Former police chief convicted of rape and murder recaptured after daring escape from Arkansas prison

Grant Hardin, a former police chief from Arkansas, was apprehended on Friday following an escape from prison that lasted nearly two weeks. Hardin, who is 56 years old, was located approximately 1.5 miles away from the North Central Unit, where he had been incarcerated. During his escape, he wore what prison officials described as a “makeshift” law enforcement uniform.

His capture was facilitated by U.S. Border Patrol agents in collaboration with local Arkansas law enforcement. They discovered him near a creek in Izard County after tracking dogs detected his scent. The Arkansas Department of Corrections confirmed that fingerprint analysis was used to verify his identity.

The Secretary of Corrections, Lindsay Wallace, expressed gratitude towards the teams involved in the manhunt, acknowledging their efforts over the past thirteen days to ensure a safe resolution to the situation. Hardin had exited the North Central Unit just before 3 p.m. on May 25. According to an affidavit, he managed to impersonate a corrections officer, convincing a guard to open a secure gate.

Images released by authorities depicted Hardin dressed entirely in black, pushing a cart that carried wooden pallets. His escape prompted a coordinated response from multiple law enforcement agencies, including an offer of a reward amounting to $10,000 for information leading to his capture. Hardin’s criminal history includes the murder of James Appleton, a Gateway city water employee, in 2017, and the rape of teacher Amy Harrison in 1997.

He was sentenced to 30 years for Appleton’s murder and received a 50-year term for the sexual assault. His law enforcement experience, including a brief tenure as the police chief of Gateway and previous roles in various police departments, contributed to the challenges faced during the search.