A former Arkansas police chief found guilty of rape and murder was captured by the authorities nearly two weeks after his flight from prison.
Grant Hardin was captured at only 1.5 mile (2.5 km) from the prison. The authorities say that he wore a disguise to appear as if he was an agent of the police when he broke out.
His identity was confirmed by the analysis of fingerprints after being resumed, according to the Sheriff’s office of the County of Izard in the north of Arkansas.
Hardin escaped from prison on May 25 by “wearing a makeshift outfit designed to imitate the application of laws”, according to officials. The escape came as he was serving a 30 -year prison sentence for murder and a 50 -year sentence for rape.
The officials say he was arrested Friday around 3:45 p.m.
“We sincerely appreciate the continuous support of the community for all the police and the staff of the Correctional Services Department involved in this operation,” said the Sheriff’s office in a press release.
According to the Arkansas Correctional Services department, it was captured after following the dogs picked up its perfume near Moccasin Creek in the county of Izard.
Arkansas’ governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said residents “could push a sigh of relief” now that he had been caught.
She then thanked the federal officials of the application of the laws that helped the excavation and thanked the Ministry of Internal Security for having sent border patrol agents.
The former Gateway police chief Arkansas had been nicknamed the “devil in the Ozarks” following his convictions.
Hardin pleaded guilty of first degree murder after killing James Appleton, 59, in 2017. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Mr. Appleton worked in the city waters department. He was killed by speaking with his brother-in-law, the mayor of Gateway, Andrew Tillman, on February 23, 2017.
While serving time for the murder of Mr. Appleton, DNA evidence appeared connecting Hardin to the long unresolved rape of Amy Harrison in Frank Tillery primary school in Rogers, Arkansas, in November 1997.
Hardin pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 50 years.
Before becoming Gateway police chief Hardin was an officer at the Eureka Springs police service.
His arrest comes one day after sending an elite unit of border patrol to search the mountainous land known for its vast system of caves.
Border Patrol’s tactical team (BORTAC) was deployed on the Texas border, the agency announced on Thursday.
In a press release, the chief agent of the Patrol Gloria Chavez said that the “unique capacities and training of the team are well suited to the requirements of this critical mission”.
