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Grant Hardin is at the center of a nationwide manhunt and a true crime media storm in May 2025. Once a small-town Arkansas police chief, Hardin became infamous for his convictions for murder and rape—and now, for a daring prison escape. This is the most detailed, up-to-date guide to the Grant Hardin case: his background, crimes, escape, manhunt, and why the nation is riveted by this unfolding story.
BBC: Grant Hardin Prison Escape Breaking News
📰 Latest News: Prison Escape, Manhunt, and Public Warnings
🚔 Escape Details: On Sunday, May 25, 2025, at around 3:40 p.m., Grant Hardin, 56, escaped from the North Central Unit prison in Calico Rock, Arkansas. He was serving an 80-year combined sentence for murder and rape.
🦺 Disguise & Method: Hardin was last seen on surveillance footage wearing a makeshift law enforcement outfit, not a prison uniform, and pushing a utility cart. His disguise was convincing enough to let him slip through a controlled entryway.
🚨 Manhunt: The Arkansas Department of Corrections, state police, local sheriffs, and federal agencies have launched a multi-county search. Hardin is considered “extremely dangerous” and should not be approached. Roadblocks have been set up in Stone and Izard counties.
📢 Public Alert: Authorities urge anyone with information to call 911 immediately. All DOC-issued equipment has been accounted for—Hardin’s disguise was homemade.
📅 Status: As of May 27, 2025, Hardin remains at large. Rainy weather is believed to have kept him close to the prison, but officials warn he may attempt anything to escape further.
Fox News: Manhunt for Grant Hardin
🦺 Disguise & Method: Hardin was last seen on surveillance footage wearing a makeshift law enforcement outfit, not a prison uniform, and pushing a utility cart. His disguise was convincing enough to let him slip through a controlled entryway.
🚨 Manhunt: The Arkansas Department of Corrections, state police, local sheriffs, and federal agencies have launched a multi-county search. Hardin is considered “extremely dangerous” and should not be approached. Roadblocks have been set up in Stone and Izard counties.
📢 Public Alert: Authorities urge anyone with information to call 911 immediately. All DOC-issued equipment has been accounted for—Hardin’s disguise was homemade.
📅 Status: As of May 27, 2025, Hardin remains at large. Rainy weather is believed to have kept him close to the prison, but officials warn he may attempt anything to escape further.
👮♂️ Who Is Grant Hardin? From Police Chief to Convicted Murderer and Rapist
🏢 Background: Grant Hardin served as police chief of Gateway, Arkansas (pop. ~400), for about four months in early 2016. His law enforcement career included stints at several small departments, but he was repeatedly fired for misconduct, excessive force, and falsifying records.
🔪 The Murder of James Appleton (2017): On February 23, 2017, Hardin shot and killed James Appleton, a 59-year-old Gateway water department employee, while Appleton was talking to his brother-in-law (the then-mayor) on the phone. Appleton was found dead in his vehicle, shot in the head at point-blank range with a shotgun. Hardin never gave a motive.
👩🏫 The 1997 Rape of Amy Harrison: While incarcerated for murder, DNA evidence linked Hardin to the cold case rape of Amy Harrison, an elementary school teacher in Rogers, Arkansas. In 1997, Harrison was assaulted at gunpoint in a school restroom. The case went unsolved for 20 years until a DNA match was made after Hardin’s 2017 conviction.
⚖️ Convictions & Sentencing: Hardin pleaded guilty to first-degree murder (30 years) and rape (50 years), for a combined 80-year sentence. He was considered a model inmate until his escape.
Newsweek: Full Background on Grant Hardin
🔪 The Murder of James Appleton (2017): On February 23, 2017, Hardin shot and killed James Appleton, a 59-year-old Gateway water department employee, while Appleton was talking to his brother-in-law (the then-mayor) on the phone. Appleton was found dead in his vehicle, shot in the head at point-blank range with a shotgun. Hardin never gave a motive.
👩🏫 The 1997 Rape of Amy Harrison: While incarcerated for murder, DNA evidence linked Hardin to the cold case rape of Amy Harrison, an elementary school teacher in Rogers, Arkansas. In 1997, Harrison was assaulted at gunpoint in a school restroom. The case went unsolved for 20 years until a DNA match was made after Hardin’s 2017 conviction.
⚖️ Convictions & Sentencing: Hardin pleaded guilty to first-degree murder (30 years) and rape (50 years), for a combined 80-year sentence. He was considered a model inmate until his escape.
🧬 The Cold Case Breakthrough: DNA, Justice, and Community Impact
🧬 How DNA Solved the Case: After Hardin’s 2017 murder conviction, his DNA was entered into national databases. It matched evidence from the 1997 rape of Amy Harrison. Police had preserved DNA and obtained a “John Doe” warrant in 2003 as the statute of limitations neared.
💡 Breakthrough: The DNA match led to Hardin’s guilty plea in 2019. Prosecutors called him “one of the most dangerous individuals I have ever encountered” because he could commit random, horrific crimes without warning.
😱 Community Shock: The revelation that a former police chief was responsible for both a brutal murder and a decades-old rape stunned Arkansas communities. Amy Harrison, the rape survivor, spoke out about her ordeal and the relief of seeing justice served after 20 years.
📰 Media Coverage: The case has been featured on true crime podcasts, local news, and national outlets, with renewed attention following Hardin’s escape.
CNN: Grant Hardin Escape & Case History
💡 Breakthrough: The DNA match led to Hardin’s guilty plea in 2019. Prosecutors called him “one of the most dangerous individuals I have ever encountered” because he could commit random, horrific crimes without warning.
😱 Community Shock: The revelation that a former police chief was responsible for both a brutal murder and a decades-old rape stunned Arkansas communities. Amy Harrison, the rape survivor, spoke out about her ordeal and the relief of seeing justice served after 20 years.
📰 Media Coverage: The case has been featured on true crime podcasts, local news, and national outlets, with renewed attention following Hardin’s escape.
🔎 The Escape: How Did Grant Hardin Get Out? Security, Manhunt & Public Safety
🕵️♂️ Escape Method: Hardin used a makeshift law enforcement disguise—including a dark cap and vest—pushed a utility cart, and walked out through a controlled entryway. All official DOC uniforms and gear were accounted for; his outfit was homemade.
📹 Surveillance Footage: Security cameras captured Hardin leaving the prison area around 3:40 p.m. Sunday, May 25. He was last seen heading toward a service area, possibly using the cart to appear as staff.
🌧️ Weather Factor: Rainy conditions may have kept him close to the prison, but authorities fear he could attempt any means to evade capture.
🚨 Public Safety: Hardin is described as a white male, 6 feet tall, 259 pounds, and “extremely dangerous.” Residents in Stone and Izard counties are warned not to approach him and to report any sightings immediately.
🤝 Law Enforcement Response: The Arkansas DOC, state police, local sheriffs, and federal agencies are collaborating, using roadblocks, K9 units, and aerial surveillance.
🗣️ Ongoing Investigation: Officials are reviewing security protocols and how Hardin was able to obtain materials for his disguise and escape route.
The Independent: Escape Details & Surveillance
📹 Surveillance Footage: Security cameras captured Hardin leaving the prison area around 3:40 p.m. Sunday, May 25. He was last seen heading toward a service area, possibly using the cart to appear as staff.
🌧️ Weather Factor: Rainy conditions may have kept him close to the prison, but authorities fear he could attempt any means to evade capture.
🚨 Public Safety: Hardin is described as a white male, 6 feet tall, 259 pounds, and “extremely dangerous.” Residents in Stone and Izard counties are warned not to approach him and to report any sightings immediately.
🤝 Law Enforcement Response: The Arkansas DOC, state police, local sheriffs, and federal agencies are collaborating, using roadblocks, K9 units, and aerial surveillance.
🗣️ Ongoing Investigation: Officials are reviewing security protocols and how Hardin was able to obtain materials for his disguise and escape route.
📈 Why Is “Grant Hardin” Trending? True Crime, Public Fear & National Attention
📈 Trending Searches: “Grant Hardin escape,” “Grant Hardin Arkansas,” “Grant Hardin police chief,” “Grant Hardin manhunt,” “Grant Hardin latest news,” and “Grant Hardin DNA” are surging on Google.
🎧 True Crime Fascination: The case combines betrayal of public trust, a cold case solved by DNA, and a dramatic prison break—fueling podcasts, YouTube explainers, and social media threads.
😨 Public Concern: Residents in Arkansas and beyond are anxious about Hardin’s whereabouts. Law enforcement has labeled him “extremely dangerous.”
📰 Media Spotlight: National and international outlets (BBC, AP, Fox News, CNN, Newsweek, The Independent) are covering the story, keeping it in the headlines.
🧑⚖️ Lessons & Policy: The escape is prompting reviews of prison security, hiring practices for law enforcement, and the handling of cold cases.
NBC News: Full Timeline & National Coverage
🎧 True Crime Fascination: The case combines betrayal of public trust, a cold case solved by DNA, and a dramatic prison break—fueling podcasts, YouTube explainers, and social media threads.
😨 Public Concern: Residents in Arkansas and beyond are anxious about Hardin’s whereabouts. Law enforcement has labeled him “extremely dangerous.”
📰 Media Spotlight: National and international outlets (BBC, AP, Fox News, CNN, Newsweek, The Independent) are covering the story, keeping it in the headlines.
🧑⚖️ Lessons & Policy: The escape is prompting reviews of prison security, hiring practices for law enforcement, and the handling of cold cases.
❓ Grant Hardin FAQ (2025)
Q: Who is Grant Hardin?
A: Former police chief of Gateway, Arkansas, convicted of the 2017 murder of James Appleton and the 1997 rape of Amy Harrison.
Q: How did Grant Hardin escape?
A: He disguised himself in a homemade law enforcement outfit, pushed a utility cart, and walked out through a controlled entryway.
Q: Why is he considered dangerous?
A: Hardin committed both a random, execution-style murder and a violent rape, and evaded capture for years.
Q: What should I do if I see him?
A: Do NOT approach. Call 911 immediately.
Q: What sentences was he serving?
A: 30 years for murder, 50 years for rape (total: 80 years).
Q: Where was he last seen?
A: Leaving North Central Unit prison in Calico Rock, Arkansas, on May 25, 2025.
Q: Why is this case trending?
A: The combination of a police chief’s betrayal, solved cold case, and dramatic escape has captured national attention.
A: Former police chief of Gateway, Arkansas, convicted of the 2017 murder of James Appleton and the 1997 rape of Amy Harrison.
Q: How did Grant Hardin escape?
A: He disguised himself in a homemade law enforcement outfit, pushed a utility cart, and walked out through a controlled entryway.
Q: Why is he considered dangerous?
A: Hardin committed both a random, execution-style murder and a violent rape, and evaded capture for years.
Q: What should I do if I see him?
A: Do NOT approach. Call 911 immediately.
Q: What sentences was he serving?
A: 30 years for murder, 50 years for rape (total: 80 years).
Q: Where was he last seen?
A: Leaving North Central Unit prison in Calico Rock, Arkansas, on May 25, 2025.
Q: Why is this case trending?
A: The combination of a police chief’s betrayal, solved cold case, and dramatic escape has captured national attention.
🔗 Official Resources & Useful Links
BBC: Grant Hardin Escape
Fox News: Manhunt Coverage
CNN: Escape & Case
Newsweek: Prison Break
The Independent: Escape Details
NBC News: Timeline
©️ 2025 | Grant Hardin: Complete Guide for US Readers