Grant Hardin, the former police chief who was convicted of murder and rape and escaped from an Arkansas prison, has been caught. He had been on the run for two weeks.
Videos by Suggest
According to the Izard County Sheriff’s Office (ICSO), Hardin was captured on June 6, 2025. His capture occurred two weeks after escaping the Calico Rock North Central Unit in Arkansas. He was found approximately 1.5 miles west of the prison and, thanks to fingerprint analysis, his identity was confirmed.
“We sincerely appreciate the continued support of the community for all law enforcement and Department of Corrections personnel involved in this operation,” the ICSO added.
Rand Champion, an Arkansas prison system spokesman, said that Hardin attempted to run from officers when being approached, as per The Associated Press. However, the former police chief was quickly taken to the ground and captuired.
“He’d been on the run for a week and a half and probably didn’t have any energy left in him,” Champion said.
Prison Escape
Back on May 25, the Arkansas Department of Corrections confirmed that, at around 3:40 p.m., Grant Hardin managed to escape. In a subsequent update, they confirmed that Hardin had used a makeshift outfit to escape the prison. He had posed as law enforcement.
As per the AP, one of the guard tower prison officers was the one who opened the secure gate, allowing Hardin to escape.
For two weeks, authorities searched for the convicted killer to no avail. One factor that contributed to the difficult search was the heavy rain that ensued shortly after. This caused one bloodhound to lose Hardin’s scent.
“That was one of the most frustrating things,” Champions added. “They were able to track him but then they lost him because of the rain.”
Hardin was convicted of first-degree murder for the death of James Appleton, 59. Hardin was sentenced to 30 years in prison after he shot Appleton in the head. His DNA, however, matched to a 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher. Then, he received a 50 year-sentence, 25 years per each rape count he was found guilty of.