Police Search for Suspect Who Killed Parents Walking With Their Children
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Arkansas State Police (ASP) are searching for a suspect who killed the parents of two young children as the family walked through a park on Saturday.
Newsweek has reached out to ASP for additional information and comment via email on Sunday.
Why It Matters
Investigators are urging anyone who visited the park Saturday to review cellphone photos, videos or GoPro footage for possible images and footage of the suspect.
Residents living near the park are also asked to contact ASP if they have security footage that may aid the investigation.
What To Know
Around 2:40 p.m. local time on Saturday, ASP were informed of a double homicide at Devil's Den State Park, after Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, were found dead on a trail. The couple recently moved to Prairie Grove, Arkansas, from another state.
In a Sunday update, the ASP confirmed that the Brinks were walking in the park with their two daughters, aged 7 and 9, when they were attacked. The girls were not injured and are with family members.
The police described the suspect as an "unknown white male with a medium build. He was wearing dark pants, a dark ballcap and sunglasses. The suspect had a black backpack and was wearing fingerless gloves."
A couple who was killed at Devil's Den State Park on Saturday, July 26, 2025, was hiking with their two daughters when they were attacked. The girls, who are 7 and 9, were not injured and are safe with family members.
Read here for details: https://t.co/olDyTwR6NT pic.twitter.com/x1ETvGFkJD — Arkansas State Police (@ARStatePolice) July 27, 2025
He is believed to have been driving a black, four-door Mazda with "a license plate covered by electrical or duct tape."
The area of the park where the incident occurred remains closed off and secured by law enforcement, as of Sunday, ASP said. The park's website noted that "all trails are closed until further notice."
Devil's Den State Park is located in in northwest Arkansas's Washington County, in West Fork.
Devil's Den State Park in Arkansas on May 22, 2012.
Devil's Den State Park in Arkansas on May 22, 2012.
AP Photo/Alex Menendez
What People Are Saying
Shea Lewis, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, issued a statement on Sunday: "We are deeply saddened by the tragic events that occurred at Devil's Den State Park. Our hearts are with the victims' loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. The safety of our visitors and staff is our highest priority, and we are working closely with Arkansas State Police and various law enforcement officials as the investigation continues.
We have increased law enforcement presence in our state parks. Our Park Rangers are fully commissioned law enforcement officers, and they are actively engaged in ensuring the safety and security of our park guests. We remain committed to supporting the ongoing investigation and to maintaining Arkansas State Parks as safe, welcoming places for all."
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a Saturday X post: "We are heartbroken by today's horrific news from Devil's Den State Park and are in close contact with State Police and the Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism as they work to apprehend the suspect. We are praying for the family and friends of the victims, and know that law enforcement will not rest until the perpetrator is brought to justice."
What Happens Next?
ASP is working with local law enforcement on the investigation, and any individuals with any information on the suspects location are encouraged to contact ASP Troop L at (479) 751-6663.
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