A statewide manhunt is underway after Grant Hardin, 56, a convicted murderer and former police chief, escaped from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock on Sunday, May 25, at approximately 3:40 p.m. Grant Hardin, 56, Caucasian Male Height: Approx. 6′ Weight: Approx. 259lbs and bald.
According to the Arkansas State Police and the Arkansas Department of Corrections (ADC), Hardin was serving a 30-year sentence for first-degree murder and an additional sentence for rape. He had been incarcerated at the facility since 2017. In a Monday update, the ADC revealed that Hardin escaped while earing a makeshift outfit designed to resemble a law enforcement uniform. Authorities confirmed he was not wearing a Department of Corrections uniform and that all DOC-issued equipment is accounted for. Hardin, previously the police chief of Gateway, Arkansas, has a background in law enforcement, raising concerns about his knowledge of evasion tactics. Multiple law enforcement agencies are actively searching for Hardin. Officials are also investigating how he managed to stage the escape. Authorities urge the public not to approach Hardin and to contact local police immediately with any information on his whereabouts.
