A former police chief and convicted killer known as the “Devil in the Ozarks” has been captured after he escaped from prison, triggering a massive, nearly two-weeks-long manhunt in the mountains of northern Arkansas.

A former Arkansas police chief convicted of rape and murder has been caught by authorities nearly two weeks after he escaped from prison. Grant Hardin was captured only 1.5 miles (2.5km) from the prison. He tried to run from officers, but was quickly tackled to the ground, a spokesperson for the Arkansas prison system said.

A former Arkansas police chief who escaped from a prison 12 days ago was apprehended about a mile and half from where he was incarcerated in northwest Arkansas.