Law Enforcement Searches Ozark Mountains Caves for Escaped Arkansas Prisoner

Grant Hardin, a former police chief and convicted murderer and rapist known as the 'Devil in the Ozarks,' escaped from the North Central Unit prison in Calico Rock, Arkansas, by impersonating a corrections officer and walking through a gate opened by a guard. The prison official who opened the gate did not verify Hardin's identity, a lapse currently under investigation. Authorities are conducting an extensive manhunt in the rugged Ozark Mountains, an area dense with forests, abandoned cabins, and nearly 2,000 caves, which provide numerous hiding spots. Hardin is familiar with the region, especially the complex cave systems, making the search especially challenging. Local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies are using canines, drones, and helicopters to aid their search, emphasizing the caves as a critical focus area. Officials continue to believe Hardin is still in the Ozarks until credible evidence suggests otherwise.