Connect with us

Arkansas

‘Devil in the Ozarks’ fugitive captured after 12-day Arkansas manhunt

Published

on

‘Devil in the Ozarks’ fugitive captured after 12-day Arkansas manhunt


play

A former Arkansas police chief who escaped from a prison where he was serving decades-long sentences for murder and rape was captured June 6 after a 12-day manhunt involving federal, state and local law enforcement.

Advertisement

Grant Hardin, known as the “Devil in the Ozarks,” was caught around 3 p.m. local time just a mile and a half from the prison he escaped nearly two weeks earlier, according to Arkansas Department of Corrections spokesperson Rand Champion. Hardin, 56, was thought to have fled the state.

Tracking dogs picked up Hardin’s scent west of the prison near Moccasin Creek in Izard County, according to Champion. Photos of Hardin’s arrest show him wearing a sullied shirt. His face appears thinner than in earlier mugshots.

“Thanks to the great work of local, state and federal law enforcement Arkansans can breathe a sigh of relief and I can confirm that violent criminal Grant Hardin is back in custody,” said Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “I am grateful for all law enforcement who contributed to his capture and give special thanks to the Trump administration and Secretary Kristi Noem, who sent a team from Border Patrol that was instrumental in tracking and apprehending Hardin.”

Arkansas law enforcement authorities and U.S. Border Patrol agents participated in the arrest, according to Champion.

Advertisement

“This was a great joint operation by a number of agencies, and I’m so thankful for their tireless efforts,” said Dexter Payne, director of the Arkansas Division of Correction. “The Arkansas State Police, U.S. Marshals, FBI, Border Patrol, Game and Fish, all the state and local agencies, along with the dedication of our Department employees, all played an indispensable role and I express my extreme gratitude.”

Hardin had gained notoriety as the subject of the 2023 documentary “Devil in the Ozarks’’ about his 1997 rape of a school teacher and 2017 murder of a water department worker.

Hardin fled the North Central Unit prison in Calico Rock, Arkansas, through a secure entryway on May 25 wearing a fake law enforcement uniform. His disguise caused a corrections officer to open a gate and let him walk out of the medium-security facility.

Advertisement

Discover WITNESS: Access our exclusive collection of true crime stories, podcasts, videos and more

The escape followed the May 16 jailbreak of 10 inmates in New Orleans – several of them charged with murder – which drew national attention and caused consternation in area communities.

Hardin was regarded as no less dangerous a fugitive. In 2017 he was convicted of killing James Appleton, an employee of the northwest Arkansas town of Gateway whose brother-in-law, Andrew Tillman, was the mayor. Tillman told investigators they were talking on the phone when Appleton was shot to death in his pickup truck.

A DNA test conducted following the murder connected Hardin to an unresolved 1997 rape in Rogers, Arkansas, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in the case. The teacher was attacked at gunpoint after leaving her classroom to go to a restroom near the teacher’s lounge, according to the affidavit.

Like true crime? Check out Witness: A library of true crime stories

Advertisement

Where did Hardin work in law enforcement?

Hardin’s combined convictions, including two counts of rape, added up to 80 years in prison sentences.

“He’s a sociopath,’’ former Benton County prosecutor Nathan Smith told Arkansas ABC affiliate KHBS/KHOG. “Prison’s not full of people who are all bad. It’s full of a lot of people who just do bad things. Grant’s different.’’

Hardin had an erratic career in Arkansas law enforcement starting in 1990, working for police departments in Fayetteville, Huntsville and Eureka Springs before briefly serving as Gateway’s police chief in 2016.

Advertisement

He was fired from the Fayetteville job after less than a year because of subpar performance and failure to accept constructive criticism, according to KHBS/KHOG. In Huntsville, where he worked from April 1993 to October 1996, the former police chief told the TV station Hardin used excessive force and made poor decisions.

Escaping from prison, for which he now faces charges, may be just the latest one.

Contributing: N’dea Yancey-Bragg, Michael Loria and James Powel, USA TODAY



Source link

Advertisement

Arkansas

What channel is Arkansas basketball vs Arizona on today? March Madness game time, TV, streaming

Published

on

What channel is Arkansas basketball vs Arizona on today? March Madness game time, TV, streaming


play

Darius Acuff Jr. and the fourth-seeded Arkansas Razorbacks will face Brayden Burries and the top-seeded Arizona Wildcats as the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament continues with the Sweet 16 Thursday in San Jose, California.

The Razorbacks (28-8) reached the West Region semifinals by beating Hawaii and High Point. Meanwhile, the Wildcats (34-2) beat Long Island and Utah State.

Advertisement

Here’s how to watch the Razorbacks-Wildcats game, including time, TV schedule and streaming information:

Watch March Madness live with Sling TV

What time is Arkansas vs Arizona today? When is NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game today?

  • Date: Thursday, March 26
  • Start time: 8:45 p.m. CT
  • Where: SAP Center in San Jose, California

What channel is Arkansas vs Arizona on today? How to watch, stream NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

  • TV: TBS/truTV
  • How to watch online: Sling (free trial)

Advertisement

Arkansas vs Arizona betting odds for March Madness Sweet 16 game

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, March 26:

  • Moneyline: ARI -375 | ARK +290
  • Spread: Arizona (-8.5)
  • Over/under: 165.5

All times CT

All times CT

Advertisement

Print your own March Madness bracket for 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament



Source link

Continue Reading

Arkansas

Arkansas vs. Arizona Prediction, Odds, Best Prop Bet for NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

Published

on

Arkansas vs. Arizona Prediction, Odds, Best Prop Bet for NCAA Tournament Sweet 16


The Arkansas Razorbacks parlayed an SEC Tournament Championship into two straight wins to start their NCAA Tournament run, getting past Hawaii and High Point in impressive fashion. Now, they’ll face their toughest challenge yet, a Sweet 16 showdown with the 1-seed Arizona Wildcats.

Arizona cruised past both Long Island University and Utah State in the first two rounds, and still has just two losses on its record all season. As you’d expect, they’re favored in this SEC vs. Big 12 showdown. Let’s take a look.

Arkansas vs. Arizona Odds, Spread, and Total

Advertisement

Odds via Caesars Sportsbook

Spread

  • Arkansas +7.5 (-110)
  • Arizona -7.5 (-110)

Advertisement

Moneyline

  • Arkansas +278
  • Arizona -355

Total

  • OVER 166.5 (-110)
  • UNDER 166.5 (-110)

Arkansas vs. Arizona How to Watch

  • Date: Thursday, March 6
  • Game Time: 9:45 pm ET
  • Venue: SAP Center at San Jose
  • How to Watch (TV): CBS
  • Arkansas Record: 28-8
  • Arizona Record: 34-2

Arkansas vs. Arizona Betting Trends

  • The OVER is 9-2 in Arkansas’ last 11 games
  • The OVER is 5-1 in Arkansas’ last six games vs. Big 12 opponents
  • Arkansas is 12-5 ATS in its last 17 games as an underdog
  • Arizona is 4-1 ATS in its last five games
  • The OVER is 4-2 in Arizona’s last six games
  • Arizona is 5-1 ATS in its last six games vs. SEC opponents

Arkansas vs. Arizona Best Prop Bet

  • Brayden Burries OVER 17.5 Points (-106) via FanDuel

Brayden Burries has a chance to have a phenomenal performance on Thursday night. Arkansas may be a strong offensive team, but its defense leaves a lot to be desired. They rank 200th in the country in defensive efficiency and are allowing 80.3 points per game this season, which ranks 325th. If Burries brings his best stuff, the Razorbacks are going to be in trouble.

Advertisement

Arkansas vs. Arizona Prediction and Pick

Let’s try our best not to overreact to Arkansas being in the Sweet 16. They had a relatively easy path to win the SEC Championship, squeaking by both Oklahoma and Ole Miss by just three points before beating Vanderbilt in the final, completely avoiding the Florida Gators. Then, in the NCAA Tournament, they had the easiest path to the Sweet 16, getting to face a 13-seed and a 12-seed in the first two rounds.

The Arizona Wildcats are no joke and will be by far the Razorbacks’ biggest challenge. There’s a case to be made that Arizona is the best team in the country, and they have the interior defense to completely shut down the Arkansas offense. The Razorbacks rank 50th in the country in two-point shot rate. Now, they have to face an Arizona defense that ranks second in the country in opponent two-point field goal percentage, keeping teams to shooting just 43.7% from two-point range.

Arizona also mainly shoots two-point shots, ranking third in two-point shot rate, and now they get to face an Arkansas team that ranks 278th in opponent two-point field goal percentage, allowing teams to shoot 54% from two-point range.

Advertisement

This is a nightmare matchup for Arkansas.

Advertisement

Pick: Arizona -7.5 (-110)


Get 10 100% Boosts when you claim your Caesars Sportsbook new user promo using code SIBONUSDYW. Sign up, deposit at least $10, and place your first real-money wager. Regardless of the outcome, you’ll earn 10 100% profit boosts.

Advertisement

Follow Iain on X and Instagram

Advertisement

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

You can check out all of Iain’s bets here!

Add us as a preferred source on Google





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Arkansas

Community rallies behind Arkansas mother, GoFundMe more than doubles in less than 24 hours

Published

on

Community rallies behind Arkansas mother, GoFundMe more than doubles in less than 24 hours


An Arkansas mother fighting for her life is now facing her transplant journey with renewed hope after an overwhelming surge of community support.

Just one day after sharing her story, 31-year-old Brittany Slater’s GoFundMe has skyrocketed from $4,300 to over $22,000; more than doubling her original $10,000 goal in less than 24 hours.

Slater, a mother of two, is battling both advanced kidney disease and heart failure.

She has been approved for a rare dual kidney and heart transplant, but needed financial help to cover expenses during a required 12-week recovery period away from home.

Advertisement

Since the story aired Tuesday afternoon, donations have poured in from 249 contributors. Among them, one person gave $2,000, three donated $1,000 each, and several others contributed hundreds more, reflecting what Slater calls an outpouring of love from both her local community and strangers.

“I was actually at the grocery store when it happened,” Slater said. “My mom called and told me to check it, and I just sat in the parking lot for about an hour crying. I was just full of joy. It was wonderful.”

The financial milestone is doing more than easing immediate concerns; it’s shifting Slater’s mindset as she prepares for the fight ahead.

“It’s making me want to push even harder, to keep fighting even harder,” she said. “If you’re going through something like this, don’t give up. Just keep going and have faith.”

The funds will help cover temporary housing near the transplant center, caregiving needs, childcare for her children, and basic living expenses like food and gas during recovery.

Advertisement

While insurance, including Medicare, is expected to cover much of the transplant itself, the additional costs tied to recovery created a significant burden for the family.

Slater’s mother, Carmenlita Bryant, who is also undergoing chemotherapy, started the fundraiser and said the response has brought both relief and reassurance during an already difficult time.

“It brings a lot of relief,” Bryant said. “Just knowing she’ll be away for three months and we have to figure out care for her children, this takes a huge burden off of us.”

Bryant said she never expected the level of support her daughter received, calling the response overwhelming.

“It just showed me that humanity still exists,” she said. “People who don’t even know us read her story and gave. We’re just so grateful.”

Advertisement

For Slater, the support goes beyond financial help; it’s a message she plans to carry with her into surgery and recovery.

“I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart,” she said. “Every donation, every prayer, it all means so much to me and my family.”

If you would like to support Brittany, you can access her GoFundMe here.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending