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A survivalist is issuing a warning for hikers and outdoorsmen in the Ozarks of Arkansas: steer clear of the area.
Shawn Hendrix’s cautionary message coincides with the ongoing manhunt for Grant Hardin, 56, a former Chief of the Gateway Police Department, who escaped from a medium-security prison in Calico Rock on Sunday, May 25, as reported by the Arkansas Department of Corrections (ADC).
Nicknamed the “Devil in the Ozarks,” Hardin was serving decades in prison for murder and rape.
Expressing his concerns to Fox News Digital, Hendrix emphasized the risks Hardin faces in the wilderness, highlighting the potential dangers of sustaining injuries or contracting a foodborne illness, such as drinking contaminated water. Hendrix expressed hope that such circumstances, like dysentery or severe food or waterborne illnesses, would expedite Hardin’s capture from the forests. His primary apprehension lies in the lack of awareness that hikers, campers, or hunters may have if they were to encounter Hardin unexpectedly.
Although authorities had previously assumed Hardin was still within the Ozarks area, the development of a federal complaint filed on May 30 introduced a new perspective – the possibility that Hardin might have fled to another state. This revelation surfaced during a news briefing by Champion, where he mentioned the confidence the authorities had in the suspected route Hardin took during his escape.
Based on two unconfirmed sightings, including one in Missouri on May 26, a day after Hardin escaped, federal officials believe he’s not in Arkansas anymore, as The Arkansas Democrat Gazette first reported.
“He has extensive knowledge of the Ozark Mountain region, where he is believed to be possibly hiding in caves or rugged terrain that he is familiar with,” Deputy U.S. Marshal Robert J. Hammons wrote in the criminal complaint, according to the Gazette.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
