After a prison escape that revealed shocking security failures at a U.S. correctional facility, the notorious “Devil in the Ozarks” was located and captured once again.
See the tweet further down this post.
Former police chief Grant Hardin, serving 80 years for murder and rape, was recaptured just 1.5 miles from the prison he escaped nearly two weeks ago.
This proves that even dangerous criminals cannot outrun determined law enforcement.
Hardin’s brazen escape from Calico Rock prison stunned local communities when he impersonated a corrections officer and simply walked out of the facility.
The incident exposed alarming security vulnerabilities in the Arkansas prison system, raising serious questions about procedures that allowed a high-profile inmate to slip away so easily.
The manhunt drew substantial resources as authorities deployed drones, bloodhounds, helicopters, and even U.S. Border Patrol agents to track down the dangerous fugitive.
High water levels from recent heavy rains complicated search efforts but ultimately may have limited Hardin’s ability to flee the area.
Izard County Sheriff Brandon Long confirmed the capture in a statement, saying Hardin was apprehended Friday at approximately 3:45 p.m. near Moccasin Creek.
Recaptured Arkansas prison escapee known as the 'Devil in the Ozarks' sent to SuperMax prison https://t.co/491V7tAQA2
— KTVB.COM (@KTVB) June 7, 2025
Despite speculation that Hardin had fled the region, he was found hiding surprisingly close to the prison.
Hardin’s criminal history reads like a horror novel. He was serving a 30-year sentence for the murder of James Appleton and an additional 50-year sentence for two counts of rape linked to a 1997 case through DNA evidence.
His crimes were so heinous that they inspired a television documentary, cementing his reputation as the “Devil in the Ozarks.”
Following his recapture, authorities immediately transferred Hardin to the Varner SuperMax prison southeast of Little Rock – Arkansas’ most secure facility with a capacity of 1,714 inmates.
Established in 1987, the facility specializes in housing the state’s most dangerous offenders.
Benton County Prosecutor Bryan Sexton said:
“By reputation, Varner is the most secure prison in the Arkansas system, I think that all things considering, putting him (Hardin) in the most secure facility we can is probably a wise thing to do.”
The escape sent shockwaves through communities where Hardin’s victims and trial witnesses live.
Many were forced to alter their daily routines out of fear that the convicted murderer and rapist might seek revenge.
At the same time, Sexton reported that numerous individuals contacted his office with safety concerns during Hardin’s time on the run.
Local resident Roger Simons expressed the community’s surprise at finding Hardin so close to the prison: “None of us really thought he was still in the area. We thought he was long gone — that’s what I would have bet my money on.”
Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas prison system, stated:
“The direction he went, specifically around Moccasin Creek, saw high water due to the abundance of rain the last few weeks, which more than likely limited his options to get around the area. Search teams had looked through this area before, but the high water previously limited their ability to fully investigate.”
Authorities are now investigating the critical security failure that allowed Hardin to impersonate a corrections officer without having his identity verified.
This disturbing lapse has prompted calls for comprehensive reviews of security protocols at all Arkansas correctional facilities to prevent similar escapes in the future.
Sheriff Long assured the public in his statement that “there is no longer an active threat to public safety,” bringing relief to communities that had been on edge during the two-week manhunt.
Hardin’s victims and their families can now rest easier knowing the dangerous criminal is back behind bars – this time in a facility designed to hold the state’s most dangerous offenders.
