also pleaded guilty to the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers, Ark., 5 News reported. Hardin was tied to the long-unsolved crime after authorities linked him to DNA taken from the victim's clothes, authorities said, per the outlet. According to authorities, the victim said Hardin pointed a gun at her and raped her after she exited the school restroom, the Times reported. Hardin's whereabouts remain unknown as of 11:30 p.m. on Sunday. Authorities have yet to provide an update on the morning of Monday, May 26. Anyone with information on Hardin is asked to call 911 immediately. Read the original article on People
NBC News
26-05-2025
- NBC News
Ex-police chief, serving murder and rape sentences, escapes from Arkansas prison in disguise
A former Arkansas police chief serving decades in prison for first-degree murder and rape escaped from prison on Sunday in a "makeshift" law enforcement uniform, Arkansas Department of Corrections (DOC) officials said. Grant Hardin, the 56-year-old former Gateway police chief, escaped at approximately 3:40 p.m. from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock, officials said. As of Sunday night, the search for Hardin was still ongoing. While officials did not provide details about how Hardin escaped, the statement says he "was wearing a makeshift outfit designed to mimic law enforcement when he escaped the facility." "He was not wearing a Department of Corrections uniform, and all DOC-issued equipment has been accounted for," the statement added. Hardin has been serving a 30-year sentence on first-degree murder charges at North Central Unit since 2017, as well as a 50-year sentence on a separate rape case. "He is to be considered extremely dangerous and should not be approached," Stone County sheriff's office said in a social media post. Hardin pleaded guilty to the murder of 59-year-old Gateway city water employee James Appleton in October 2017. Appleton was talking to his brother-in-law, then Gateway Mayor Andrew Tillman, when he was shot in his car on Feb. 23, 2017, according to an affidavit filed in the case. Hardin was the police chief of the small town near the Missouri border for about four months in early 2016. According to NBC affiliate KNWA, he also previously worked as a police officer, county constable, and corrections officer. In February 2018, a DNA sample linked Hardin to a 1997 cold case rape of teacher Amy Harrison at Frank Tillery Elementary School. Hardin pled guilty to the rape as well and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. The Division of Corrections and the Division of Community Corrections are working with local, state, and federal law enforcement to follow leads on Hardin's whereabouts. The ongoing search is a joint effort between the DOC and the Arkansas state police. "Officials continue to utilize a variety of means to track Hardin, as well as investigating the events that led up to his escape," the statement read. "Further updates will be provided as they become available."
