28-05-2025
How to watch 'Devil in the Ozarks,' documentary about Grant Hardin
How to watch 'Devil in the Ozarks,' documentary about Grant Hardin
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Ex-Arkansas police chief imprisoned for murder escapes prison
Grant Hardin, a former Gateway, Arkansas, police chief serving time for murder and rape, escaped from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock on May 25.
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The chain of events that led to the conviction of former Arkansas police chief Grant Hardin, who recently broke out of prison, were documented in a made for television special.
Hardin, 56, was serving a decades-long prison sentences for the 2017 murder of James Appleton and the 1997 rape of a schoolteacher when he escaped from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock, Arkansas, on May 25.
Hardin was wearing a "makeshift outfit designed to mimic law enforcement," according to a media advisory from the Arkansas Department of Corrections. Authorities across the state continue to look for Hardin, who "remains at large."
About two years before his escape, Hardin and his crimes were the focus of "Devil in the Ozarks," a true crime documentary.
Here's what to know about "Devil in the Ozarks," including how to watch the true crime documentary.
Who is Grant Hardin? And what did he do?
Grant Hardin was a former law enforcement officer (and later police chief) who served various municipalities in Arkansas, including in Fayetteville, Huntsville, Eureka Springs, Benton County and Gateway, where he served as police chief for a few months in 2016.
Hardin was terminated from his posts in Fayetteville and Eureka Springs due to difficulties accepting constructive criticism, indecisiveness during stressful situations, excessive force and poor decisions made on the job, according to reports from local outlets.
Hardin was sentenced to 30 years for the murder of Appleton, an employee with the town's water department and the then-mayor's brother-in-law, in 2017.
Gateway Mayor Andrew Tillman told investigators he was on the phone with Appleton when he was fatally shot. A witness found Appleton dead in his truck after they heard a loud band and saw a white car, parked behind Appleton's truck, take off.
A DNA test conducted after Appleton's murder connected Hardin to the 1997 rape of a schoolteacher in Rogers, Arkansas. She was attacked at gunpoint after leaving her classroom to go to a restroom near the teacher's lounge, according to the affidavit.
Hardin pled guilty to two counts of rape in 2019 and was sentenced to serve 25 years in prison for each count consecutively.
How to watch 'Devil in the Ozarks'
The documentary can be streamed on Max or Hulu, through the "Live TV" or "Max" add-ons. Hulu offers an array of subscription options to "fit a variety of budgets and entertainment needs."
A basic streaming plan (with ads) starts at $9.99 a month, however, the price may increase if you switch plans, choose to bundle, purchase add-ons, or add an extra member.
What is 'Devil in the Ozarks' about?
According to the documentary's IMDB page, "Devil in the Ozarks" is about a "brazen sexual assault shocks a small town, but goes unsolved for 20 years, until a nearby murder produces a suspect with matching DNA."
Watch the 'Devil in the Ozarks' trailer
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Contributing: N'dea Yancey-Bragg, Michael Loria and James Powel, USA TODAY
