Latest news with #GrantHardin
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Former Arkansas police chief Grant Hardin's prison escape offers unique challenges to searchers: 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. 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. 'Devil In The Ozarks' Who Escaped Prison Likely Still In Arkansas Area: Officials Law enforcement officials "will likely lean on geo-fencing, license plate readers, and known associate surveillance," Brown added. Read On The Fox News App "If he's on foot, dogs, drones and thermal imaging tighten the noose," Brown said. "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. 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. Louisiana Ag Confident Remaining Jailbreak Fugitives Will Be Recaptured After Officials Make 14Th Arrest 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." Botched Crime Scene Handling Could Derail Prosecution Of Orleans Parish Jail Escapees, Former Fbi Agent Says "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. "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. Hardin was sentenced to 30 years for murder plus additional time for rape. Manhunt Underway After Disgraced Former Police Chief Convicted Of Murder, Rape Escapes Arkansas Prison 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 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. 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' Stepheny Price and Louis Casiano contributed to this article source: Former Arkansas police chief Grant Hardin's prison escape offers unique challenges to searchers: experts
Fox News
12 hours ago
- General
- Fox News
Former Arkansas police chief Grant Hardin's prison escape offers unique challenges to searchers: 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. 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. "But every fugitive makes mistakes." "If he's on foot, dogs, drones and thermal imaging tighten the noose," Brown said. "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. 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. 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." "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. "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. 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. 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.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
ASP: Possible Hardin sighting reported in Fort Smith
FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The Arkansas State Police is investigating a tip that places escaped inmate Grant Hardin in Fort Smith. '[I] can't confirm the credibility at this point, but did get confirmation they [ASP] are checking into it,' Arkansas Department of Corrections spokesperson Rand Champion said. Go to KNWA/FOX24's Hunt for Hardin page for the latest news about escaped Arkansas inmate Grant Hardin. Former Washington Co. Sheriff recalls time working as Grant Hardin's Lieutenant Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
5 days after Hardin escape, focus stays in north AR; reward bumps to $25K
CALICO ROCK, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Five days after convicted murderer and rapist Grant Hardin escaped a Calico Rock prison, the search remains centered on north Arkansas. According to Arkansas Department of Corrections spokesperson Rand Champion said all tips so far have been 'looked into and investigated,' but none have 'come to fruition at this time.' 'At this time, there are no new updates as searches continue,' Champion said. 'The focus remains the north central Arkansas region for our search teams. Caves complicate search for escaped Arkansas inmate Two rewards are being offered for information leading to Hardin's arrest: $20,000 from the FBI, and now $5,000 from the U.S. Marshalls for a combined reward of $25,000, according to Champion. Authorities urge those with information about Hardin or his whereabouts report to their local law enforcement 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Caves complicate search for escaped Arkansas inmate
RELATED VIDEO: Escaped Arkansas inmate started tumultuous law enforcement career in Fayetteville (May 29, 2025) GATEWAY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The manhunt for escaped Arkansas inmate Grant Hardin takes officials through the eroded plateaus of the Ozarks — and may extend to the area's many caves. The search for Hardin continues after his escape from North Central Unit in Calico Rock on May 25, with authorities using dogs, drones and helicopters. The topography of the Ozarks already complicates efforts, but officials remain alert to potential threats that may lie beneath the surface. 'Caves have definitely been a source of concern and a point of emphasis,' Arkansas Department of Corrections spokesperson Rand Champion told the Associated Press. The Natural State is home to close to 2,000 documented caves. However, most of these caves remain absent from public maps. 'Cave locations tend to be fairly well-guarded,' University of Arkansas geosciences professor Matt Covington told KNWA/FOX24. 'Most landowners don't want the locations of their caves publicly available… Cavers also tend to be pretty secretive when it comes to locations, because caves are a fragile environment that is easy to damage if you don't have the appropriate skill set.' Former Washington Co. Sheriff recalls time working as Grant Hardin's Lieutenant The specific locations of significant caves fall under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). However, whether access to confidential cave information is granted or denied is entirely up to the authorized officer's discretion and cannot be appealed or reviewed administratively. Covington said the graphic below—created by Tennessee geographer Chuck Sutherland using data from the Association for Arkansas Cave Studies Inc.—are one of the 'best' visualizations currently available to the public. To view Sutherland's other graphics, including those for neighboring states, click here. Many caves in Arkansas, aside from the well-known ones, have small, hard-to-find entrances. With public cave maps virtually non-existent and knowledge of the caves limited to professionals, landowners and the government, that leaves one last group who knows their locations: locals like Hardin. Pea Ridge cafe owner Darla Nix told the AP that Hardin 'knows where the caves are.' Nix also described Hardin as a 'survivor' and recalls him being 'very, very smart.' One FBI archive article details how the terrain of western North Carolina, comparable to that of northern Arkansas, allowed bomber Eric Rudolph to successfully hide for years. Rudolph, an experienced outdoorsman, evaded capture by using remote cabins and hidden caves during a five-year manhunt that ended in 2003, according to the archive. Cave expert Michael Ray Taylor told the AP that while it's possible to hide in these caves for long periods, the need to leave for supplies increases the risk of discovery. Newton County: 299 Stone County: 138 Madison County: 138 Carroll County: 135 Washington County: 134 Benton County: 112 Searcy County: 89 Marion County: 78 Boone County: 69 Izard County: 68 Crawford County: 62 Baxter County: 35 Independance County: 35 Sharp County: 10 Lawerence County: 7 Pope County: 6 Randolph County: 5 Fulton County: 3 Van Buren County: 1The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
