Authorities using cell tower data to locate escaped inmate Grant Hardin

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — It’s been over a week since the man dubbed the “Devil of the Ozarks” escaped from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock.

Former Gateway Police Chief Grant Hardin is still on the run from authorities, and police are using a new method to find him.

Police are using data from cell phones to see if there are any leads that could put them on the trail of the convicted murder and rapist.

We are in the digital era and unlike times of the past, law enforcement can use the data from our phones in their investigations — whether that be for evidence or for information that can lead to an arrest. In the search for Hardin, the data that is pinged to cell towers could unveil new information for law enforcement.

“I can show who, obviously, who you talk to, where you went, when you moved,” Billy Spann, an assistant professor of computer science at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, said.

That is the job of cell phone towers — storing data — specially creating a digital trail which can help uncover information for law enforcement in a crime.

“And so that data, just by itself, can help place a suspect either near a crime or rule them out, for that matter,” Spann said.

Signal strength and location are two big factors in getting that data from cell towers. Through pings, locations and movement can be determined, which can help law enforcement track down a suspect or in the case of Hardin, help put him behind bars.

“It can be critical. I mean, there’s a lot of data available from the cell phone networks, from the phones themselves. Tt stores a lot more than just calls, obviously. You get text, GPS routes any app activity. By looking at some of that, and if you have access to the device, there’s forensic data that we can get from the device. Putting all that together kind of takes a complete picture of a person’s digital life, almost like your digital wallet,” Spann said.

But that’s not all — these towers can also narrow down a location to a few hundred meters or even a few feet.

“When you’re using that data, it’s enough to know somebody’s in a building or near a parking lot, or if they’ve moved,” Snapp said.

Spann said that the towers can even pick up serial numbers, which can show law enforcement the carrier. From there, a warrant can reveal who the owner of the data is.

“Traffic cameras, ring doorbell cameras… When you start to piece all those different elements of data together again, it just creates that big picture that helps investigators solve these modern crimes,” Spann said.

As for Hardin, the data can help law enforcement track his potential movements after he seemingly walked out of prison.

“That’s what we’re looking through with the cell phone data now is just trying to figure out if there’s anything. If he did have access to a cell phone, was he able to use that?” Rand Champion, the communications director for the Department of Corrections, said.

In this investigation, older search efforts are colliding with the new age — with every resource on the ground and in cyberspace available.

“The old-fashioned ones of dogs and horseback and on foot. Then the New Age ones of social media tracking and digital cell, cell towers. Anything we can use, we’re going to use,” Champion said.

Until other information is brought forward, the Department of Corrections operates under the assumption that Hardin had access to some type of cell phone that could have put him in contact with resources once outside the walls. 

“Anything’s possible, but until we can get something concrete, we have to go off pretty much every assumption that’s out there,” Champion said.

There is currently legislation in Washington D.C. for cell phone jammers at jails which prevents contraband cellphones — something that could help prevent escapes.

Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton is among the senators that has sponsored the legislation, hoping to jam the phones, making them useless.

“They rely on cell phone trafficking. So being able to bring that will be helpful. And then the inner workings of a prison, the number of contraband cell phones that find their way into prisons. That can help with illegal activity, and things like this. Having that cell phone jamming would be monumental to help with the safety of our presence,” Champion said.

Champion told me that the safety of Arkansas residents is the top priority for the Department of Corrections and urged those in Arkansas to stay vigilant. They even putting out a new mugshot showing what Hardin could look like after a week on the run.

“Just really want to keep that pressure out there knowing that we have a lot of very highly trained, highly experienced professionals that are tracking him. Really, one mistake is all it’s going to take on his part. So as long as people can help keep their eyes out, send in those tips, because again we’re just waiting for that one tip that’ll put us in the right direction. Help bring this to a close,” Champion said.

Hardin is considered dangerous. If you see him, do not approach him and call 911 immediately. If you also have a tip, you are asked to call 911.

The FBI and the U.S. Marshals are also involved in the search for Hardin with the Department of Corrections and the Arkansas State Police.