Manhunt continues for suspect in Arkansas state park killings: What to know
Arkansas State Police say Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, were killed while hiking with their two school-age daughters at the park Saturday afternoon.
A news release from ASP said the couple had recently moved to Prairie Grove from out of state. NBC News reported that the couple lived in inland California and eastern Montana. Public records place them in Miles City, Montana.
The double homicide was first reported around 2:40 p.m. Saturday. Investigators with ASP's Criminal Investigation Division say the two were found dead along a walking trail in a remote area of the park.
Police scanner recordings capture the moment bodies were found
Police scanner recordings obtained by Nexstar's KNWA/FOX24 caught the moment an officer found the bodies of the two victims.
'Try to relay to the office that we found the victims down here. There are on the lower Devil's Den Trail. … I think I see you right there. I've got two bodies down here,' a trooper can be heard saying on the scanner.
The couple's two children, ages 9 and 7, were found physically unharmed, according to authorities.
Suspect remains at large
The search continues for the suspect accused of attacking and killing the couple.
ASP described the suspect as a white male of medium build.
The man was last seen wearing dark pants, a long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a dark ballcap, sunglasses, fingerless gloves, and carrying a black backpack.
He was reportedly driving a black four-door sedan, possibly a Mazda, with the license plate obscured by electrical or duct tape. The vehicle was seen heading toward a park exit and may have traveled on State Highways 170 or 220.
Arkansas State Police asking for public's help
Authorities are asking park visitors to review any cellphone, GoPro or camera footage from Saturday for possible images of the suspect. Residents near the park are also urged to check home security or game camera footage.
Investigators are asking anyone with photos or video not to post footage on social media, as that could inadvertently jeopardize the investigation.
Anyone with information about the suspect or his whereabouts should call ASP Troop L at 479-751-6663.
Officials respond to double homicide
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders described the attack as 'horrific' in a statement on X on Saturday evening.
'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,' Sanders said.
ASP Col. Mike Hagar thanked the public for their support and emphasized the agency's commitment to solving the case.
'We are using all available resources to apprehend this suspect and bring him to justice,' Hagar said. 'This was a heinous crime, and we won't stop until he's found.'
Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism Secretary Shea Lewis said the agency is working closely with ASP and has increased law enforcement presence in all state parks.
The Arkansas State Parks' website says that all trails at Devil's Den State Park are closed until further notice.
Authorities said the park's rugged terrain, thick vegetation and lack of cell service have complicated the search efforts.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Who Is James Andrew McGann? Suspect Arrested Over Devil's Den Killings
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. James Andrew McGann has been arrested in connection with the murders of a couple on a hike in Arkansas' Devil's Den State Park over the weekend. Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, were found dead on Saturday while hiking with their two daughters. The daughters, aged seven and nine, were unharmed. McGann, 28, was taken into custody at 4.57 p.m. on Wednesday at a business in Springdale, Arkansas. He has been charged with two counts of capital murder, according to the Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement: "No news can heal the enormous harm done to the Brink family in last weekend's crime, but this announcement is a comfort and reassurance for our State. I am so proud of the Arkansas State Police, Park Rangers, local law enforcement, and others who have worked nonstop since last weekend to capture this suspect. "I ask that Arkansans lift up prayers of thanks for the brave men and women of law enforcement – and offer prayers of condolence to the victims of this horrific crime. Let there be no mistake – we do not tolerate violent crime in Arkansas. If you target innocent people, law enforcement will hunt you down and bring you to justice." James Andrew McGann, 28, has been charged with two counts of capital murder. James Andrew McGann, 28, has been charged with two counts of capital murder. ASP This is a developing story. More to follow.
Associated Press
4 hours ago
- Associated Press
Teacher hired in Arkansas charged in Devil's Den park killing of couple that was hiking with kids
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas police charged a 28-year-old school teacher in the killing of a married couple who were hiking with their children at Devil's Den State Park, finding him in a nearby city after a five-day search and public pleas for trailgoers to look through their photos. State Police arrested Andrew James McGann at a barbershop in Springdale, said Col. Stacie Rhoads, commander of the department's criminal investigation division. He was charged with two counts of capital murder and was being held Thursday in the state's Washington County jail. Police announced the arrest at a Wednesday night news conference but would not discuss a motive. McGann had been hired at Springdale Public Schools as a teacher candidate for the upcoming year but had not yet come into contact with any of its families or students, the district said in a statement. A lawyer couldn't be located for McGann, and a message was left for a number listed for him. It was not immediately clear when his first court appearance was. 'If you commit a violent, senseless act here in our state, our law enforcement will hunt you down and bring you to justice, because that's what the people of Arkansas frankly deserve,' Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters. Sprindale is roughly 30 miles (48.28 kilometers) north of the state's remote Devil's Den park, where trails have remained closed since Saturday's killings. Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, were found dead on a walking trail at Devil's Den. Their daughters, who are 7 and 9, were not hurt and are being cared for by family members, authorities have said. Police had released a composite sketch and photo of a person of interest they were searching for in the attack. The State Police have released few details about the investigation, including how the couple was killed. Rhoads said the public's help and video footage they received was instrumental in capturing McGann. Tips came in from as far away as Washington state, she said. 'It was overwhelming,' she said. Jared Cleveland, the superintendent of Springdale Public Schools, said in a statement that McGann had not yet begun his employment and that the district could not provide more information, citing the investigation. 'Our entire team extends our deepest condolences to the Brink family. Their children are especially in our thoughts and prayers,' Clevelansd said. Sierra Marcum said three years ago, her son was a student in McGann's fourth grade classroom in Flower Mound, Texas, and described him as the 'most standoff teacher she had ever met.' Her son's yearbook includes a photo of McGann. 'Pretty cold. You could ask him a question and he would give you a one word response,' she said. 'Overall just pretty disinterested in his students.' Clinton and Cristen Brink had just moved from South Dakota to the small city of Prairie Grove in northwest Arkansas. Their water had been connected less than two weeks ago, Mayor David Faulk said. Clinton Brink had been scheduled to start a job as a milk delivery driver Monday in the nearby Fayetteville area, according to Hiland Dairy, his employer. Cristen Brink had been licensed as a nurse in Montana and South Dakota before moving to Arkansas. The Brink family said the couple died 'heroes protecting their little girls.' 'Our entire state is grieving for the tragic loss and senseless and horrific crime that's taken place in this area,' Sanders said. Devil's Den is a 2,500-acre (1,000-hectare) state park near West Fork, about 140 miles (220 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock, the state capital. The park is known for its hiking trails and rock formations, and it is a short drive from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and Walmart's Bentonville headquarters. It was selected as a state park site in the 1930s and the park's trails lead to the surrounding Ozark National Forest. ___ Associated Press reporter Hallie Golden contributed from Seattle.
New York Times
5 hours ago
- New York Times
Man Arrested in Killing of Arkansas Couple
A man was arrested on Wednesday in connection with the deaths of a couple who were attacked last week while hiking with their two young daughters in a state park in Arkansas. The man, James Andrew McGann, 28, of Springdale, Ark., was taken into custody on Wednesday afternoon and charged with two counts of capital murder, the Arkansas State Police said in a news release. It was not immediately clear whether or not Mr. McGann had a lawyer. The maximum punishment for capital murder in Arkansas is life in prison or the death penalty. The authorities identified the victims as Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, who they said had recently moved to Prairie Grove, Ark. The couple were hiking on Saturday with their two daughters at the park in northwest Arkansas when they were attacked, according to the Arkansas State Police. The police did not give further details on how the couple died. The Brinks' daughters, who are 7 and 9, had not been injured and were with family members, the police said in a statement on Sunday. The state police received reports of 'a double homicide at the park' on Saturday afternoon, and shortly afterward found the couple's bodies on a walking trail. The police recruited local residents and park visitors for help in their search for the killer, requesting any cellphone videos, photos, security footage or other materials from the day of the killings. On Tuesday, the authorities released a photo of a man facing away from the camera and wearing all black, a backpack and baseball cap, whom they described as a 'person of interest.' The photo, the police said, was taken by another hiker. The authorities have not released any further information about the killing or a possible motive. Col. Mike Hagar of the Arkansas State Police said that additional details would be released later. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas said that while no news could heal the harm done to the Brink family, the arrest had brought some comfort to the state.
