A prison escape, a fake uniform, and 2,000 caves: Inside the hunt for Grant Hardin

The hunt for escaped killer and ex-cop Grant Hardin is in its fourth day as law enforcement officers face several obstacles in the rugged wilderness of the Ozark Mountains. With thick forests, abandoned cabins, and one of the highest concentrations of caves in Arkansas, the terrain is proving ideal for a fugitive dubbed “The Devil in the Ozarks.”Hardin, 56, escaped from the North Central Unit at Calico Rock on Sunday by impersonating a law enforcement officer, a lapse prison officials have called a serious failure in protocol. By the time his absence was noticed, Hardin had a 30-minute head start on foot in a region filled with natural cover and hidden hideouts.Hardin’s knowledge of the region poses key obstacle“He knows where the caves are,” said Darla Nix, a local café owner whose family knew Hardin. “He’s a survivor — very smart, very quiet. That’s what makes this so difficult.”Search crews, including local, state, and federal agencies, are using dogs, drones, and helicopters to comb through the vast, uneven terrain. But caves, hundreds of them, have become a central challenge in the manhunt.“There are a lot of places to hide and take shelter,” said Rand Champion, spokesman for the Arkansas department of corrections. “We’re talking about abandoned sheds, remote campsites, and caves that go deep underground. That’s been a key focus of our search teams.”Caves are central focus of search effortsHardin's escape has drawn comparisons to notorious fugitive Eric Rudolph, who evaded capture for years by hiding in the Appalachian Mountains. Experts say someone can survive underground for days or even weeks, especially in the cave-rich environment of the Ozarks.“There are nearly 2,000 documented caves in northern Arkansas,” said Michael Ray Taylor, a caving expert and author. “The entrances can look like nothing — a rabbit hole in the ground — but inside, there are enormous passageways. If someone like Hardin knows them, he could go days without being seen.”Still, Taylor pointed out a major risk: “You have to come out for food. That’s when you’re most vulnerable.”Hardin, a former police officer in multiple Arkansas towns, has a long history of misconduct and violent crime. His law enforcement career ended in disgrace after a series of firings and resignations, including an excessive force incident in Eureka Springs. In 2017, he was sentenced to 30 years for murdering James Appleton, the brother of Gateway’s mayor and 50 years for a 1997 rape.Hardin's past as a police chief and knowledge of the local terrain are making the pursuit even more complex. “He’s not just a fugitive,” said Champion. “He’s someone who knows how we operate.”Authorities urge vigilance as manhunt continuesAuthorities continue to urge residents across the Arkansas Ozarks to lock doors, secure vehicles, and report anything suspicious. As of Wednesday, one of the biggest concerns is the network of underground hideouts that could buy Hardin more time and make this manhunt last longer than anyone wants.“We’re not letting up,” said Champion. “But this is a hard place to disappear and a harder one to search.”