Devil's Den murderer who slaughtered parents in front of their kids was INJURED in attack, cops believe
Clinton Brink, 43, and his wife, Cristen, 41, w ere found dead at around 2.40pm on Saturday on a 'remote and rural' trail at Devil's Den State Park.
The couple's two daughters - ages seven and nine - were hiking with them at the time, but came away uninjured. The girls are now safe with family members.
On Tuesday, Arkansas State Police disclosed that the suspect - still unidentified and at large - is believed to have sustained injuries during the double homicide, according to a department news release.
'Investigators said the suspect in the deaths likely sustained an injury while attacking the couple,' the release states.
However, the statement did not specify the nature of the suspect's injuries or explain how authorities reached that conclusion.
Police also released an image of a person of interest - seen from behind carrying a duffel bag on his back - whom they are trying to identify and question.
A composite sketch was also released, depicting a man wearing a baseball cap from a front-facing view.
Law enforcement responded to reports of a double homicide at Washington County's Devil's Den State Park on Saturday afternoon - an area described as having rugged terrain, dense vegetation and no cellphone service.
The couple, who had recently relocated to Prairie Grove from Montana, were found dead on the trail. They were hiking with their two daughters at the time of the attack - miraculously, the children were unharmed.
In a statement, the couple's loved ones said they 'died heroes, protecting their little girls,' though they offered no additional details, according to the news release.
It is still unclear why the couple may have been attacked, as they had recently moved to the state, according to police.
'The family is asking for privacy during this very difficult time as they grieve and learn how to navigate this new reality,' the statement continued.
'They ask that if anyone has any information at all that will help the investigation, to please contact the proper authorities immediately,' it added. 'They will forever live on in all of our hearts.'
The suspect has been described as a white male with a medium build, wearing a long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up, dark pants, a dark-colored baseball cap, sunglasses and fingerless gloves.
Following the murders, the man was seen driving toward a park exit in a black four-door sedan - possibly a Mazda - with duct or electrical tape covering the license plate.
It is believed he then traveled on State Route 170 or 220, which is near the park.
As police continue to try to track down the suspect, they are now asking anyone who was at the state park on Saturday to check any photos and videos they took for images of the suspect.
Authorities are also urging residents near the park to come forward if they have any security, GoPro or game camera footage that could assist the department.
Those photos should then be sent directly to the Arkansas State Police and should not be posted to social media, which authorities said could hinder the investigation.
Anyone with information about the suspect or their whereabouts is urged to contact Arkansas State Police Troop L at (479) 751-6663, Extension 2, or call 911.
Authorities say they have received numerous tips from the public and assure that any voicemails left will be returned as soon as possible.
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities pursuing all leads in collaboration with local, state and federal law enforcement partners.
Devil's Den State Park, located in West Fork, Arkansas, features 11 hiking trails that wind through the surrounding Ozark National Forest, according to the park's website.
The area also offers dozens of campsites, an 8-acre lake and striking rock formations and caverns.
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The Sun
5 days ago
- The Sun
Devil's Den ‘killer' Andrew James McGann ‘would tickle pupils' and even ‘told girl ‘I wish you could be my girlfriend''
THE former teacher accused of killing a couple in front of their children allegedly tickled pupils and is said to have put a little girl on his lap. Suspect Andrew James McGann, 28, spent the last few years moving from school to school after disturbing allegations about his creepy behaviour emerged. 3 3 3 McGann was set to start teaching third grade next week, but is now behind bars after allegedly murdering Clinton Brink and his wife, Cristen Brink, while their two daughters, 7 and 9, ran to safety. After a five-day manhunt, McGann was arrested mid-haircut at a salon on Thursday and admitted to cops that he killed the Brinks in Devil's Den State Park in Arkansas on Saturday, police said. McGann now faces charges of two counts of capital murder and could face the death penalty for the crime. One distressed parent at his former Texas school told the New York Post that McGann once asked a little girl to be his "girlfriend" after putting her on his lap. The dad, whose son was occasionally in his class, fumed: "This monster was around our children. 'Mr. McGann was giving a lot of special treatment to girls in particular. "He was giving them candy, bringing them Sonic drinks, playing tag with them, tickling them, just really suspect behaviour." The school in question, Lewisville ISD, said that McGann was placed on administrative leave after "concerns related to classroom management, professional judgment, and student favouritism'. But the investigation found no evidence against the suspected killer while he was employed between 2022 to 2023, after which he resigned. Devil dentist spent days slowly killing wife with poisoned protein shakes - before giving her deadly cyanide in hospital McGann, who had just moved from Oklahoma to the Washington County area in northwest Arkansas to start a new teaching role, was arrested on Wednesday inside Lupita's Beauty Salon in Springdale. Clinton was stabbed first, then Cristen got her daughters to safety before she came back to help her husband and was also stabbed to death, Arkansas State Police said at a press conference on Thursday. Chilling audio revealed the moment that police found the parents' bodies after the girls fled to a nearby visitor center for help. DNA taken from McGann matched DNA from the horrific scene in the park, police said. Cops believe McGann, who had no criminal history, acted alone and that it was a random attack because he didn't know the Brinks. Investigators are still trying to determine a motive. TEACHING HISTORY McGann had recently moved to the area as he was hired as a "teacher candidate" for the upcoming school year, Springdale Public Schools said in a statement to The U.S. Sun. "This individual has not at any time come into contact with Springdale students or the families we serve," SPS said. While he hadn't yet met his potential Arkansas students, McGann had previously got in trouble for inappropriate contact during his first year teaching. After graduating from Oklahoma State University with a degree in elementary education in May 2022, he moved to northwestern Texas to teach fourth-grade math at Donald Elementary in Flower Mound. "The individual was placed on administrative leave in the spring of 2023 following concerns related to classroom management, professional judgment, and student favoritism," the school district, Lewisville ISD, said in a statement shared with The U.S. Sun. "An internal investigation found no evidence of inappropriate behavior with students. The teacher resigned from the district in May 2023." 'PRETTY DISINTERESTED' Sierra Marcum, a mom of one of McGann's former students at Donald Elementary, said the teacher was the "most standoffish teacher she had ever met," according to the Associated Press. 'Pretty cold. You could ask him a question, and he would give you a one-word response,' Marcum told the outlet. 'Overall, just pretty disinterested in his students.' Marcum claimed that her son noticed inappropriate behaviour from him towards little girls in his class, but the school district didn't comment on the allegation. After leaving Texas, McGann went back to the state of Oklahoma, where he worked as a fifth-grade science and social studies teacher for Broken Arrow Public Schools during the 2023-2024 school year. "As with all employees hired by the district, he was subjected to and passed the legally required background checks prior to being hired," Broken Arrow Public Schools said in a statement to The U.S. Sun. The district said he told them he left the position to work out of state, but instead took a job at a small nearby district in the Tulsa area. However, he stayed in Oklahoma and taught at Sand Springs Public Schools, near Tulsa, from summer 2024 until May of this year. He passed all background checks for the job, the district said in a statement. He resigned to take a job in another state. McGann had not yet started his job in Arkansas at Springdale Public Schools, the district confirmed. On Wednesday evening, he was arrested while getting a haircut at Lupita's Beauty Salon and Barber Shop, which is just about a 30-minute drive from where he allegedly slaughtered the Brinks. Surveillance footage from the salon showed cops taking the barber cape off McGann before putting him in handcuffs.
The Sun
6 days ago
- The Sun
Mom's heartbreaking last act for kids before brutal murder with husband on remote hike as cops nab suspect Andrew McGann
THE last moves of the brave mom who saved her daughters before she was stabbed to death alongside her husband have been revealed. Cristen Brink took her two young girls, 7 and 9, to safety before heroically returning to fight her husband's killer before she was murdered herself, police said. 5 5 5 Police arrested elementary teacher Andrew James McGann, 28, on Wednesday after he allegedly stabbed Cristen and Clinton Brink to death in Arkansas' Devil's Den State Park on Saturday. Clinton, 43, and Cristen, 41, who had recently moved their family to the area, were on a hiking trail with two of their three daughters when they were randomly attacked, according to police. McGann allegedly stabbed Clinton first, Arkansas State Police said at a press conference on Wednesday. In her heartbreaking final move, Cristen took the girls to safety at the park before she turned around to be with her husband, leading to her death. 'The mother did not return all the way to the car with the kids,' state police Major Stacie Rhoads said at a news conference on Thursday. 'We believe that the mother took them to safety and then returned to help her husband.' A hiker came upon the girls and got them off the trail before they found the parents' bodies, a preliminary police report said. ASP arrived and found a trail of blood leading from the crime scene. A witness then told cops that they saw someone coming out of the park with what appeared to be blood on his face, the report said. The person then got into a black car and drove away, the witness said. Disturbing past of teacher James Andrew McGann who 'stabbed couple to death in front of kids' as DNA ties him to scene Together with another witness' account, investigators identified the suspect's vehicle as a black Kia stinger. The car ended up leading to his arrest. Following a five-day manhunt, McGann was located and arrested at Lupita's Beauty Salon and Barber Shop in Springdale, Arkansas. Surveillance footage from the salon shows cops taking the barber's cape off McGann before he was put into cuffs mid-haircut. Timeline of the murders Clinton Brink, 43, and Cristen Brink, 43, were killed while hiking at Devil's Den State Park with their daughters. Below is a timeline of the case: July 16 - The Brink family has their water service turned on after recently moving to Prairie Grove, Arkansas, according to Mayor David Falk. July 26 - Clinton and Cristen are found dead on Devil's Den trail at around 2:30 pm after their two daughters ran to the visitor's center and said their parents were attacked. July 27 - Police release the identities of the slain couple. Cops ask park visitors to check their pictures and footage from Saturday for possible images of the suspect. July 28 - Autopsy results reveal the Brinks died from stab wounds. Arkansas State Police releases a sketch of a person of interest in the case. July 29 - ASP releases a picture from a witness of the person of interest in the case. July 30 - Andrew James McGann is arrested mid-haircut at Lupita's Beauty Salon and Barber Shop just before 5 pm. August 1 - McGann appears in his first court appearance. His arraignment is scheduled for August 25. Hairstylist Adriana Ruiz Avalos noticed two red flags the suspect made upon entering the building, including when he asked to keep his hair covering his face. Court documents also noted McGann had cuts on his hands when he was arrested. After he was arrested, McGann admitted to investigators that he killed the Brinks, police said. 5 COURT APPEARANCE McGann, who has no known criminal history, appeared in court for the first time on Friday morning. He wore a striped jail uniform and only spoke to confirm his name. The alleged killer was granted a public defender and no bond ahead of his arraignment on August 25. He was ordered not to contact the victims' families. Police said the motive in the Brinks' murders remains a mystery. The family had just moved to the area from South Dakota and didn't know McGann, officials said. McGann had also recently moved to Arkansas from Oklahoma as he was set to teach third grade at an elementary school in the fall. Statements from suspect's previous employers Before he was arrested and charged with two counts of murder, Andrew James McGann worked as an elementary school teacher. Below are statements from some of the schools he was hired by: Lewisville ISD Lewisville ISD is aware of the recent arrest of a former teacher who was employed at Donald Elementary during the 2022-23 school year. The individual was placed on administrative leave in the spring of 2023 following concerns related to classroom management, professional judgment, and student favoritism. An internal investigation found no evidence of inappropriate behavior with students. The teacher resigned from the district in May 2023. Our hearts are with the victims and all those affected by this tragic situation. The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority, and we are committed to supporting our school community during this time. As this is an ongoing law enforcement matter, any additional questions should be directed to the investigating agency. Broken Arrow Public Schools The man who was arrested in Arkansas for the murders at Devil's Den State Park was a teacher for Broken Arrow Public Schools during the 23/24 school year. He was a 5th grade teacher at Spring Creek Elementary during the 23/24 school year and left of his own accord to work out of state. As with all employees hired by the district, he was subjected to and passed the legally required background checks prior to being hired. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family affected by this unimaginable act of violence. Sand Springs Public Schools Sand Springs Public Schools is aware of the recent arrest of a former employee. Andrew McGann was employed at Sand Springs Public Schools from the summer of 2024 to May 2025. At the end of the 2024-25 school year, McGann resigned his position to move out of state. The safety of our students and staff is our highest priority. Every employee undergoes a mandatory background check for the district when they are hired. Additionally, each teacher undergoes a background check for the Oklahoma State Department of Education. McGann passed all background checks. While SSPS has not yet been contacted by authorities regarding this matter, the district has and will always comply with requests from law enforcement in any investigation. Our hearts are with the family and loved ones who have suffered this tragic loss. Springdale Public Schools Springdale Public Schools can confirm that Andrew McGann was a teacher candidate hired for the upcoming school year, who has not yet begun employment with the district. This individual has not at any time come into contact with Springdale students or the families we serve. At this time, we cannot offer any additional information due to the ongoing investigation. At the appropriate time, additional information will be forthcoming. Our entire team extends our deepest condolences to the Brink family. Their children are especially in our thoughts and prayers Washington County Prosecuting Attorney Brandon Carter said there's no evidence to suggest that McGann was targeting the young girls in his alleged attack on their parents, according to CNN. 'They absolutely protected those girls to their fullest extent, to the point that it cost them their lives,' Carter said. 'We're in awe of this mom and dad. We're also in awe of these girls.'
The Guardian
6 days ago
- The Guardian
Arkansas police say suspect admitted killing couple hiking with daughters
Arkansas authorities say a 28-year-old schoolteacher has admitted he killed a couple who were hiking with their two young daughters at a state park, and he has been charged with capital murder in what investigators are portraying as a 'random' attack. Clinton, 43, and Cristen Brink, 41, were found dead on Saturday on a walking trail at Devil's Den state park. Their daughters, seven and nine, were not hurt and are being cared for by family members, authorities have said. State police arrested Andrew McGann on Thursday after a five-day search and a flood of tips. He was captured in Springdale, a city about 30 miles (50km) north of Devil's Den. McGann 'did indicate that he committed the murders', Maj Stacie Rhoads, commander of the state police's criminal investigation division, said at a news conference. 'I would call it an admission.' Police said they matched McGann's DNA to blood found at the crime scene. Arkansas state police colonel Mike Hagar said investigators were trying to determine a motive for the attack but have no reason to believe McGann knew the couple or their children. 'In my 27 years that I've been with the state police, this is probably one of the most heinous that we've had, especially the aspect of just how random it was,' Rhoads said. McGann has been charged with two counts of capital murder. He made his first appearance on Friday before an Arkansas judge, who ordered McGann to be held in jail without bond, assigned him a public defender, and scheduled his arraignment for 25 August. Local prosecutor Brandon Carter indicated the state would give a jury the option to sentence McGann to the death penalty. The Brinks had just moved from South Dakota to the small city of Prairie Grove in north-west Arkansas. Their water had been connected less than two weeks ago, Prairie Grove 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. Officials said Clinton Brink was stabbed first, then Cristen Brink ushered her children to safety before returning to help her husband. She was also stabbed to death. Authorities have not said if the girls witnessed their parents being killed. The Brink family said the couple died 'heroes protecting their little girls'. The Springdale public school district in north-west Arkansas said it had hired McGann for the upcoming year but that he had not yet had contact with families or students. He has active teaching licenses with no infractions or suspensions in Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma, according to government certification websites.
