A new possible headshot of Grant Hardin, the former police chief of Gateway, Arkansas, who escaped from prison last week, shows what the fugitive known as “Devil in the Ozarks” might look like today as authorities continue their search for him.
The Arkansas Department of Corrections released the image of Hardin on social media Tuesday, saying the search for him is focused in north central Arkansas.
In contrast to a previous mugshot of the ex-police chief who was serving a 30-year sentence for rape and murder, the new possible photo of Hardin shows him with facial hair and he appears to be slimmer.
The corrections department also said investigators are using tips from the public to guide their search efforts.
Reward for information that leads to the capture of Hardin has also increased to $25,000, the Arkansas Department of Corrections said Tuesday. A $20,000 reward will come from the FBI and the $5,000 is from the U.S. Marshals.
Hardin escaped from the prison on May 25 by impersonating a corrections officer “in dress and manner,” according to a court document. A prison officer opened a secure gate, allowing him to leave the facility.
The outfit was not a standard inmate or correctional uniform, said Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Corrections. Officials are working to determine how he was either able to get the uniform or manufacture it himself.
An investigation into what led up to the escape “to help determine any assistance he may have had” was ongoing, the Arkansas Department of Corrections said.
Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip online at www.tips.fbi.gov.
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