Grant Hardin caught in Arkansas | A timeline from escape to capture

The search for the escaped inmate out of Arkansas known as the “Devil in the Ozarks” has finally come to an end. Here’s a timeline from escape to capture.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The nearly two-week-long search for the escaped inmate out of Arkansas known as the “Devil in the Ozarks” has finally come to an end.

On June 6, 2025, officials with the Stone County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Grant Hardin, who was once the police chief of a small Arkansas town, had been found and taken into custody.

Since his escape from a Calico Rock prison on May 25, 2025, local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies were working around the clock in the search for Hardin, who was serving decades-long sentences related to the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers and for the 2017 murder of a Gateway city employee.

On May 27, 2025, two days after Hardin’s escape, prosecutors filed new paperwork accusing him of escape, which marks his first new criminal charge in nearly a decade.

According to the Arkansas Department of Corrections, Hardin escaped the North Central Unit in Calico Rock in broad daylight while wearing a makeshift law enforcement uniform.

His escape unsettled communities across the state due to his intense criminal history involving rape and murder. Hardin was also a former police chief and had an extensive background in law enforcement.

When Hardin escaped, cameras captured him leaving through the sally port of the prison while wearing the makeshift uniform. Since his escape, Izard County officials have held continuous vehicle checkpoints.

However, the heavy rainfall across the area complicated the search for Hardin, disrupting possible scent trails for K9s. Calico Rock’s treacherous and rocky terrain also challenged investigators.

Since his escape, law enforcement agencies reported several possible sightings of Grant Hardin in various parts of Arkansas and even in Missouri.

During a press conference that was held on May 28, Rand Champion, the spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Corrections (ADC), explained that they had followed up on several leads but had no success

“There has been an ongoing collective effort with multiple agencies — state, federal, local — utilizing any and all resources that we can to track it down,” Champion said. “Any and all leads that we are getting have been followed up on. Unfortunately, none of those have come to fruition yet.”

Sightings of Hardin in Arkansas were reported in Faulkner County, Sebastian County, and Pike County. Meanwhile, there were also reported sightings of Hardin in Howell County, Missouri.

The most recent sighting of Hardin was reported a day prior to his capture on June 5, 2025.

Reports say that a call was received on June 4 saying that someone had spotted him at a Family Dollar store in Delight. 

However, the Pike County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) explained that after reviewing surveillance footage, they could not confirm if the person in the video was Hardin.

“We are investigating the tip thoroughly and considering all possibilities,” PCSO added.

A release from federal officials said that a Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC) from the Rio Grande Valley had been deployed to Arkansas to help in the search for Hardin.

On June 6, the Stone County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Grant Hardin was taken into custody at around 3:45 p.m.

Officials with the Izard County Sheriff’s Office (ICSO) said he was found around 1.5 miles north of the prison he escaped from, and his identity has since been confirmed via fingerprinting.

“We sincerely appreciate the continued support of the community for all law enforcement and Department of Corrections personnel involved in this operation,” ICSO said.

Following his prison break, Hardin has been charged with escape in Izard County and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution in the Eastern District of Arkansas.

During the manhunt to find Hardin, a combined $25,000 reward from the FBI and USMS had been offered for information leading to his capture. However, it is unclear at this time who, if anyone, will receive that reward now that he has been found.

In response to the news of Hardin’s capture, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that people across Arkansas can now “breathe a sigh of relief.” 

“I am grateful for local, state, and federal law enforcement and give special thanks to the Trump admin and [Secretary Kristi Noem] for sending Border Patrol, who helped track and apprehend Hardin,” she added.

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