Grant Hardin Capture: ‘Devil of the Ozarks’ Manhunt Ends
- The two-week manhunt for Grant Hardin, dubbed the 'Devil of the Ozarks,' ended when he was captured 1.5 miles northwest of the prison he escaped from.
- Hardin,a convicted murderer and rapist,eluded law enforcement for over two weeks after his May 25 escape from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock,Arkansas.
- Authorities confirmed HardinS identity through fingerprint analysis, according to a Facebook post by the Izard County Sheriff’s Office.
Grant Hardin, the notorious “Devil of the Ozarks,” is back behind bars. The two-week manhunt for the escaped murderer and rapist concluded with his capture just 1.5 miles from where he broke free.The massive search, involving the FBI, helicopters, and K-9 units, finally ended after Hardin’s daring escape from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock, Arkansas. Authorities confirmed his identity through fingerprint analysis, bringing relief too a community on edge. Hardin’s escape involved an “unauthorized uniform,” prompting an examination into prison security. news Directory 3 has the latest on this developing story. Now that the primary_keyword manhunt is over,what will be the secondary_keyword fallout of this daring escape? Discover what’s next…
Escaped ’Devil of the Ozarks’ captured after two-week manhunt
Updated June 07, 2025
The two-week manhunt for Grant Hardin, dubbed the ‘Devil of the Ozarks,’ ended when he was captured 1.5 miles northwest of the prison he escaped from.
Hardin,a convicted murderer and rapist,eluded law enforcement for over two weeks after his May 25 escape from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock,Arkansas. The escape sparked a massive search across northern Arkansas and southern Missouri, involving helicopters, dog units, and FBI agents.
Authorities confirmed HardinS identity through fingerprint analysis, according to a Facebook post by the Izard County Sheriff’s Office. The post expressed gratitude for the community’s support of law enforcement and Department of Corrections personnel.
Hardin’s escape involved him walking out of the prison dressed in what officials described as an “unauthorized uniform.” The former police chief had been incarcerated as 2017. the FBI offered a $25,000 reward for his capture.
One local resident, Jesse Ray, noted Hardin’s familiarity with the area’s terrain, saying, “He knows every deer trail and fishing hole in the area. He doesn’t need GPS or cell towers. He just needs time.”
The escape rattled and angered locals. “I got daughters,” said mark Stevens, a mechanic from Melbourne. “You think I’m sleeping easy knowing that b might be camping two miles from my backyard?”
Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Corrections, stated that the clothing Hardin wore during his escape was not a standard inmate or correctional uniform.
what’s next
An investigation is underway to determine how Hardin obtained the uniform and what security measures will be implemented to prevent future escapes.