Search for Escaped Former Police Chief Escalates as FBI Offers $10,000 Reward

The FBI has offered a $10,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest of Grant Hardin, a former police chief who escaped from an Arkansas prison on Sunday.

The Department of Justice said it was supporting Arkansas authorities in the search for Hardin, who was convicted of first-degree murder and rape, after he fled the North Central Unit prison near Calico Rock.

The Context

In October 2017, Grant Matthew Hardin pleaded guilty to a first-degree murder charge in connection with the shooting of James Appleton, who was found dead inside his car. He received a 30-year sentence. The former police chief was also sentenced to 50 years for the rape of an Arkansas elementary school teacher in 1997. His crimes earned him the nickname “Devil in the Ozarks” in a 2023 documentary.

What To Know

In an update on the search, which began on Sunday, authorities in Arkansas said the FBI had issued a $10,000 reward for anyone who had information that could lead to Hardin’s arrest.

“This morning, the FBI, Department of Corrections, Arkansas State Police, and Department of Justice have announced a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of escaped inmate Grant Matthew Hardin,” Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Corrections, told Newsweek.

“Hardin escaped from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock on Sunday, May 25. An arrest warrant was issued for Hardin on May 26 by the Circuit Court of Izard County after he was charged with second-degree escape,” Champion continued.

Anyone with information concerning Hardin should “contact the FBI’s toll-free tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). You may also contact your local FBI office, local law enforcement, or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov.”

Hardin escaped from prison by wearing clothing that made him look like a member of staff rather than a prisoner, an investigation of his escape found. Hardin has since been charged with second-degree escape, which carries a minimum jail sentence of nine months.

Hardin previously served as the police chief of Gateway, a city to the north of Fayetteville on the state line with Missouri. Locals fear that his knowledge of the area means authorities may find it harder to locate him.

Officials said the cave system in the Ozark Mountains was a point of focus for the search effort. Arkansas residents described Hardin as “very, very smart” and someone who “knows where the caves are” in the region.

What People Are Saying

Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Corrections, said: “That’s one of the challenges of this area—there are a lot of places to hide and take shelter, a lot of abandoned sheds, and there are a lot of caves in this area, so that’s been a priority for the search team.”

In its initial statement about Grant Hardin’s escape, the Department of Corrections said: “On Sunday, May 25, at approximately 3:40 p.m., inmate Grant Hardin, escaped from the North Central Unit. Anyone with information about inmate Hardin’s whereabouts should contact local law enforcement immediately. The Division of Correction and the Division of Community Correction are working with local, state and federal law enforcement to follow leads.

“Hardin has been at the North Central Unit since 2017, serving a 30-year sentence for first degree murder, as well as an additional sentence for rape. Hardin was the former police chief for the city of Gateway with a background in law enforcement.”