• A convicted murderer and former police chief planned his prison escape for months, exploiting weak security in Arkansas.
• Grant Hardin, known as the “Devil in the Ozarks,” used Sharpies, laundry, and a fake badge to disguise himself.
• An internal review faults lax oversight, misclassification, and communication failures that allowed the brazen escape to succeed.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (TDR) — A former small-town police chief, once branded the “Devil in the Ozarks,” spent six months meticulously planning his brazen escape from an Arkansas prison, a newly released internal review has revealed. The account sheds light on systemic lapses that enabled Grant Hardin — already convicted of murder and rape — to simply walk through an unlocked gate disguised as a lawman.

A Carefully Orchestrated Plan

The Arkansas Department of Corrections critical incident review, obtained by the Associated Press, outlines how Hardin used his position in the prison kitchen to gather clothing, markers, and scraps to fashion a uniform. He even created a fake badge from a can lid.

“Hardin stated he would hide the clothes and other items in the bottom of a trash can in the kitchen due to no one ever shaking it down,” the report noted.

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Officials said Hardin had even built a makeshift ladder from pallets to climb the fence, though he never needed it. Instead, he simply walked up to the back gate, told a guard to open it, and strolled out.

Security Failures at Every Turn

Two employees have already been fired, including a kitchen staffer who let Hardin onto a back dock unsupervised and a tower guard who opened the gate without confirming his identity. Several others face suspension or demotion.

Investigators noted the kitchen was “very lax on security,” allowing Hardin to smuggle out supplies. His escape, they say, demonstrates the broader systemic breakdowns in prison oversight.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE THE DUPREE REPORT

After leaving the prison on May 25, Hardin survived on food hidden in advance, distilled water from his CPAP machine, creek water, berries, bird eggs, and even ants.

The Search and Capture

Authorities launched a multi-agency manhunt using drones, helicopters, and dogs. The rugged northern Arkansas terrain complicated the hunt, worsened by days of heavy rain.

Despite initial fears that Hardin had left the state, canines eventually picked up his scent a mile and a half from the North Central Unit. He was caught on June 6 “just a short distance” from where he fled.

Hardin told investigators he intended to hide in the woods for six months before heading west.

A Dark Criminal Legacy

Hardin’s notoriety stems not only from his escape but also his crimes. Once the police chief of Gateway, Arkansas, he became the subject of a documentary, “Devil in the Ozarks.”

He had pleaded guilty to killing 59-year-old James Appleton in 2017, earning a 30-year sentence. Later, DNA evidence linked him to a 1997 rape case, resulting in additional 25-year sentences for multiple assaults.

His history underscores the failure of Arkansas’ classification system: the review revealed Hardin had been misclassified as suitable for medium-security housing, when in fact he should have been placed in maximum security. His custody status had not been updated since 2019.

Legislative Scrutiny and Accountability

The fallout is now reaching the state Capitol. Rep. Howard Beaty, a Republican who co-chairs the Legislative Council’s penal oversight subcommittee, announced hearings to review both the prison department’s findings and a parallel probe by the Arkansas State Police.

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