A 28-year-old man from Arkansas has been detained in connection with the murder of a married couple in front of their children at Devil’s Den State Park over the past weekend, authorities have reported.
Police in Arkansas have taken James Andrew McGann, 28, of Springdale into custody while he was having a haircut in town. He faces charges of two counts of capital murder. The police have not disclosed any potential motive for the crime.
On a Saturday, the bodies of Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, were discovered on a hiking trail in Devil’s Den. The couple’s daughters, aged 7 and 9, were unharmed and are currently being looked after by family members, as stated by the authorities.
The manhunt for the person responsible for the fatal attack on hikers at the northwest Arkansas state park had reached its fifth day by Wednesday. Numerous aspects of the incident remain uncertain.
The Brinks were found dead Saturday 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.
Authorities have circulated a composite sketch and a photograph of an individual of interest linked to the attack. They also shared an image capturing the rear view of the person of interest in the investigation.
In conjunction with the released sketch, state police issued a statement indicating that the suspect ‘likely sustained an injury while attacking the couple.’ No further specifics were disclosed.
James Andrew McGann, 28, of Springdale, has been arrested in the case
This image provided by Arkansas State Police on July 29, 2025 shows a man whom investigators are asking the public to help identify in connection with a double homicide
Police also released the description of a vehicle: a black sedan, possibly a Mazda. It had duct tape over its license plate when it was spotted at Devil’s Den.
The State Police have released few details, including how the couple was killed. The FBI has said its Little Rock field office is assisting in the investigation.
Arkansas State Police Col. Mike Hagar praised the hard work of law enforcement agents across multiple agencies worked to catch McGann.
‘I’m extremely grateful for the long hours and dedication that our Agents put forward in bringing justice to this family,’ Col. Hagar said.
‘The collaboration between State Police, other state and local law enforcement agencies, and our federal partners has been second to none. Because of their hard work and investigative skill, we were able to take a monster off the streets, and bring relief to those two precious girls, and the rest of our citizens.’
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement following McGann’s arrest.
‘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,’ Huckabee Sanders said.
‘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.’
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 on 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.’
‘My heart just hurt as a parent, as a friend, thinking about what their daughters are going through,’ a friend of the Brink’s Danikka Harrell said to 40/29 News.
‘Like my heart, my mom heart hurts for them, and I just, they are such sweet people, and they’re so genuine. I’m really struggling to understand why or how this could happen to such sweet people.’
Harrell said as friends they were ‘great people, just great down-to-earth people. They weren’t judgmental. They were very accepting of everybody.’
Devil’s Den is a 2,500-acre state park near West Fork, about 140 miles northwest of Little Rock, the state capital.
Devil´s Den 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.
The park’s trails, which lead to the surrounding Ozark National Forest, remained closed on Wednesday.
