'Devil in the Ozarks' Receives Additional 13 Years

Grant Hardin pleaded guilty to second-degree escape after walking away from prison in 2025.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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Grant Hardin, known as the 'Devil in the Ozarks', has been sentenced to an additional 13 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree escape. Hardin walked away from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock, Arkansas in May 2025 and was captured after a two-week manhunt near Moccasin Creek in Izard County. He is currently serving an 80-year sentence for rape and murder and will now serve the new 13-year sentence consecutively.

Why it matters

Hardin was the focus of a television documentary called 'Devil in the Ozarks' which detailed his convictions for the rape of a Rogers teacher and the murder of James Appleton. This additional sentence highlights the continued efforts to keep dangerous criminals off the streets and the challenges faced by law enforcement in recapturing escaped inmates.

The details

According to Izard County Sheriff Charley Melton, Hardin entered a guilty plea in Izard County Circuit Court on Tuesday and was sentenced to 13 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. The new sentence will run consecutively to Hardin's existing 80-year prison term.

  • Hardin walked away from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock in May 2025.
  • After a two-week manhunt, Hardin was located near Moccasin Creek in Izard County in May 2025.
  • Hardin entered his guilty plea and was sentenced on February 18, 2026.

The players

Grant Hardin

Also known as the 'Devil in the Ozarks', Hardin is a convicted rapist and murderer who escaped from prison in 2025 and was recently sentenced to an additional 13 years for second-degree escape.

Charley Melton

The Izard County Sheriff who oversaw the investigation and capture of Hardin after his 2025 prison escape.

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What they’re saying

“After a two-week manhunt, Arkansas law enforcement officers along with U.S. Border Patrol agents located him near Moccasin Creek in Izard County, just over a mile from the prison.”

— Charley Melton, Izard County Sheriff (ecommnewsnetwork.com)

What’s next

Hardin is currently being held at the Varner SuperMax Unit in Gould, Arkansas.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in recapturing dangerous escaped inmates and the importance of robust security measures in correctional facilities to prevent such incidents from occurring in the first place.