<SOT FROM KG PACKAGE AT 6> áánat biteáá "That man is evil" THE SEARCH CONTINUES FOR THE FORMER LOCAL POLICE CHIEF - TURNED CONVICTED MURDERER AND RAPIST - TURNED ESCAPED INMATE. WE HAVE THE LATEST SEARCH EFFORTS TO FIND GRANT HARDIN. PLUS -- THE NEW CHARGES FILED AGAINST HIM AFTER HE WALKED OUT OF THE PRISON IN A OFFICER'S TYPE UNIFORM. <SOT RAND CHAMPION FROM THE ABC NEWS PKG-- ChiefOnTheRunTuePKG> "It does look like it was handmade and manufactured in a lot of ways" OFFICIALS ARE WARNING THE PUBLIC TO STAY VIGILANT "We as citizens, as public officials need the help be the eyes and ears in those cases where we can if we see something that's out of place TONIGHT - REACTION FROM FIRST RESPONDER WHO WAS TOOK THE HOMICIDE CALL THAT NIGHT IN 2017 "We responded to Gann Ridge Rd for a potential homicide we got there, it was, very horrific scene" NOW -- FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE MAN KILLED - WHO HAVE CLOSE TIES TO THIS STORY - REACT. "It took me up until this year to drive that road. So now I don't know if I can do it again..." THANKS FOR JOINING US-- I'M ALLISON WISE. AND I'M BRANDON EVANS. IT'S NOW NIGHT á3á OF THE SEARCH FOR AN ESCAPED INMATE, WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE A FORMER POLICE CHIEF FROM NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. 40-29'S CHIP SCARBOROUGH IS LIVE IN BENTON COUNTY TONIGHT WHERE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT IS ASSISTING WITH THE HIGH-PROFILE SEARCH. CHIP? AUTHORITIES ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE OF ARKANSAS ARE ON HIGH-ALERT TONIGHT. ON THE LOOKOUT FOR GRANT HARDIN, WHO ONCE SERVED AS POLICE CHIEF IN GATEWAY BEFORE BEING CONVICTED OF MURDER AND RAPE. AND TONIGHT, WE'VE LEARNED HE'S NOW BEING CHARGED WITH SECOND-DEGREE ESCAPE. THIS IS A WANTED POSTER, RELEASED BY THE ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. SHOWING THE MAN AUTHORITIES ARE ANXIOUS TRACK DOWN. GRANT HARDIN! HE ESCAPED FROM THE NORTH CENTRAL UNIT PRISON IN CALICO ROCK ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON. WE GOT AN UPDATE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TONIGHT. "There have been numerous leads throughout this process. Any one that we get in we take seriously and are investigated. Due to where we're located, a lot of those leads are in the woods with canines." INVESTIGATORS DESCRIBE IT AS AN ACTIVE 48-HOUR STRETCH THAT'S ALSO INCLUDED THE USE OF DRONES AND ANY RESOURCE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS CAN GET THEIR HANDS ON. AS THE SEARCH INTENSIFIES, SO DO QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW HARDIN WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE. THE ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS SAYS IT IS LOOKING INTO EVERYTHING THAT POTENTIALLY LED UP TO IT. "You know, there was probably a lot of foresight. A lot of planning. You know, his background as a law enforcement officer probably gave him some more insight than probably the typical prisoner would have." RIGHT NOW, AUTHORITIES SAY THEY WANT TO RESOLVE THINGS QUICKLY AND PEACEFULLY. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY'VE EXPANDED THE SEARCH AREA SINCE IT'S NOW BEEN MORE THAN 48 HOURS. "You know, all of our people here are confident that he is still fairly close by. Just with the information and the leads that we've had. We're not ruling anything out." INVESTIGATORS SAY THEY REALLY NEED THAT ONE CREDIBLE TIP FROM THE PUBLIC TO BREAK THIS CASE. THEY'RE ALSO ASKING PEOPLE áNOTá TO TRY AND RESOLVE THIS ON THEIR OWN, IF THEY ENCOUNTER GRANT HARDIN. LIVE IN BENTON COUNTY, CHIP SCARBOROUGH, 40-29 NEWS. AND POTENTIALLY NO ONE IS MORE UPSET BY THIS DEVELOPING STORY THAN THE MAYOR OF GATEWAY-- NOT JUST BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE MURDER HAPPENED IN 2017. THE VICTIM -- JAMES APPLETON -- WAS HER BROTHER. SHE SAYS SHE WAS WITH HER HUSBAND ANDREW ON SUNDAY -- WHEN ALL THOSE FEELINGS CAME ROARING BACK. <"I was sitting in my chair and my phone kept blowing up and I thought 'what in the world' and so I got on my phone and I looked and I read and I had to read it twice and then I read it out loud and I said 'Andrew, listen to this' I said 'Grant Hardin has escaped prison' and he said 'what?'"> SHE CALLED HARDIN PURE EVIL AND SOMEONE WHO CANNOT BE TRUSTED. GARFIELD IS A TOWN JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM GATEWAY. THE MAYOR SAYS THAT SINCE HARDIN ESCAPED ON SUNDAY - THE CITY HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR ANYTHING SUSPICIOUS. THEY'VE ALSO SEARCHED PLACES LIKE THE GARFIELD ELEMENTARY - WHICH HAS BEEN ABANDONED FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. <"Our hearts are our prayers are going out for the families that are having to relive this terrible event."> < "The city employees today have been we've we've driven all over town just looking for something that's out of place."> THE MAYOR WANTS EVERYONE TO BE AWARE - AND CALL 911 IF THEY NOTICE ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. FOR MORE ON THIS DEVELOPING STORY-- VIS