‘Stay Clear of the Area’ [WATCH]

Authorities in Arkansas are continuing an intense manhunt for Grant Hardin, a convicted murderer and rapist, who escaped from a medium-security prison on May 25, as reported by The New York Post.

Hardin, 56, is a former police chief from Gateway, Arkansas, and has been dubbed the “Devil in the Ozarks” for his violent criminal history and law enforcement background.

Grant Hardin Escaped Inmate — Arkansas Dept of Corrections release a headshot how he might look today. Reward is $25,000. Anyone with info call 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip online at https://t.co/pkctYxSZFQ
Grant Hardin related
• https://t.co/wEWwaEffdM —
•… pic.twitter.com/WPwelSdfuT

— Joplin News First (@JoplinNewsFirst) June 6, 2025

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Hardin fled the Calico Rock prison facility dressed in a makeshift Arkansas Department of Corrections (ADC)-style uniform, according to ADC spokesperson Rand Champion.

The escape triggered immediate warnings to residents and tourists across the Ozark Mountain region, a popular destination for hiking and camping during the summer months.

Survivalist Shawn Hendrix cautioned visitors to avoid the area until Hardin is apprehended. “I definitely would stay clear of the area,” Hendrix told Fox News Digital.

“Every person in the woods right now is an opportunity for equipment for this guy.”

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Hendrix noted that Hardin’s law enforcement training, combined with his disregard for human life, makes him particularly dangerous. “This guy is just so evil. I mean, this guy is a sociopath,” Hendrix said. “He has no care for humans or anybody but himself.”

Hardin was serving sentences for two violent crimes. In 2017, he pleaded guilty to fatally shooting a man in the face inside the victim’s work truck. DNA collected during that case later linked Hardin to the 1997 cold-case rape of a schoolteacher, for which he pleaded guilty in 2019.

Authorities believe Hardin may be using his extensive knowledge of the Ozarks to evade capture. The rugged region includes hundreds of caves and access to wild berries, fish, and other natural food sources.

Hendrix explained that Hardin’s body weight—estimated at 259 pounds—gives him a caloric reserve that could help him survive for weeks.

“He’s such a heavy individual. He’s got a couple of months of reserves,” Hendrix said, adding that Hardin likely avoids using firearms while hiding to prevent alerting search teams.

Federal authorities are offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to Hardin’s capture. The FBI and U.S. Marshals are asking anyone with tips to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or visit tips.fbi.gov.

With over a week passing since Grant Hardin escaped, we are releasing an updated wanted poster with the updated headshot which could reflect how he might look today.
Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip online at https://t.co/gYUq8Tabym. pic.twitter.com/rxvHOI1uSR

— Arkansas Department of Corrections (@ADCPIO) June 4, 2025

While officials originally believed Hardin remained in the Ozarks, recent unconfirmed sightings, including one in Missouri on May 26, have raised concerns that he may have left Arkansas. A federal criminal complaint filed on May 30 suggests that Hardin could be in another state.

“He has extensive knowledge of the Ozark Mountain region, where he is believed to be possibly hiding in caves or rugged terrain that he is familiar with,” Deputy U.S. Marshal Robert J. Hammons wrote in the complaint.

The manhunt continues in Izard County for escapee Grant Hardin, a convicted rapist and murderer who walked out of the North Central Unit prison wearing what officials say appeared to be an Arkansas Department of Corrections officer’s uniform.@KARK4News @FOX16News pic.twitter.com/41rmDwxDqb

— Mike Rogers (@MikeRogers_News) May 30, 2025

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas has not yet released additional updates.

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