Former Arkansas Police Chief Escapes Prison

A former police chief in Arkansas who is serving decades-long sentences for murder and rape managed to escape from prison on Sunday, according to state corrections officials.

Grant Hardin, the ex-police chief of the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border, fled from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock, where he has been incarcerated since 2017. The circumstances surrounding his escape have not been disclosed by authorities.

Officials revealed that Hardin had disguised himself and was wearing a makeshift outfit in an attempt to mimic law enforcement when he made his escape from the North Central Unit.

The Arkansas Department of Corrections, together with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, are actively pursuing leads to locate and apprehend Hardin.

Legal Troubles

Hardin pleaded guilty in October 2017 to first-degree murder in connection with the killing of 59-year-old James Appleton. The victim, who worked for the Gateway water department, was shot in the head on February 23, 2017, near Garfield while conversing with his brother-in-law, then Gateway Mayor Andrew Tillman. Appleton’s body was discovered inside a vehicle.

As Gateway’s police chief for a brief period in early 2016, Hardin received a 30-year prison sentence for the murder. He also faces a separate 50-year prison term for the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers, located north of Fayetteville.

Police utilized DNA evidence from the crime scene to obtain a John Doe Warrant in 2003 as the statute of limitations approached. The DNA samples were compared against various profiles, resulting in a match when Hardin was incarcerated for Appleton’s murder.

Hardin’s daring escape from prison has raised concerns about public safety, prompting a concerted effort by law enforcement agencies to locate and apprehend the fugitive former police chief.