FBI Offers $20,000 Reward for Escaped Arkansas Inmate

Authorities continue to search for escaped inmate Grant Matthew Hardin, who fled from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock, Arkansas, on Sunday, May 25. The FBI’s Little Rock Field Office is now offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to his arrest.

Hardin, 56, was serving a 30-year sentence for first-degree murder and an additional sentence for rape. A former police chief in Gateway, Arkansas, he had been incarcerated since 2017. According to the Arkansas Department of Corrections, Hardin escaped around 3:40 p.m. while wearing what appeared to be a fake law enforcement uniform. He was not wearing any standard prison clothing, and all DOC gear was accounted for after the escape.

An arrest warrant was issued for Hardin on May 26 by the Circuit Court of Izard County for second-degree escape. He is considered armed and dangerous, and authorities say he may still be in Arkansas. He has known ties to Garfield, Eureka Springs, Holiday Island, and Huntsville.

Multiple agencies, including the Arkansas State Police, U.S. Marshals Service, and the FBI, are assisting in the ongoing search. Investigators are also working to determine whether Hardin had help escaping.

Anyone with information on Hardin’s location is urged not to approach him and to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov. Your Tips can remain anonymous.

Hardin is described as a white male, 6’0” to 6’2” tall, weighing about 259 pounds, with blue eyes and a bald head.

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