Inmate Escapes from Arkansas Prison Wearing Homemade Law Enforcement Disguise

Strategic Insights -

Grant Hardin, a 56-year-old inmate, escaped from the North Central Unit prison in Calico Rock, Arkansas, on Sunday. Hardin, who has a background in law enforcement, has been an inmate at the prison since 2017, serving a 30-year sentence for first-degree murder and a separate sentence for rape. He was last seen wearing a makeshift outfit designed to mimic law enforcement attire, which was not an official Department of Corrections uniform.

Hardin's past as a law enforcement officer is well-documented, with a 2018 report by KHBS 40/29 News detailing his time as an officer with police departments in Fayetteville, Huntsville, and Eureka Springs from 1990 to 1996. He was also elected constable in Benton County in 2008 and 2012 and served as police chief for Gateway, a small Benton County town, in 2016. However, he resigned from the position after just a few months.

Hardin's DNA was linked to a 20-year-old cold case, the rape of a teacher at a Rogers elementary school in November 1997. He pleaded guilty to two counts of rape in 2019 and was sentenced to an additional 50 years in prison. A 2023 TV documentary, "Devil in the Ozarks," produced by Investigation Discovery, covered the case.

Key Takeaways:

  • Grant Hardin, a 56-year-old inmate, escaped from the North Central Unit prison in Calico Rock, Arkansas, on Sunday while wearing a makeshift law enforcement disguise.
  • Hardin has a background in law enforcement, having served as an officer with police departments in Fayetteville, Huntsville, and Eureka Springs from 1990 to 1996.
  • He was elected constable in Benton County in 2008 and 2012 and served as police chief for Gateway, a small Benton County town, in 2016, but resigned after a few months.
  • Hardin's DNA was linked to a 20-year-old cold case, the rape of a teacher at a Rogers elementary school in November 1997.
  • He pleaded guilty to two counts of rape in 2019 and was sentenced to an additional 50 years in prison.
  • A 2023 TV documentary, "Devil in the Ozarks," produced by Investigation Discovery, covered the case.
  • The inmate is approximately 6 feet tall and weighs around 259 pounds, according to a notice from the Department of Corrections.

Statistics:

  • 2017: The year Hardin became an inmate at the North Central Unit prison.
  • 30 years: The length of Hardin's sentence for first-degree murder.
  • 50 years: The additional sentence Hardin received for two counts of rape in 2019.
  • 1990-1996: The time period during which Hardin served as an officer with police departments in Fayetteville, Huntsville, and Eureka Springs.
  • 1997: The year of the cold case rape of a teacher at a Rogers elementary school.
  • 2008 and 2012: The years in which Hardin was elected constable in Benton County.
  • 2016: The year in which Hardin served as police chief for Gateway, a small Benton County town.
  • 2019: The year in which Hardin pleaded guilty to two counts of rape.
  • 2023: The year in which the TV documentary "Devil in the Ozarks" was produced.

Sources:

  • Arkansas Department of Corrections - [no hyperlink]
  • KHBS 40/29 News - [no hyperlink]
  • Arkansas Democrat-Gazette - [no hyperlink]
  • Investigation Discovery - [no hyperlink]
  • Izard County Sheriff's Office - [no hyperlink]
  • Facebook - [no hyperlink]