Real-Life “Devil Of The Ozarks,” Grant Hardin, Captured After Massive Manhunt
on Jun 06, 2025
The massive manhunt for Grant Hardin, the former police chief who was inprisoned for rape and murder, has come to an end.
On Friday afternoon, June 6, authorities captured Grant Hardin less than 2 miles from the medium security prison in Calico Rock, Arkansas, where he escaped nearly two weeks ago.
Hardin, whose nickname was “Devil Of The Ozarks,” escaped prison on May 25 by impersonating a law enforcement officer. A manhunt ensued that spread throughout Arkansas and into Missouri after authorities received calls that citizens had spotted him. But, it appears that Hardin, 56, didn’t make it far, instead choosing to hide in the densely wooded Ozark Mountains.
Authorities took him into custody around 3:45 p.m. Friday afternoon, according to the Stone County Arkansas Sheriff’s Department.
“As of Friday, June 6th, 2025, at approximately 3:45 PM, escaped inmate Grant Hardin has been apprehended, and the public is no longer in danger,” the department said in a statement.
“Hardin was taken into custody by Izard County authorities just a short distance from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock. While many details will remain under investigation, there is no longer an active threat to public safety.”
Radio Arkansas reported that state law enforcement officers and the U.S. Border Patrol found Hardin near Moccasin Creek, just 1.5 miles west of the North Central Unit prison in Calico Rock where he had been held prior to his escape.
“Tracking dogs were able to pick up a scent in the area, and Hardin was apprehended a short time later,” the outlet reported.
Grant Hardin’s case drew nationwide attention.
Grant Hardin served as a small-town police chief in Gateway, Arkansas, but was removed from office after only four months “due to his aggressive nature.”
In 2017, James Appleton, a city water department employee, was found dead in his truck. Eyewitnesses identified Hardin as the shooter.
Hardin was arrested for the murder and was subsequently linked to an unsolved rape case from 1997. Hardin was identified as the perpetrator who assaulted a teacher in a bathroom during a church service.
Hardin was sentenced to 50 years for rape and 30 years for murder, according to KATV.
The FBI and U.S. Marshals joined the search for Hardin following his recent escape, and a $25,000 reward was offered to anyone with information that led them to Hardin.
His escape was widely publicized due to his history in law enforcement and his training.
“This guy is just so evil. I mean, this guy is a sociopath,” survivalist Shawn Hendrix said of Hardin following his escape. “[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.”
Two years before his escape, Hardin’s case was the subject of a true crime documentary titled “Devil Of The Ozarks.” The documentary can be streamed on Max or Hulu, or through the Investigation Discovery (ID) app.
Watch the trailer for “Devil Of The Ozarks” trailer below.
