Latest news with #U.S.Marshals
Global News
3 days ago
- Global News
‘Devil in the Ozarks': Police scour caves, hideouts for rapist, murderer ex-cop
In the vast and rugged Ozark Mountains, complete with its challenging terrain and network of subterranean caves, police are searching for a man dubbed the 'Devil in the Ozarks,' following his cunning escape from an Arkansas prison over the weekend. Grant Hardin, a former police chief in Gateway, Ark., escaped from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock on Sunday, where he has been held since 2017, for a murder that happened that year, as well as a 1997 rape. Hardin pleaded guilty in October 2017 to first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of 59-year-old James Appleton. According to an affidavit filed in the case, Appleton worked for the Gateway water department and was talking to his brother-in-law, then-Gateway mayor Andrew Tillman, when he was shot in the head on Feb. 23, 2017, near Garfield. Police found Appleton's body inside a car. Story continues below advertisement Hardin, who was Gateway's police chief for about four months in early 2016, was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He is also serving 50 years in prison for the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers north of Fayetteville. He escaped the prison on Sunday, after he impersonated a corrections officer and walked through a gate opened for him by a guard. View image in full screen This image provided by the Arkansas Department of Corrections shows Grant Hardin, a former police chief and convicted killer, escaping the North Central Unit prison wearing a disguise in Calico Rock, Ark. Handout / Arkansas Department of Corrections Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Corrections, said the clothes he was wearing at the time of his escape are not a standard inmate or correctional uniform. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'There's nothing inside the prison that looks like that, so that's one of the challenges we're going through to find out what that was and how he was able to get that or manufacture it,' he told reporters earlier this week. Story continues below advertisement An escape into unforgiving terrain It's believed Hardin fled into the Ozark Mountains, an area replete with hideouts, including extensive forests, abandoned cabins and campsites, as well as a vast network of subterranean caves, making the search operation complicated. Authorities said they are using canines, drones and helicopters to aid their search, and Champion said the location 'does provide challenges,' but also 'kind of limits where is able to get.' 'It's called Calico Rock for a reason, because it's very rocky,' he said. Days of heavy rain in the area are also complicating search efforts. Craig Caine, a retired inspector with the U.S. Marshals, told The Associated Press that he doesn't think escaping into the Ozarks was the best move for Hardin. 'At some point in time, he's going to run out of provisions,' said Caine. 'In more rural areas, most people know one another,' Caine added, saying it's likely someone could identify Hardin and turn him in. 'In that aspect, it could be detrimental to him.' Fear in Calico Rock Officials told residents of Calico Rock to stay vigilant and indoors as they ramped up search efforts Wednesday. A resident told NewsNation they captured an image of Hardin on their hunting camera. Story continues below advertisement Another resident told the outlet that some locals are keeping their firearms close by when they venture outside, although many people think Hardin is already out of the area. Cheryl Tillman, whose brother Appleton was killed by Hardin in 2017, said she and other relatives are alarmed by Hardin's escape since they were witnesses in his court proceedings. 'We were there at his trial when all that went down, and he seen us there, he knows,' she told The Associated Press on Tuesday. View image in full screen Cheryl Tillman, mayor of Gateway, Ark., and sister of James Appleton, who was fatally shot in 2017, works on her laptop at Town Hall on May 28, 2026. Grant Hardin, who briefly served as police chief, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder. Nick Ingram / The Associated Press Bryan Sexton, who prosecuted Hardin for both murder and rape, said that his office has reached out to officers who investigated Hardin and families affected by Hardin's crimes, which were the focus of a 2023 documentary, Devil in the Ozarks. 'Making those contacts again with folks who have moved on with their lives for the better part of a decade now and to have to be the one who picks up the phone and reminds them of what has happened to them is something that weighs heavily on me,' Sexton said. Story continues below advertisement Darla Nix, a local cafe owner in nearby Pea Ridge, Ark., said her sons grew up around Hardin and knew him as a mostly quiet person before he was convicted. 'He was always just one of the kids, a member of the community,' Nix said. Describing Hardin as a 'very, very smart man,' Nix said she anticipates that the search for Hardin will be challenging for law enforcement. 'He knows where the caves are. He's just a survivor. He knows how to make it. They're going to have their hands full trying to catch him,' Nix said. — If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse or is involved in an abusive situation, please visit the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime for help. They are also reachable toll-free at 1-877-232-2610. — with files from The Associated Press
4 days ago
'Evil man': Search continues for ex-police chief who escaped Arkansas prison
The manhunt continues for Grant Hardin, the escaped former Arkansas police chief serving a 30-year sentence for murder and rape, as officials enter their fourth day of search efforts. Grant Hardin, 56, who has been in prison since 2017 for first-degree murder and rape, escaped the Calico Rock North Central Unit on Sunday at approximately 2:50 p.m., the Stone County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. Hardin escaped custody through a sally port by impersonating a corrections officer "in dress and manner," which caused another corrections officer "operating a secure gate to open the gate and allow Hardin to walk away from the North Central Unit," according to an affidavit obtained by ABC News. Surveillance footage shows Hardin pulling a cart, which was found abandoned outside the gates of the prison. Hardin remains at large on Wednesday. Officials said citizens in Izard County and surrounding counties should "stay vigilant, lock your house and vehicle doors and report any suspicious activity by calling 911 immediately," according to the Izard County Sheriff's Office. The U.S. Marshals and Eastern Arkansas Fugitive Task Force are also assisting in the search efforts, a spokesperson for the U.S. Marshals said on Tuesday. "I am very scared that this guy is going to hurt or kill somebody before this is over with," Stone County Sheriff Brandon Long told ABC News. Hardin, who was the former police chief of Gateway, Arkansas, worked in the prison kitchen, according to a spokesperson from the department of corrections, but it is unclear whether this job involved any access to the sally port he used to escape. He has had no significant disciplinary issues during his time at the prison, and there is no reason to believe anyone aided him in this escape, officials said. Nathan Smith, the former Benton County prosecutor who helped put Hardin behind bars, told Arkansas ABC affiliate KHBS the escaped inmate is "a sociopath." "He has no moral core or center that would prevent him from doing anything," Smith told KHBS. Hardin is "considered to be extremely dangerous and should not be approached," officials said. Authorities are using helicopters, drones, K9 officers and ATVs in their search for Hardin. Rugged terrain, densely wooded areas, hills and days of rain have been "hindering the ongoing search," a spokesperson with the department of corrections said. Deputies are continuing to monitor the roadways near the prison and are conducting security checkpoints in the area, officials said. Hardin pleaded guilty in October 2017 to first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of 59-year-old James Appleton, according to The Associated Press. He was also convicted of the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers, Arkansas, a crime highlighted in the 2023 television documentarty "Devil in the Ozarks." Cheryl Tillman, the mayor of Gateway, Arkansas, and Appleton's sister, told KHBS that Hardin is "an evil man" and said his escape is "almost like déjà vu all over again." Hardin is described as 6 feet tall and weighing 259 pounds.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
'Evil man': Search continues for ex-police chief who escaped Arkansas prison
The manhunt continues for Grant Hardin, the escaped former Arkansas police chief serving a 30-year sentence for murder and rape, as officials enter their fourth day of search efforts. Grant Hardin, 56, who has been in prison since 2017 for first-degree murder and rape, escaped the Calico Rock North Central Unit on Sunday at approximately 2:50 p.m., the Stone County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. Hardin escaped custody through a sally port by impersonating a corrections officer "in dress and manner," which caused another corrections officer "operating a secure gate to open the gate and allow Hardin to walk away from the North Central Unit," according to an affidavit obtained by ABC News. Surveillance footage shows Hardin pulling a cart, which was found abandoned outside the gates of the prison. Hardin remains at large on Wednesday. Officials said citizens in Izard County and surrounding counties should "stay vigilant, lock your house and vehicle doors and report any suspicious activity by calling 911 immediately," according to the Izard County Sheriff's Office. The U.S. Marshals and Eastern Arkansas Fugitive Task Force are also assisting in the search efforts, a spokesperson for the U.S. Marshals said on Tuesday. MORE: 'Sociopath': Former Arkansas police chief sentenced for murder and rape escapes from prison "I am very scared that this guy is going to hurt or kill somebody before this is over with," Stone County Sheriff Brandon Long told ABC News. Hardin, who was the former police chief of Gateway, Arkansas, worked in the prison kitchen, according to a spokesperson from the department of corrections, but it is unclear whether this job involved any access to the sally port he used to escape. He has had no significant disciplinary issues during his time at the prison, and there is no reason to believe anyone aided him in this escape, officials said. Nathan Smith, the former Benton County prosecutor who helped put Hardin behind bars, told Arkansas ABC affiliate KHBS the escaped inmate is "a sociopath." "He has no moral core or center that would prevent him from doing anything," Smith told KHBS. Hardin is "considered to be extremely dangerous and should not be approached," officials said. Authorities are using helicopters, drones, K9 officers and ATVs in their search for Hardin. Rugged terrain, densely wooded areas, hills and days of rain have been "hindering the ongoing search," a spokesperson with the department of corrections said. Deputies are continuing to monitor the roadways near the prison and are conducting security checkpoints in the area, officials said. Hardin pleaded guilty in October 2017 to first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of 59-year-old James Appleton, according to The Associated Press. He was also convicted of the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers, Arkansas, a crime highlighted in the 2023 television documentarty "Devil in the Ozarks." Cheryl Tillman, the mayor of Gateway, Arkansas, and Appleton's sister, told KHBS that Hardin is "an evil man" and said his escape is "almost like déjà vu all over again." Hardin is described as 6 feet tall and weighing 259 pounds. Authorities said anyone with information regarding his whereabouts should contact local law enforcement immediately. 'Evil man': Search continues for ex-police chief who escaped Arkansas prison originally appeared on
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
'Evil man': Search continues for ex-police chief who escaped Arkansas prison
The manhunt continues for Grant Hardin, the escaped former Arkansas police chief serving a 30-year sentence for murder and rape, as officials enter their fourth day of search efforts. Grant Hardin, 56, who has been in prison since 2017 for first-degree murder and rape, escaped the Calico Rock North Central Unit on Sunday at approximately 2:50 p.m., the Stone County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. Hardin escaped custody through a sally port by impersonating a corrections officer "in dress and manner," which caused another corrections officer "operating a secure gate to open the gate and allow Hardin to walk away from the North Central Unit," according to an affidavit obtained by ABC News. Surveillance footage shows Hardin pulling a cart, which was found abandoned outside the gates of the prison. Hardin remains at large on Wednesday. Officials said citizens in Izard County and surrounding counties should "stay vigilant, lock your house and vehicle doors and report any suspicious activity by calling 911 immediately," according to the Izard County Sheriff's Office. The U.S. Marshals and Eastern Arkansas Fugitive Task Force are also assisting in the search efforts, a spokesperson for the U.S. Marshals said on Tuesday. MORE: 'Sociopath': Former Arkansas police chief sentenced for murder and rape escapes from prison "I am very scared that this guy is going to hurt or kill somebody before this is over with," Stone County Sheriff Brandon Long told ABC News. Hardin, who was the former police chief of Gateway, Arkansas, worked in the prison kitchen, according to a spokesperson from the department of corrections, but it is unclear whether this job involved any access to the sally port he used to escape. He has had no significant disciplinary issues during his time at the prison, and there is no reason to believe anyone aided him in this escape, officials said. Nathan Smith, the former Benton County prosecutor who helped put Hardin behind bars, told Arkansas ABC affiliate KHBS the escaped inmate is "a sociopath." "He has no moral core or center that would prevent him from doing anything," Smith told KHBS. Hardin is "considered to be extremely dangerous and should not be approached," officials said. Authorities are using helicopters, drones, K9 officers and ATVs in their search for Hardin. Rugged terrain, densely wooded areas, hills and days of rain have been "hindering the ongoing search," a spokesperson with the department of corrections said. Deputies are continuing to monitor the roadways near the prison and are conducting security checkpoints in the area, officials said. Hardin pleaded guilty in October 2017 to first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of 59-year-old James Appleton, according to The Associated Press. He was also convicted of the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers, Arkansas, a crime highlighted in the 2023 television documentarty "Devil in the Ozarks." Cheryl Tillman, the mayor of Gateway, Arkansas, and Appleton's sister, told KHBS that Hardin is "an evil man" and said his escape is "almost like déjà vu all over again." Hardin is described as 6 feet tall and weighing 259 pounds. Authorities said anyone with information regarding his whereabouts should contact local law enforcement immediately. 'Evil man': Search continues for ex-police chief who escaped Arkansas prison originally appeared on
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judges Weigh Taking Control of Their Own Security Amid Threats
U.S. marshals, sworn to protect federal judges, ultimately answer to President Trump, who has ramped up criticism of the judiciary.
