Manhunt for 'Devil in the Ozarks' Grant Hardin: FBI Offers Reward

Intensive Manhunt Underway

• 🚨 An urgent, multi-agency manhunt is in progress for Grant Hardin, a convicted murderer and rapist, who escaped from an Arkansas prison.
• 🔍 Authorities are employing extensive resources, including land, air, and water searches, and are considering exploring the state's numerous caves.
• ⚠️ Hardin, described as the 'Devil of the Ozarks,' is considered armed and dangerous, with officials warning the community to stay vigilant.

Escape and Criminal History

• 🏃 Hardin, 56, escaped on Sunday by disguising himself as a prison guard.
• ⚖️ He was serving an 80-year sentence for a 2017 murder and his DNA also linked him to a decades-old rape case.

Community Safety and Vigilance

• 🏘️ Residents in small communities like Gateway are advised to lock their doors and be prepared.
• 📞 The public is urged to report any suspicious activity, no matter how minor, to law enforcement.

Search Efforts and Resources

• 💰 A $10,000 reward has been offered for information leading to Hardin's capture.
• 🚁 Search teams are utilizing canines, horses, drones, and helicopters in the rugged Ozarks terrain.
• 🏞️ Law enforcement is also searching waterways, abandoned cabins, and summer homes as potential hiding places.

Potential Escape Routes

• 🌊 An expert guide suggested waterways like Moxon Creek and the White River could be used for escape, though hypothermia is a risk.
• 🛤️ Following train tracks to access waterways is also considered a possible strategy to evade detection by dogs.
• 🌳 The rugged terrain and recent rain may have obscured tracks, making the search more challenging.