Ryan C. Abbott murder of John Hardin

Police found John Hardin, 31, dead inside a home on Mallard Cove in Ward, Arkansas, on the afternoon of May 13, 2021. He had suffered an apparent gunshot wound to the head.

Officers with the Ward Police Department were dispatched around 4:45 p.m. after receiving a report of a possible sexual assault involving a woman and her estranged husband that had occurred the night before. Police met the woman at a neighboring residence, where she told officers her ex-husband might still be inside the home.

After making several unsuccessful attempts to contact anyone inside, officers entered the residence and found Hardin dead.

Authorities identified Ryan Abbott, 32, of Mount Vernon, as a suspect. Abbott was taken into custody and held at the Lonoke County Detention Center while the investigation continued. At the time, police said the relationships among Abbott, Hardin, and the woman who reported the assault were unclear.

Court records later show Abbott pleaded guilty to second-degree murder under a negotiated plea agreement. He was formally incarcerated on October 18, 2023, and received a 20-year prison sentence.

Abbott is currently housed at the Ouachita River Unit in Malvern. His earliest projected release date is April 27, 2028.

Abbot has had no prior incarcerations and no disciplinary actions in jail.