On 16 August 2025, Fortune reported that Grant Hardin, the former Arkansas police chief known as the “Devil in the Ozarks,” stunned the nation with a daring prison escape from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock, Arkansas. Serving an 80-year sentence for murder and rape, Hardin used a makeshift law enforcement uniform and prison kitchen supplies to slip past guards, sparking a massive manhunt that lasted nearly two weeks.
Who Is Grant Hardin? Wikipedia, Age & Parents
Grant Hardin is a former law enforcement officer from Arkansas who gained national notoriety as the “Devil in the Ozarks” due to his criminal activities and subsequent prison escape. He became widely known after the 2023 HBO Max documentary Devil in the Ozarks highlighted his crimes and law enforcement career.
Mr. Hardin was raised in a family from northwest Arkansas. His mother hailed from Garfield, Arkansas, and his father was from Gateway, Arkansas. The names of his parents are unknown at the moment. Similarly, no details are available about his siblings.
Grant Hardin was born on 16 August 1969, at Bates Memorial Hospital in Bentonville, Arkansas. He is currently 56 years old, and his zodiac sign is Leo. Furthermore, the former law enforcement officer holds American nationality and belongs to a White ethnicity. In addition, he follows the Christian religion.
His approximate height is around 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m), and he weighs about 86 kg (189 lbs). Hardin attended Pea Ridge High School for his secondary education. Afterward, he enrolled at Northwest Arkansas Community College, where he earned an associate degree that prepared him for a career as a police officer.
From Police Chief to Convict: Grant Hardin’s Career and Criminal Activities
Grant Hardin's life was spent in law enforcement, working at a number of police departments and progressing through the ranks in Arkansas in the 1990s. The first police department where Hardin worked was the Fayetteville Police Department (1990–1991), after which he joined the Huntsville Police Department (1991–1992), as well as the Eureka Springs Police Department (1993–1996).
Although, Grant was initially lauded in law enforcement, incidents of excessive force, poor performance, and accusations of falsifying police reports took a toll on Hardin. In 2009, Hardin ran for Benton County District 1 Constable and was elected. He was re-elected in 2013. He briefly held the post of police chief in Gateway, Arkansas, in 2016 but resigned after four months.
Hardin held other official positions as well. He was an officer at Northwest Arkansas Community Correction Center (Fayetteville). Hardin’s career came to an abrupt end due to his involvement in a series of serious crimes. In February 2017, Hardin was arrested for the murder of 59-year-old James Appleton, a water department worker, in Garfield, Arkansas. In October 2017, Hardin pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to 30 years.
Upon further investigation, it was revealed Hardin was connected to a 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers, Arkansas. Hardin pleaded guilty in 2019 and received an additional 50 years. These crimes, combined with his earlier professional misconduct, cemented his infamy, earning him the nickname “Devil in the Ozarks.” His criminal activities and law enforcement background were later documented in the 2023 HBO Max documentary Devil in the Ozarks, which highlighted both the investigation and his eventual convictions.
2025 Prison Escape and Where Grant Hardin Is Now?
On 25 May 2025, Grant Hardin pulled off a brazen escape from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock, Arkansas, where he was serving an 80-year sentence for murder and rape. Hardin was known for being methodical, and evidence shows he spent six months planning the escape while working in the prison kitchen. He collected used items, including laundry, Sharpie markers, and a soup can lid, and crafted a convincing law enforcement uniform, hiding this contraband in a trash bin that was rarely checked.
On the day of his escape, Hardin slipped into the fake uniform and wheeled a cart through a sally port. A prison guard mistook him for a fellow officer and allowed him to pass without verification, enabling Hardin to exploit a major lapse in security.
Once outside, Hardin survived in the wilderness for nearly two weeks, eating insects, bird eggs, berries, and even drinking water he distilled from his prison-issued sleep apnea machine. He was ultimately captured after a large-scale manhunt involving law enforcement, tracking dogs, and aerial support. Hardin was apprehended on 6 June 2025, about 1.5 miles from the prison near Moccasin Creek in Izard County, Arkansas, without incident, ending the highly publicized manhunt.
Following the escape, the Arkansas Department of Corrections conducted an internal review, uncovering substantial security failures. Hardin had been misclassified and should have been placed in a maximum-security facility. Two prison employees were terminated, and several others were reprimanded for procedural violations that contributed to the escape.
Today, Grant Hardin is an inmate at Varner SuperMax prison in Lincoln County, Arkansas, under very tight security. The escape resulted in additional charges, and his trial for these charges is scheduled for November 2025, ensuring he remains behind bars.