Grant Hardin, a former Arkansas police chief convicted of rape and murder, was finally recaptured by authorities on Friday after evading detection following his escape from prison two weeks ago.
The 56-year-old was located 1.5 miles from the prison he escaped and was arrested wearing what officials described as a “makeshift” law enforcement uniform, according to the Arkansas Department of Corrections.
Hardin was able to escape prison on May 25 while impersonating a corrections officer “in dress and manner, causing a corrections officer operating a secure gate too open the gate,” according to an affidavit.
“To every one of our Department staff that assisted in this manhunt over the last 13 days, I give my heartfelt thank you for your immeasurable contributions to bring this search to a peaceful conclusion," Secretary of Corrections Lindsay Wallace said in a statement.
Grant Hardin's criminal history
Hardin was serving both a 30 year and 50 year sentence after he was found guilty of murdering Gateway city water employee James Appleton in 2017 and raping teacher Amy Harrison in 1997.
Former Benton County prosecutor Nathan Smith described Hardin as a “Sociopath” to local media site 40/29 News.
"It makes it even more shocking when a person who wears the badge, would betray not only victims, but his community, sense of right and wrong, which obviously it doesn't appear he believes in," said Smith. "When you're a prosecutor and you meet with victims and their families, you see them cry. You see the pain and the suffering that brings on them. And and then when you stand in court next to someone like Mr. Hardin, when he has to pled guilty to it, and you see the inability to really say anything or do anything to demonstrate some sort of remorse or acknowledgment of what he's done, it is outrageous."