US authorities release photo rendering of 'Devil in the Ozarks' as manhunt continues
Share this @internewscast.com

Arkansas authorities have released a photo rendering of a convicted murderer and former police chief known as the “Devil in the Ozarks ” as the search for the escaped inmate entered its second week.

The new image was released as state legislators raised concerns about Hardin’s escape and said they planned to conduct a review of how it occurred.

The Arkansas Department of Corrections said the photo rendering of Grant Hardin, 56, depicts how he may look after he escaped May 25 from the Calico Rock prison.

This combo of images provided by the Arkansas Department of Corrections shows an actual photo of inmate Grant Hardin, left, and a photo rendering of the convicted former police chief known as the Devil in the Ozarks" as the search for the escaped inmate headed into its second week. (Arkansas Department of Corrections via AP)
The rendering shows Grant Hardin with some hair on his head and face. (AP)

The rendering shows Hardin with some hair on his head and face.

Authorities have said Hardin escaped by donning an outfit designed to look like a law enforcement uniform.

Rand Champion, a department spokesperson, said officials are focusing their search on the north-central Arkansas region where the prison is located.

Tips from elsewhere about potential Hardin sightings have come in, but so far none have panned out, Champion said.

Hardin, a former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border, was serving lengthy sentences for murder and rape.

He was the subject of the TV documentary Devil in the Ozarks.

Hardin was housed in a maximum-security wing of the primarily medium-security prison, formally known as the North Central Unit.

Officials are investigating whether a job Hardin held in the kitchen aided in his escape, including whether it gave him access to materials he could have used to fashion his makeshift uniform.

The co-chairs of a legislative subcommittee overseeing the prison system told the head of the state Board of Corrections that they planned to conduct a review of any “inadequacies or deviations” from security protocols that allowed Hardin to escape.

Area legislators have raised questions about why Hardin was being held at the Calico Rock facility.

The letter was sent on Monday by Republican Representative Howard Beaty and Senator Matt McKee to Benny Magness, who heads the state board.

“Given Hardin’s background as a former law enforcement officer and his history of working for multiple law enforcement agencies, it is evident that he possesses knowledge and skills that enabled him to exploit weaknesses in our security protocols,” the lawmakers wrote.

“His manipulation of the system by wearing a disguise resembling a uniform is disturbing and speaks to a broader system failure.”

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Homeless Individual Apprehended in Waldo for Alleged Possession of Stolen Scooters from Gainesville

In a recent development out of Waldo, Florida, a 69-year-old man, Charlie…

Teen Charged Following Double Stabbing in Melbourne Train Station Brawl: Afternoon Chaos Unfolds

One teenager has been charged others are on the run after a…

Controversy Erupts as OSU Official’s Son Avoids Prison After Conviction for Violent Assault on Two High School Girls

An Oklahoma teenager, charged with the rape and assault of two high…

Parole Meeting Follows Alleged Murder: Man Accused of Killing Girlfriend Amidst Legal Supervision

Inset: Davarius James (Escambia County Jail). Background: Home in Pensacola, Florida, where…

Alleged Threat to ‘Execute’ Trump on South Lawn Sparks National Security Alert

Main: President Donald Trump delivers the Memorial Day Address at the 157th…

Mother Faces Charges Following Tragic Accident Resulting in Children’s Deaths

Staff Report GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Christina Shantell Gordan, aged 29, is facing…

Hit-and-Run Horror: Driver Accused of Striking Kids on Minibike and Fleeing Scene

Background: News footage of the intersection in Lisbon, Wis. where two children…

Vigilantes Detained: Deputies Intervene After Community Takes Action Against Predator

Background: A man collapses and hits his head after several men reportedly…

Shocking Incident: Caregiver Allegedly Burns Patient with Lighter, Claims Wasp Attack – Police Investigate

Share A healthcare worker in Louisiana is facing allegations of using a…

Individual Discovered Concealed in Stormwater Drain While Evading Arrest in NSW

A man sought for alleged domestic violence offenses was apprehended after hiding…

Kilmar Abrego Garcia Targets Todd Blanche: Legal Showdown on the Horizon?

Left: Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche listens during a news conference about…

Suspect Arrested Following Unprovoked Sydney Stabbing, Victim in Critical Condition

A man has been apprehended following a seemingly unprovoked stabbing incident on…