A former police chief serving decades behind bars for murder and rape is on the run, authorities have warned the public.

Grant Matthew Hardin, aged 56, is deemed armed and dangerous after his escape from Calico Rock Prison in north-central Arkansas on Sunday, May 25, 2025, as reported by the FBI. A reward of $10,000 is being offered for details leading to his capture following his escape on charges of second-degree escape, adding to his prior convictions for the 1997 rape of a schoolteacher and the 2017 murder of James Appleton, aged 59.

Based on a probable cause affidavit filed Tuesday with the Izard County Clerk’s Office, reviewed by Oxygen, it’s alleged that Hardin “impersonated a corrections officer,” allowing him to pass through a secure gate and simply “walk away from the North Central Unit.”

“Investigations determined that Hardin wore a disguise resembling a law enforcement outfit during his escape from the facility,” stated the Arkansas Department of Corrections. “He was not in a Department of Corrections uniform, and all DOC-issued gear has been accounted for.”

The brazen escape took place at around 2:55 p.m., though inaccurate reports previously placed the time of escape at 3:40 p.m., according to the state agency.

In 2020, the small-town police chief from Gateway, Arkansas — part of Benton County in the state’s northwesternmost corner — was the subject of Oxygen’s Cold Justice: Sex Crimes, a spinoff of the popular Cold Justice, available to watch now on Peacock.

The 2017 murder of James Appleton

Hardin was serving a 30-year sentence after pleading guilty to the February 23, 2017, murder of city water worker James Appleton of Gateway, Arkansas, as previously reported by Oxygen.

According to NBC News, Appleton — the brother-in-law of Gateway’s then-mayor, Andrew Tillman —  was found shot to death in his truck moments after a passerby spotted Hardin in a white car parked behind Appleton.

Hardin had served as the town’s police chief for four months in early 2016.

Tillman reported being on the phone with his wife’s brother when the shooting took place. He described hearing what sounded like a car door slamming, and “that was it,” according to charging documents cited by CNN.

The passerby who reported seeing Hardin told authorities he heard “a loud bang” soon after, according to NBC News. He said he watched the white car in his rearview mirror, racing behind him before turning off onto a dirt road.

When the witness turned around to inspect the scene, he found Appleton slumped over, dead.

A motive for the crime remains unknown.

In October of that year, Hardin pleaded guilty to first-degree murder charges, something he allegedly regretted. His court-appointed attorney, Shane Wilkinson, told CNN Hardin was unhappy with him and expressed a desire to have his plea withdrawn.

How murder charges helped close an unsolved cold case

Former Benton County Prosecuting Attorney Nathan Smith said DNA collected from Hardin following his 2017 murder conviction led authorities to the unsolved rape of Amy Harrison, according to NBC News. In November 1997, Harrison, a third-grade teacher, had been preparing lessons at Frank Tillery Elementary School in nearby Rogers, Arkansas, when approached by a man with a gun.

As detailed in Cold Justice: Sex Crimes, the 27-year-old wife of a cop possessed the knowledge to note details about her attacker. He wore a stocking cap over his face and sunglasses, and she reported that he had no shoes and dirty socks.

Hardin proceeded to rape Harrison inside a school bathroom and again in a classroom, according to NBC News. He asked the victim if she recognized his voice.

Cold Justice: Sex Crimes host Casey Garrett told Oxygen, “Her hubby was a cop, so the whole cavalry came out … they swabbed that entire town.”

Hardin again pleaded guilty to two counts of rape in February 2019 and was sentenced to another 50 years in prison.

Hardin’s escape reopens old wounds

Gateway Mayor Cheryl Tillman — the wife of former Mayor Andrew Tillman — said it was “very scary” to know her brother’s killer was on the loose, and like reliving it all over again,” according to CNN.

“He’s just an evil, evil man,” Tillman continued to the outlet. “I’m sure the people here in Gateway are worried about him breaking out of prison after what he’s done.”

Former prosecutor Smith, speaking to Fort Smith’s ABC affiliate KHBS, called Hardin “a sociopath.”

“He’s extremely dangerous. He’s already proven that he has no moral core or center that would prevent him from doing anything.”

The FBI alert stated Hardin has ties to several Arkansas locations, including Garfield, Eureka Springs, Holiday Island, and Huntsville.

Concerns exist that Hardin may outsmart those pursuing him due to his background in law enforcement. According to NBC News, Hardin was keen enough to wipe his fingerprints from the scene of Harrison’s 1997 rape.

Officials said Hardin served as a Benton County constable from 2008 to 2012, according to KHBS. In 2016 and 2017, he reportedly attended Missouri Southern State University, where he studied criminal justice while also working for the Northwest Arkansas Community Corrections Center in Fayetteville.

He was allegedly let go from a job at the Eureka Springs Police Department for using excessive force, according to the ABC affiliate.

Cheryl Tillman told CNN Hardin was dismissed from city council “because of the way he was treating the citizens here in Gateway.” She cited him as a person “very hard to get along with” and unpredictable.

The search for Grant Hardin continues

Thursday, May 29, 2025, marks day five of Hardin’s Memorial Day weekend escape, and a handful of law enforcement teams have joined the search, as stated by local, state, and federal agencies.

The FBI in Little Rock is assisting the United States Marshals Service, the state’s Department of Corrections, and the Arkansas State Police as the search for Hardin continues. The suspect is described as a white, bald male, approximately six feet tall and weighing 260 pounds.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI’s toll-free tipline immediately at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).