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New York Post
06-06-2025
- New York Post
Tourists in popular summer spot warned about dangerous ‘Devil in the Ozarks' former police chief still on the run
A survivalist is issuing a warning for hikers and outdoorsmen in the Ozarks of Arkansas: steer clear of the area. Shawn Hendrix's warning comes amid an ongoing search for prison escapee and former Gateway Police Department Chief Grant Hardin, 56, who fled from a medium-security prison in Calico Rock on Sunday, May 25, according to the Arkansas Department of Corrections (ADC). Nicknamed the 'Devil in the Ozarks,' Hardin was serving decades in prison for murder and rape. 'I think that the big thing that gets him caught or dead in the field is getting injured … or a foodborne illness — he drinks some bad water,' Hendrix told Fox News Digital. 'Now, if he gets dysentery or some kind of really bad foodborne or waterborne illness, that could take him out real quick. So, let's hope that he drinks some bad water and has some really terrible disease that gets him out of the woods because my biggest concern is that if you're a hiker or a camper or hunter out there, you're not going to see it coming.' 5 Grant Hardin, 56, fled from a medium-security prison in Calico Rock on Sunday, May 25. Arkansas State Police Hendrix added that Hardin has shown little regard for human life in the past, and 'every person in the woods right now is an opportunity for equipment for this guy.' Arkansas authorities have warned that the escapee may be armed and dangerous. 'I definitely would stay clear of the area,' he said. Hardin escaped prison through a sally port, wearing a makeshift ADC-style uniform, ADC communications director Rand Champion said last week, noting the uniform he was wearing was not official. 5 Hardin escaped prison through a sally port, wearing a makeshift ADC-style uniform. AP The former police chief pleaded guilty to fatally shooting a man in the face inside the victim's work truck in 2017. After submitting DNA samples when he was booked for the murder case, his DNA was linked to the 1997 cold-case rape of a teacher. He pleaded guilty in that case in 2019, according to KNWA. 'This guy is just so evil. I mean, this guy is a sociopath,' Hendrix said. '[Hardin] has no care for humans or anybody but himself. He's law-enforcement trained. He has a history of issues in and out of the police. I think there's a whole bigger story of how this guy was a cop for 27 years, right? … I would not want to be out looking for this guy.' Hardin is described as a 6-foot White male, weighing approximately 259 pounds. 5 Nicknamed the 'Devil in the Ozarks,' Hardin was serving decades in prison for murder and rape. AP Hendrix said at that weight, Hardin has a caloric reserve that could help him survive for weeks alone in wooded areas of the Ozarks, which have hundreds of caves and natural resources that include food, water, berries and other natural food supplies. 'There's just a lot of, you know, berries, cattails, fish, you know, there's like natural native fruits like persimmon, maybe even plums in that area,' Hendrix explained. 'So there's a lot of … natural things to live off the land. If he has a gun, I don't know about using a gun to shoot an animal just because of how loud it would be, but there [are] ways to get food. … He's such a heavy individual [at] 260 pounds. He's got a couple of months of reserves.' 5 Hardin is described as a 6-foot White male, weighing approximately 259 pounds. AP Police searching for Hardin in the wilderness will likely be looking for 'concealed' evidence of a person living in the woods, such as a burnt-out fire or other materials that have been covered up, or an underground fire. The FBI and U.S. Marshals are offering a combined $25,000 for any information leading to Hardin's capture. They are asking anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip online at Champion said during a news conference last week that authorities are fairly confident in the route they believe Hardin took when he escaped and said authorities believed he was still in the Ozarks area, but a federal complaint filed against Hardin on May 30 suggests another possibility: he may be out of state. 5 The FBI and U.S. Marshals are offering a combined $25,000 for any information leading to Hardin's capture. AP Based on two unconfirmed sightings, including one in Missouri on May 26, a day after Hardin escaped, federal officials believe he's not in Arkansas anymore, as The Arkansas Democrat Gazette first reported. 'He has extensive knowledge of the Ozark Mountain region, where he is believed to be possibly hiding in caves or rugged terrain that he is familiar with,' Deputy U.S. Marshal Robert J. Hammons wrote in the criminal complaint, according to the Gazette. Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Yahoo
Dangerous 'Devil in the Ozarks' former police chief on the run as expert warns outdoorsmen to stay away
A survivalist is issuing a warning for hikers and outdoorsmen in the Ozarks of Arkansas: steer clear of the area. Shawn Hendrix's warning comes amid an ongoing search for prison escapee and former Gateway Police Department Chief Grant Hardin, 56, who fled from a medium-security prison in Calico Rock on Sunday, May 25, according to the Arkansas Department of Corrections (ADC). Nicknamed the "Devil in the Ozarks," Hardin was serving decades in prison for murder and rape. "I think that the big thing that gets him caught or dead in the field is getting injured … or a foodborne illness — he drinks some bad water," Hendrix told Fox News Digital. "Now, if he gets dysentery or some kind of really bad foodborne or waterborne illness, that could take him out real quick. So, let's hope that he drinks some bad water and has some really terrible disease that gets him out of the woods because my biggest concern is that if you're a hiker or a camper or hunter out there, you're not going to see it coming." Arkansas Officials Release New Photo Of Escaped 'Devil In The Ozarks' On Run For Weeks Hendrix added that Hardin has shown little regard for human life in the past, and "every person in the woods right now is an opportunity for equipment for this guy." Arkansas authorities have warned that the escapee may be armed and dangerous. Read On The Fox News App "I definitely would stay clear of the area," he said. Former Arkansas Police Chief Grant Hardin's Prison Escape Offers Unique Challenges To Searchers: Experts Hardin escaped prison through a sally port, wearing a makeshift ADC-style uniform, ADC communications director Rand Champion said last week, noting the uniform he was wearing was not official. The former police chief pleaded guilty to fatally shooting a man in the face inside the victim's work truck in 2017. After submitting DNA samples when he was booked for the murder case, his DNA was linked to the 1997 cold-case rape of a teacher. He pleaded guilty in that case in 2019, according to KNWA. 'Devil In The Ozarks': Fbi Offers $10K Reward For Capture Of Former Arkansas Police Chief On The Run "This guy is just so evil. I mean, this guy is a sociopath," Hendrix said. "[Hardin] has no care for humans or anybody but himself. He's law-enforcement trained. He has a history of issues in and out of the police. I think there's a whole bigger story of how this guy was a cop for 27 years, right? … I would not want to be out looking for this guy." Hardin is described as a 6-foot White male, weighing approximately 259 pounds. Hendrix said at that weight, Hardin has a caloric reserve that could help him survive for weeks alone in wooded areas of the Ozarks, which have hundreds of caves and natural resources that include food, water, berries and other natural food supplies. Devil In The Ozarks' Who Escaped Prison Likely Still In Arkansas Area: Officials "There's just a lot of, you know, berries, cattails, fish, you know, there's like natural native fruits like persimmon, maybe even plums in that area," Hendrix explained. "So there's a lot of … natural things to live off the land. If he has a gun, I don't know about using a gun to shoot an animal just because of how loud it would be, but there [are] ways to get food. … He's such a heavy individual [at] 260 pounds. He's got a couple of months of reserves." Police searching for Hardin in the wilderness will likely be looking for "concealed" evidence of a person living in the woods, such as a burnt-out fire or other materials that have been covered up, or an underground fire. The FBI and U.S. Marshals are offering a combined $25,000 for any information leading to Hardin's capture. They are asking anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip online at Manhunt Underway After Disgraced Former Police Chief Convicted Of Murder, Rape Escapes Arkansas Prison Champion said during a news conference last week that authorities are fairly confident in the route they believe Hardin took when he escaped and said authorities believed he was still in the Ozarks area, but a federal complaint filed against Hardin on May 30 suggests another possibility: he may be out of state. Based on two unconfirmed sightings, including one in Missouri on May 26, a day after Hardin escaped, federal officials believe he's not in Arkansas anymore, as The Arkansas Democrat Gazette first reported. "He has extensive knowledge of the Ozark Mountain region, where he is believed to be possibly hiding in caves or rugged terrain that he is familiar with," Deputy U.S. Marshal Robert J. Hammons wrote in the criminal complaint, according to the Gazette. Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of article source: Dangerous 'Devil in the Ozarks' former police chief on the run as expert warns outdoorsmen to stay away
New York Post
31-05-2025
- New York Post
Former Arkansas police chief's prison escape offers unique challenges: experts
The former Arkansas police chief who escaped prison on Sunday may have an 'edge' compared to other escapees due to his past in law enforcement, experts say. Former Gateway Police Department Chief Grant Hardin, 56, escaped from the North Central Unit, a medium-security prison, Sunday afternoon in Calico Rock, according to the Arkansas Department of Corrections (ADC). Nicknamed the 'Devil in the Ozarks,' Hardin was serving decades in prison for murder and rape. Advertisement Eric Brown, a 24-year U.S. Army Special Forces veteran and CEO of Imperio Consulting, told Fox News Digital that a former police chief like Hardin 'has a working knowledge of law enforcement procedures, patrol routines and how search operations are typically structured.' 'That gives him an initial edge. He knows how law enforcement thinks,' Brown told Fox News Digital. Law enforcement officials 'will likely lean on geo-fencing, license plate readers, and known associate surveillance,' Brown added. 'If he's on foot, dogs, drones and thermal imaging tighten the noose,' Brown said. Advertisement 'Establishing a perimeter means thinking like the fugitive, assessing terrain, choke points and logical escape routes. Officials are watching for movement: stolen vehicles, property break-ins, supply thefts, even unusual local chatter. The key is pattern disruption.' It took less than 30 minutes for prison officials to notice that Hardin had disappeared from prison. 4 Former Gateway Police Department Chief Grant Hardin, 56, in Arkansas, has escaped from prison, and may have an 'edge' compared to other escapees. Stone County Sheriff's Office Photos that the Stone County Sheriff's Office posted to social media show Hardin wearing an ADC-style uniform during his escape through a sally port, though ADC communications director Rand Champion said the uniform he was wearing was not official. Advertisement Angelo Brown, Ph.D., assistant professor of criminology at Arkansas State University, similarly told Fox News Digital that law enforcement officials will likely be using drones and infrared camera technology to search heavily wooded areas in Stone County, where Hardin escaped, which is located just east of the Ozark Mountains. Hardin has ties to Garfield, Eureka Springs, Holiday Island and Huntsville, according to the FBI. Angelo Brown said Hardin's police chief experience means he likely has ties to law enforcement officials who may help him, and he will avoid making 'simple mistakes that a lot of people on the run make, like going to relatives' homes, using… cellphones, credit cards, things like that.' 4 Experts say the ex-police chief may have an 'edge' compared to other escapees due to his past in law enforcement. AP Advertisement 'Getting away, that's still very unlikely. Especially now, even if it is state-level corruption… the federal government's involved in this search and investigation, the state police, various agencies are working on this. So, I think law enforcement is doing everything they can to keep people safe,' he said, noting, however, that it is impossible to 'mitigate the risk completely' with a fugitive on the run. Champion said during a Wednesday news conference that authorities are fairly confident in the route they believe Hardin took when he escaped and his current location. 'Based on the information that we have and the experience of our teams, they feel fairly confident that he is still fairly close to this region,' Champion said, noting that 'all it takes is one vehicle' for Hardin to use to travel elsewhere, though officials have established a perimeter around Stone County. 4 Law enforcement officials have already said they will rely on 'geo-fencing, license plate readers, and known associate surveillance' in order to track down Hardin. AP 'As of this time, they are still very confident that he is in the area,' Champion said. Champion said the public should assume Hardin is 'a very dangerous individual,' and there is a risk he may commit more crimes while he is on the run. Hardin was sentenced to 30 years for murder plus additional time for rape. He pleaded guilty to the 2017 murder of James Appleton, 59, a city water employee who was found shot in the face inside his work truck, KNWA reported. Advertisement 4 KNWA reported that Hardin pleaded guilty to the 2017 murder of James Appleton, 59, a city water employee who was found shot in the face inside his work truck. AP While Hardin was being booked into the state prison around that time, officials submitted his DNA sample into a database. His DNA linked him to the rape cold case of a teacher in 1997, the outlet reported. Hardin ended up pleading guilty in that case in 2019, according to KNWA. Advertisement The former police chief's escape came two days after 10 prisoners escaped a correctional facility in New Orleans, eight of whom have since been recaptured while two remain at large. Hardin is described as a 6-foot White male, weighing approximately 259 pounds. The FBI is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to his recapture and is asking tipsters to call 1-800-CALL-FBI with any information concerning the escapee.
Fox News
30-05-2025
- General
- Fox News
'Devil in the Ozarks': FBI offers $20K reward for capture of former Arkansas police chief on the run
Print Close By Audrey Conklin Published May 30, 2025 The FBI is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to the re-capture of a former Arkansas police chief serving time for murder and rape — dubbed "the Devil in the Ozarks" — who escaped on the afternoon of May 25. Former Gateway Police Department Chief Grant Hardin, 56, escaped from the North Central Unit, a medium-security prison, that Sunday afternoon in Calico Rock , according to the Arkansas Department of Corrections (ADC). The FBI said Hardin has ties to Garfield, Eureka Springs, Holiday Island and Huntsville. "The FBI's Little Rock Field Office is assisting the U.S. Marshal Service, the Arkansas Department of Corrections, and the Arkansas State Police with the search for and apprehension of Grant Matthew Hardin," reads an FBI wanted poster. TEXAS ESCAPED INMATE CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS AFTER PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL BREAK Former FBI agent Rob D'Amico told "Fox & Friends" Friday morning that Hardin's past as a police chief may give him a unique advantage on the run. "I think it makes it a lot more challenging. 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 said. 'DEVIL IN THE OZARKS' WHO ESCAPED PRISON LIKELY STILL IN ARKANSAS AREA: OFFICIALS The former FBI agent noted that there are likely many unmanned, unlocked cabins and sheds in wooded areas around Stone County, which is located East of the Ozark Mountains. ADC Communications Director Rand Champion said during a Wednesday news conference that authorities are fairly confident in the route they believe Hardin took when he escaped prison and his current location in the region. MANHUNT UNDERWAY AFTER DISGRACED FORMER POLICE CHIEF CONVICTED OF MURDER, RAPE ESCAPES ARKANSAS PRISON "Based on the information that we have and the experience of our teams, they feel fairly confident that he is still fairly close to this region," Champion said, noting that "all it takes is one vehicle" for Hardin to use to travel elsewhere, though officials have established a perimeter around the area of Stone County. "As of this time, they are still very confident that he is in the area," Champion said. MASSIVE JAIL BREAK IN NEW ORLEANS 'IMPOSSIBLE' WITHOUT STAFF INVOLVEMENT, SAYS EX-FBI FUGITIVE HUNTER Champion said the public should assume Hardin is "a very dangerous individual," and there is a risk he may commit more crimes while he is on the run. It took less than 30 minutes for prison officials to notice that Hardin had disappeared from prison. Photos that the Stone County Sheriff's Office posted to social media show Hardin wearing an ADC-style uniform during his escape through a sally port, though Champion said the uniform he was wearing was not an official uniform. LOUISIANA AG CONFIDENT REMAINING JAILBREAK FUGITIVES WILL BE CAPTURED AFTER OFFICIALS MAKE 14TH ARREST Hardin was sentenced to 30 years for murder plus additional time for rape. He pleaded guilty to the 2017 murder of James Appleton, 59, a city water employee who was found shot in the face inside his work truck, KNWA reported. While Hardin was being booked into the state prison around that time, officials submitted his DNA sample into a database. His DNA ended up linking him to the rape cold case of a teacher in 1997, the outlet reported. Hardin ended up pleading guilty in that case in 2019, according to KNWA. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The former police chief's escape came two days after 10 prisoners escaped a correctional facility in New Orleans, eight of whom have since been re-captured while two remain at large. Hardin is described as a 6 ft. white male, weighing approximately 259 pounds. The FBI is asking tipsters to call 1-800-CALL-FBI with any information concerning the escapee. Fox News' Stepheny Price and Louis Casiano contributed to this report. Print Close URL
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘Devil in the Ozarks' who escaped prison likely still in Arkansas area: officials
It has been 72 hours since a former Arkansas police chief serving decades in prison for murder and rape escaped from prison on Sunday afternoon. Former Gateway Police Department Chief Grant Hardin, 56, escaped from the North Central Unit on Sunday afternoon in Calico Rock, according to the Arkansas Department of Corrections (ADC). "We have a pretty good idea of the route that he took and some of those circumstances… and what, if any, lapses happened," ADC Communications Director Rand Champion said during a Wednesday news conference. "Based on the information that we have and the experience of our teams, they feel fairly confident that he is still fairly close to this region," Champion said, noting that "all it takes is one vehicle" for Hardin to use to travel elsewhere, though officials have established a perimeter around the area of Stone County. Manhunt Underway After Disgraced Former Police Chief Convicted Of Murder, Rape Escapes Arkansas Prison "As of this time, they are still very confident that he is in the area," Champion said. Read On The Fox News App Champion said the public should assume Hardin is "a very dangerous individual," and there is a risk he may commit more crimes while he is on the run. It took less than 30 minutes for prison officials to notice that Hardin had disappeared from prison. Photos that the Stone County Sheriff's Office posted to social media show Hardin wearing an ADC-style uniform during his escape through a sally port, though Champion said the uniform he was wearing was not an official uniform. 4 Arrested For Allegedly Aiding Escaped Inmates In New Orleans "It had to have either been homemade or brought in somehow," Champion said of the uniform. Hardin, who became known as the "Devil in the Ozarks," was sentenced to 30 years for murder plus additional time for rape. He pleaded guilty to the 2017 murder of James Appleton, 59, a city water employee who was found shot in the face inside his work truck, KNWA reported. While Hardin was being booked into the state prison, officials submitted his DNA sample into a database. His DNA ended up linking him to the rape cold case of a teacher in 1997, the outlet reported. Massive Jail Break In New Orleans 'Impossible' Without Staff Involvement, Says Ex-fbi Fugitive Hunter The victim, a teacher at Frank Tillery Elementary in Rogers, said she was raped by a man with a gun at the school. "It was proven to be Mr. Hardin beyond all scientific certainty," Nathan Smith, the prosecuting attorney for Benton County at the time, told the outlet. Authorities confirmed Hardin's DNA matched the DNA linked to the rape suspect. Harrison was ambushed while preparing a lesson plan for the week. The case had been cold for nearly two decades. Hardin ended up pleading guilty to the rape in 2019. "Grant Hardin, in my view and in my personal experience, is one of the most dangerous people that I ever seen for the reason that he does not at first appear that way," Smith previously said. "He is a man capable of a seemingly random, horrific murder as well as a random, horrific rape." Hardin is described as a 6' white male, weighing approximately 259 pounds. Fox News' Stepheny Price and Louis Casiano contributed to this article source: 'Devil in the Ozarks' who escaped prison likely still in Arkansas area: officials
