Police are zeroing in on a person of interest after finding two hikers killed Saturday at Devil’s Den State Park in West Fork, Arkansas.
Retired FBI agent James Gagliano told FOX and Friends that investigators have more information than they’re sharing as the manhunt continues.
“The authorities are not disclosing all the information,” Gagliano remarked. “There is a reason for this. They might have some clues regarding the suspect’s whereabouts and prefer not to reveal it to prevent the suspect from evading capture.”
“It’s important to remember, Devil’s Den spans 2,200 acres of woodland located in Northwestern Arkansas. Arkansas is bordered by eight different states. This investigation is likely to extend far beyond the state’s boundaries.”
As previously detailed by CrimeOnline, Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, were on a hike with their daughters, aged 7 and 9, at the time,according to Arkansas State Police. The children were unharmed and are currently with relatives.
Police responded to the area at around 2:40 p.m. Central, where they found the victims’ bodies on a walking trail, The New York Times reports.
The host of “Hidden Killers” podcast, Tony Brueski, told News Nation that a couple told him they saw the man on the trail Saturday.
“The couple was accompanying a brother and sister along with a pet dog when they encountered a man coming towards them, whom they instantly deemed peculiar,” Brueski explained, noting that the man gave them a menacing stare.
“He was alone. He was dressed in an all-black outfit, head to toe, appearing to be on a determined mission, carrying a large, unusual mesh backpack that seemed out of place.”
“They could sense a bad energy coming off of the guy.”
On Monday, law enforcement issued a statement indicating that the suspectmay have been injuredduring the assaults. They did not disclose what type of injury or how severe it was.
After the murders, the suspect fled the area in what police believe to be a black four-door sedan, possibly a Mazda. He covered the license plate with electrical or duct tape and may have driven toward State Highway 220 or State Highway 170.
On Tuesday, police released a photo and a composite sketch of what they believe the suspect looks like. Police said he was wearing a long sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up, black pants, a dark ball cap and sunglasses. He was also carrying a black backpack and wearing fingerless gloves..
ASP is urging anyone who was in the area Saturday to check their photos and videos. Residents in the area are urged to check their security cameras.
What We Know About the Victims
According to ASP and Prairie Grove Mayor David Faulk, the family had recently moved to the area, with their water service being connected at a Prairie Grove residence on July 16.
AP News reports that they had previously lived in inland California and Miles City, Montana. Clinton Brink was scheduled to start a job as a Prairie Farms Dairy milk delivery driver Monday, in the Fayetteville area.
The pair reportedly married in 2014 and according to the Miles Community College website, Cristen Brink graduated from the 2022, earning an associate degree in nursing.
A Montana rehabilitation center nurse, Danikka Harrell, told AP that the couple lived in the state for years, and played on a recreational volleyball team.
The Brinks also took care of Harrell’s daughter when she couldn’t find childcare.
“They were selfless and unconditional with their love and support for their friends,” Harrell said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact ASP Troop L at 479-751-6663 or call 911.
Check back for updates.
[Feature Photo: Brink couple/Facebook; Suspect/ASP via AP]
