Arkansas legislators grilled representatives from the state’s Department of Corrections on Thursday concerning the escape of a notorious inmate known as the “Devil in the Ozarks” in late May.
Grant Hardin, aged 56, a convicted murderer and rapist, was apprehended on June 6, approximately 1.5 miles north-northwest of the North Central Unit prison, from which he had escaped on May 25, according to the Izard County Sheriff’s Office.
During a Thursday hearing, DOC Chairman Benny Magness informed Arkansas State Sen. Fredrick Love that while no officials had directly assisted Hardin in his escape, a kitchen supervisor had allowed the inmate — who was employed in the kitchen — to work on the back dock unsupervised, a violation of policy, according to Magness.
“Then, the guy in the tower that let him through the gate…you don’t open that gate for anybody or anything when there’s not a ground person there to verify who it is who is wanting to exit the prison,” Magness said, adding that those two employees were terminated for workplace violations.
Grant Hardin was captured on June 6, less than two miles from the correctional facility where he escaped on May 25. (U.S. Border Patrol)
Multiple federal, state and local agencies were involved in the search for Hardin in the weeks following his escape.
“I’m incredibly appreciative to all of our dedicated law enforcement agencies that spent countless hours, both day and night, sacrificing their time, utilizing their resources and lending their invaluable expertise to this search,” Arkansas Secretary of Corrections Lindsay Wallace said after Hardin was captured on June 6.
“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.”
