Haunting sketch of person of interest in murder of parents who ‘died saving daughters' as girls' brave response revealed
The killer of Clinton and Cristen Brink, who had shielded their brave girls in Devil's Den State Park, was likely wounded during the horrific weekend attack, said Arkansas police.
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"Clinton and Cristen died heroes protecting their little girls, and they deserve justice," said the Brink family in a heartbreaking statement about the brave parents.
"They will forever live in all of our hearts."
Clinton, 43, and Cristen, 41, were found dead on a walking trail in the state's Ozark Mountains on Saturday.
The couple had been hiking the remote Devil's Den State Park with their young daughters, aged 7 and 9.
The girls were not hurt and are being cared for by family members, authorities have said.
It has now been revealed that the Brinks' brave daughters raised the alarm after their mom and dad were killed in dense vegetation, in an area with 'no cellphone service,' cops said.
Arkansas state police (ASP) on Monday night released a sketch of a suspect wanted for questioning over their deaths, as the urgent manhunt enters its fourth day.
The haunting composite drawing depicts a man wearing a baseball hat.
Investigators described the man in the sketch as a "person of interest," who was spotted in the park on Saturday.
It was the first image shared with the public since the double homicide.
Mystery murder of couple killed in front of their young kids on 'remote' hike as cops release creepy details of suspect
Cops warned that the suspect's vehicle "may be a Mazda with a license plate covered by electrical or duct tape."
The force added that the man "was described as wearing a long-sleeved shirt, with sleeves rolled up, rather than a tank top as originally reported.
"The suspect is an unknown white male with a medium build.
"He was wearing dark pants, a dark ballcap and sunglasses.
"[He also] had a black backpack and was wearing fingerless gloves.
"He was seen driving toward a park exit in a black, four-door sedan."
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It's believed the man might have fled the rugged 2,500-acre (1,000-hectare) park, according to cops.
They said it was possible the suspect was "traveling on State Highway 170 or State Highway 220 near the park."
ASP has asked anyone who visited the park on Saturday to check cellphone photos and videos or GoPro footage for images of the suspected killer.
Cops have also urged residents living in the area surrounding the park to notify the force if they have access to security and game camera footage.
Investigators said the suspect in the deaths "likely sustained an injury while attacking the couple." However, they did not provide further details of his possible wounds.
The victims' bodies have been taken to the Arkansas State Crime Lab, for autopsies.
ASSAULTED
The girls' bravery has also been revealed by police radio audio which was captured by Broadcastify.com, said CNN.
The audio on the initial alert could be heard saying, 'Washington County received a call from the visitor center.
'Two children are there. They advised that their parents were assaulted.
"One was possibly stabbed. The parents are missing.'
The chilling audio from the first responders also indicated that the Brinks' bodies were found on the Devil's Den Trail.
Police said they were notified at about 2:40 p.m. of their deaths.
First responders said they heading towards a site where they heard calls for help, according to the scanner audio.
'I hear yells calling for help. We're walking down,' a first responder could be heard saying. However, it wasn't clear who was calling for assistance.
'Try to relay to the office that we found the victims down here,' said a first responder. 'They're on the lower Devil's Den Trail... I think I see you right there. I've got two bodies down here.'
RECENT MOVE
The victims had only recently moved to Prairie Grove, according to a police statement on Sunday.
Their water had been connected less than two weeks ago, confirmed Mayor David Faulk.
The family had also previously lived in California and Montana, according to media reports.
Clinton had transferred from the parent company of Hiland Dairy, Prairie Farms Dairy, in South Dakota.
DELIVERY DRIVER
He had been scheduled to start his job on Monday as a driver delivering milk in the Fayetteville area.
One of the Brinks' neighbors, Shyanne Marie, told The U.S. Sun she saw the family on the morning of July 26 as they left their home in Prairie Grove, about a 30-minute drive from the state park where the mom and dad's bodies were discovered.
"My heart hurts so bad for their little girls, they didn't deserve this," she said.
"I couldn't imagine at 9 and 7 watching my parents murdered in front of me."
The police said, "At about 2:40 p.m. [on Saturday] ASP was notified of a double homicide at the park, located in Washington County.
"Mr. and Mrs. Brink were found dead on a walking trail.
"The park is located in a remote and rural area, where the terrain is rugged, vegetation is thick and there is no cellphone service."
Tributes for Clinton and Cristen Brink
The married couple were killed on July 26 while hiking the remote Devil's Den State Park in Arkansas with their young daughters, aged 7 and 9
Clinton Brink, 43, and Cristen Brink, 41, died while protecting their girls, who were not injured during the horrific attack, and are safe with family members.
Their grieving family released a statement on Monday asking for privacy.
They said, 'The family is asking for privacy during this very difficult time as they grieve and learn how to navigate this new reality.
"They ask that if anyone has any information at all that will help the investigation, to please contact the proper authorities immediately.
"Clinton and Cristen died heroes, protecting their little girls and they deserve justice. They will forever live on in all of our hearts.'
All trails at the park remain closed until further notice.
The FBI has joined local investigators in the manhunt for the suspected killer.
A spokesperson for the agency said its Little Rock office was supplying 'additional manpower and specialized resources.'
JUSTICE
Meanwhile, the presence of law enforcement has been boosted across all state parks, said Shea Lewis, the heritage and tourism secretary at Arkansas Department of Parks.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders called the deaths "horrific" and vowed "law enforcement will not rest until the perpetrator is brought to justice."
'I want to thank the public and our media partners for their support as we pursue the man responsible for this heinous crime,' said ASP Col. Mike Hagar.
'We are using all available resources to apprehend this suspect and bring him to justice.'
Authorities have not provided a possible motive or given details of how the couple was killed.
TIPS SOUGHT
Nick Genty, state police spokesperson, said, "We're just really hoping that anybody who captured any video or pictures or anything suspicious, just let us know.
"We're investigating any and all tips that we get."
Anyone with images of the suspect, information about the suspect or his whereabouts should contact ASP Troop L at (479) 751-6663.
Investigators have also urged anyone with photos or video to not post footage on social media, "as this may inadvertently jeopardize the investigation."
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