From Fox News: Escapee Grant Hardin, a convicted murderer and rapist who sparked a multi-agency manhunt after fleeing custody last month, has been captured.
Nicknamed the “Devil in the Ozarks,” Hardin was apprehended this afternoon approximately 1.5 miles north-northwest of the North Central Unit prison facility from which he escaped on May 25, the Izard County Sheriff’s Office said.
Hardin’s identity was confirmed through fingerprint analysis prior to the department’s announcement of his long-awaited capture.
Officials said that he was taken into custody without incident, ending a weeks-long manhunt that had drawn in local law enforcement, state police, federal agencies, and elite tactical units. The capture of the fugitive came after authorities focused their search in the rugged, remote terrain surrounding the prison grounds.
The report explains that Hardin, 56, was serving an 80-year sentence for the 2017 murder of James Appleton and a previously unsolved 1997 rape case. He managed to escape prison through a sally port around 2:55 p.m. on Sunday, May 25.
The U.S. Border Patrol was called in to help with the search, and were able to find the escapee, with the help of tracking dogs.
Fox News correspondent Brooke Taylor announced: “Grant Hardin, convicted murderer and rapist who was once police chief, was found roughly a mile and a half from the prison he escaped from in Arkansas. This follows a two week manhunt after Hardin wore a fake uniform and somehow managed to go unnoticed. Sources tell me they were searching an area they had already looked, and K-9s were able to pick up on his scent. Now, the focus shifts to how did this happen?”
#BREAKING: Grant Hardin, convicted murderer and rapist who was once police chief, was found roughly a mile and a half from the prison he escaped from in Arkansas. This follows a two week manhunt after Hardin wore a fake uniform and somehow managed to go unnoticed. Sources tell… pic.twitter.com/BFl6cUvNIP
— Brooke Taylor (@Brooketaylortv) June 6, 2025
The U.S. Border Patrol Special Operations Group posted more photos and announced, “SOG captures wanted fugitive on the run in Arkansas.”
SOG captures wanted fugitive on the run in Arkansas. @WhiteHouse @BorderPatrolHQ @CBP @DHSgov pic.twitter.com/kxVTAx3d1I
— U.S. Border Patrol Special Operations Group (@USBPSOG) June 7, 2025
#BREAKING ‘Devil of the Ozarks’ killer was captured following a nearly two-week-long manhunt after he escaped from an Arkansas prison https://t.co/3WwHD73SFy pic.twitter.com/lJlLmpnLiD
— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) June 6, 2025
People can breathe easy tonight.
Fmr police chief and convicted killer is back in custody.
The “Devil in the Ozarks” escaped prison nearly two weeks ago. @LawCrimeNetwork pic.twitter.com/qNcsiV9k9u
— Chris Stewart (@CStewartNews) June 6, 2025
READ MORE from Fox News.
Follow us on X (Formerly Twitter.)
The DML News App: www.X.com/DMLNewsApp
The Dennis Michael Lynch Podcast archive is available below, with the most recent on top. Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the show by downloading The DML News App or go to Apple Podcasts.
