Grant Hardin, convicted murderer known as "Devil in the Ozarks," in custody nearly 2 weeks after Arkansas prison escape
Inmate known as "Devil of the Ozarks" escapes from prison dressed as officer
A former police chief known as the "Devil in the Ozarks" has been recaptured nearly two weeks after his escape on May 25 from an Arkansas prison, where he was serving decadeslong sentences for murder and rape, the Izard County Sheriff's Office said.
Grant Hardin escaped the Calico Rock prison by donning an outfit designed to look like a law enforcement uniform, officials have said.
He had been held at the prison since 2017 after pleading guilty to first-degree murder for fatally shooting 59-year-old James Appleton — a man he allegedly had multiple disputes with, according to the HBO documentary "Devil in the Ozarks." The fatal shooting happened following Hardin's brief time as the police chief of the small town of Gateway, Arkansas.
He was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder.
Hardin's DNA was then matched to the 1997 rape of a teacher at an elementary school in northwestern Arkansas. He pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and was sentenced to 25 years in prison for each count, for a total sentence of 50 years.
This is a developing story. It will be updated.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
One dead and four teenagers injured after a quintuple shooting in Milwaukee
Milwaukee police are investigating a quintuple shooting involving teenagers that left one dead and four wounded on Friday, June 20. The incident took place at about 10:50 p.m. on the 8300 block of West Brown Deer Road. The 19-year-old victim sustained fatal gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. The other four victims, two 16-year-olds, one 15-year-old and one 14-year-old, all sustained non-fatal gunshot wounds. They were transported to local hospitals for treatment. Their condition was unknown as of June 21. Milwaukee police said the investigation is ongoing, and they continue to seek unknown suspects. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Milwaukee Police at (414) 935-7360 or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (414) 224-Tips or P3 Tips. The incident comes just three days after a quadruple shooting on the 1000 block of West Mineral Street. The victims of that shooting include two 26-year-olds, a 27-year-old and a 34-year-old. All are expected to survive. There have been 251 non-fatal shootings in Milwaukee so far this year, according MPD crime statistics. That is a 6% decrease from 2024, which had 268 total non-fatal shootings by this time last year. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Quintuple shooting in Milwaukee leaves 1 dead, 4 injured, police say
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Toddler dies in hot car after ‘dad left him to get haircut and drink at bar for three hours'
An 18-month-old boy has died after he was allegedly left 'helpless in a hot truck' for over three hours by his father, who went for a haircut and then drinking at a local bar. Sebastian Gardner was found unresponsive in a parked vehicle on the afternoon of Friday, June 6, in Ormond Beach, Florida. Despite an officer's attempts to perform CPR at the scene, the child could not be revived. Medical personnel believe Sebastian's body temperature reached 111 degrees while trapped inside the vehicle. His father, 33-year-old Scott Allen Gardner, is accused of leaving him in the truck while he visited a bar after a haircut, according to ABC News. Gardner was arrested on Thursday, June 19, by the Volusia Sheriff's Office and Ormond Beach Police Department. He is charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect causing great bodily harm. Police say Gardner gave multiple false accounts of what happened before his arrest. In a tragic twist, the officer who had performed CPR on Sebastian was the same one who placed Gardner in handcuffs. In a statement, authorities said: 'Gardner is responsible for the death of his 18-month-old son Sebastian, who was left helpless in a hot truck for more than 3 hours on the afternoon of Friday, June 6, while Gardner got a haircut and then went drinking inside Hanky Panky's Lounge. 'It was estimated by medical personnel that Sebastian's body temperature reached 111 degrees during this tragedy. 'The same OBPD officer who tried to revive Sebastian placed Gardner in handcuffs today as he was taken into custody at his mother's home in Ormond Beach.' Police said the investigation remains ongoing, with more details expected to follow.
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Thieves accused in record $100 million jewelry heist also nabbed Apple AirTags and Samsung electronics, authorities claim
Seven California men allegedly orchestrated what federal prosecutors say is the largest jewelry theft in U.S. history, with millions in gems and lavish watches stolen from an armored truck following an international jewelry trade show. Two men were arrested last week, and all seven have been charged with conspiracy and theft, according to the Department of Justice. From the dark evening hours until the early morning of July 11, 2022, a crew of California men allegedly stalked a Brinks armored semi truck for 300 miles. The truck made its way south from an international jewelry expo in San Mateo in the San Francisco Bay Area, to rest stops in Buttonwillow and Lebec, California, both north of Los Angeles. The truck was carrying 73 bags of jewelry including pink sapphires in cushion cuts, deep-blue sapphires showing rare six-pointed stars, emeralds with sizable carat weights, and jade green pendants surrounded by diamonds. The seven-man crew allegedly struck in the morning while the truck was in Lebec, after plotting the heist for three days, authorities alleged in an indictment unsealed this month. The group allegedly stole 24 bags of gems including diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and expensive jewelry and Rolex watches from the Brinks truck. Victims later valued the haul at $100 million, making the alleged robbery the largest heist in U.S. history, according to prosecutors. The seven-man crew then allegedly brought the stolen goods to east Hollywood and each proceeded to deactivate their cellphone numbers in the days after the alleged caper. The indictment, returned this week, charged the seven California men with two counts of conspiracy to commit theft, among other theft and robbery charges. Each defendant faces five years in federal prison for theft conspiracy and 10 years for each theft charge. According to authorities, the men charged include Carlos Victor Mestanza Cercado, 31, of Pasadena; Jazael Padilla Resto, 36, of Boyle Heights and currently an inmate in Arizona state prison; Pablo Raul Lugo Larroig, 41, of Rialto; Victor Hugo Valencia Solorzano, 60, of the Rampart Village neighborhood of Los Angeles; Jorge Enrique Alban, 33, of South Los Angeles; Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores, 42, of Upland; and Eduardo Macias Ibarra, 36, of the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles. Messages left for Cercado, Lugo Larroig, and Alban were unreturned and attempts to reach Padilla Resto, Valencia Solorzano, Flores, and Ibarra were unsuccessful. In what is considered to be the largest jewelry heist in U.S. history, 7 men were charged for breaking into a Brinks semitruck and stealing approximately $100 million worth of gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds & watches being transported in 2022. Details: — FBI Los Angeles (@FBILosAngeles) June 18, 2025 Authorities alleged in the indictment that this wasn't the crew's first rodeo. The court documents show the alleged thieves are accused of striking trucks and drivers for months before the massive jewelry heist allegedly took place. Back in March 2022, Mestanza, Lugo Larroig, Valencia Solorzano and other conspirators allegedly hunted a truck hauling electronics from Ontario, California, out for delivery. On March 2, the truck driver stopped at a store in Ontario and while the trio allegedly distracted him inside, others fled with $240,573 worth of Samsung devices, authorities alleged. They allegedly brought the goods to Padilla's place, where he took photos of the stolen electronics. Then on March 11, Lugo Larroig allegedly served as a scout while Mestanza, Padilla, Valencia Solorzano, Alban and others allegedly trailed a box truck carrying Apple AirTags from China to be delivered to a warehouse in Fontana, California. When the driver stopped for food in Fontana, the four served as lookouts around the restaurant, according to court documents. However, authorities say the driver caught the group trying to steal the AirTags and a confrontation ensued. One allegedly yelled at the driver, 'Don't move or I will f—k you up!' while holding a small knife, authorities alleged. The four eventually made off with the stolen Apple gear, valued at $57,377, authorities claim. On May 2, 2022, the group was allegedly at it again and drove to a truck stop in Fontana to target a semi truck. At the rest stop, one of the defendants allegedly used a crowbar to break into a truck. The group later stole Samsung electronics valued at $14,081, authorities alleged. Following the May haul, the group allegedly spent three separate days scouting the jewelry show before following the Brinks truck on the evening of July 10. Authorities said search warrants carried out last week recovered some of the $100 million in jewelry stolen in the heist. In a statement, a Brinks spokesperson told Fortune the company appreciated law enforcement's work in resolving the theft. 'Like everyone, we want to see those responsible brought to justice and the stolen goods returned,' the spokesperson said. Representatives from Apple and Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This story was originally featured on
