Teacher charged with killing couple who were hiking in Arkansas park with their kids
Share this @internewscast.com

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KNWA) — Police in Arkansas have charged a 28-year-old teacher in the murder of a married couple who were hiking with their kids at Devil’s Den State Park. The suspect was apprehended in a neighboring city following an extensive five-day search, during which authorities urged hikers to review their photographs for clues.

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.

This undated photo provided by the Arkansas State Police shows Andrew James McGann, 28, of Springdale, Ark. who was arrested in connection to a double homicide that occurred on Saturday, July 26, 2025, at Devil’s Den State Park. (Arkansas State Police via AP)

Washington County Prosecutor Brandon Carter says McGann is scheduled to appear in court on August 1.

“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,” Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters.

Springdale is roughly 30 miles north of the state’s remote Devil’s Den park, where trails have remained closed since Saturday’s killings.

Police flooded with tips

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.

The State Police have released few details about the investigation, including how the couple was killed. In the days after the attack, police released a composite sketch and then a photo of a person of interest that showed them only from behind. Authorities urged trailgoers who had been at the park to check their camera rolls for photos or video that might help point to a suspect.

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.

Suspect taught in Oklahoma before Arkansas job

McGann was a teacher at a small Oklahoma school district until May and then resigned to take a job in another state, according to a statement fron Sand Springs Public Schools, which is near Tulsa. It added that McGann had passed all background checks.

McGann had not yet started his new job in Arkansas at Sprindale Public Schools, said Jared Cleveland, the district superintendent. He said 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,” Cleveland 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.”

Victims had recently moved before hike

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 state park near West Fork, about 140 miles 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.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Sullivan County Mayor Discusses Re-Election Plans and Shares Hopes for the Upcoming Election

SULLIVAN COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Richard Venable announced that after serving as…

Kristi Noem Confirms Coast Guard Members Will Receive Payments Despite Government Shutdown

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Monday evening that even though the…

Highlighting Local Heroes: Trivia Night Hosted by Monticello’s Troop 490

MONTICELLO, Ill. (WCIA) — Gus Martin and Greson Vance from Scouting America…

Attorney General Wilson: Local Hate Crime Laws Need to Match State Legislation in South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) – The Attorney General of South Carolina, Alan Wilson,…

Lay’s Revamps Ingredients and Chip Bag Design in Biggest Rebrand of Its 100-Year History

(KNWA/KFTA) — The next time you walk down the chip aisle at…

Plant City ‘Deacon of Death’ Executed for Double Murder of Women

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A man nicknamed the “Deacon of Death” was…

Urbana Receives Forfeit Loss Following Game-Ending Fight Against Richwoods

URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Urbana High School’s football team will be handed…

Possible Explosive Device with Anti-ICE Message Discovered at Chicago’s Midway Airport

CHICAGO (WGN) — On Monday, bomb specialists were dispatched to Chicago’s Midway…

Police report that a Kansas woman was kidnapped, and the incident was captured on video.

Graphic Warning: This story contains graphic images or video that may be…

Uncommon October Storm Hits Southern California with Intense Rain and Potential Mudslides

LOS ANGELES – Amid a rare October storm, some homes in wildfire-affected…

SpaceX Starship Achieves Milestone with 11th Launch and Successful Splashdown

STARBASE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A crowd of people gathered to witness SpaceX…

Virtual Education Company’s Success in Rural District Turns into Struggle

GALLUP, N.M. — In 2020, amidst the heightened challenges of the Covid…