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Two young girls were crucial in guiding police to the suspect accused of murdering their parents during a family hike, according to investigators.
Andrew James McGann, 28, was arrested for the murders of Clinton and Cristen Brink, 43 and 41, at Devil’s Den State Park in Arkansas on Saturday.
The daughters, aged seven and nine, provided authorities with a description of the individual who assaulted their parents using a knife, officials announced on Thursday.
‘The preliminary details from the children offered us a vital lead, beginning with a suspect description,’ stated Arkansas State Police Major Stacey Rhodes.
Police said McGann, a school teacher, attacked Clinton first, giving Cristen time to get their daughters away from the scene.
‘The mother did not return all the way to the car with the kids, we believe the mother took them to safety then returned to help her husband,’ said Col. Mike Hagar.
The little girls eventually flagged someone in the park down and led them and police to their parents’ bodies.
A witness at the scene also reportedly shared images of the suspect’s car – a Kia Stinger – with authorities.
Cristen Brink (left), 41, and Clinton Brink (right), 43, were found dead at around 2.40pm on Saturday on a ‘remote and rural’ trail at Devil’s Den State Park. They were killed in front of their young daughters, who led police to a suspect
A chilling new mugshot was released of James Andrew McGann (pictured), the 28-year-old elementary school teacher accused of brutally executing a husband and wife
The couple’s two daughters – ages seven and nine – were hiking with them at the time, but came away uninjured. Pictured: The scene of the crime
Police then identified the vehicle’s owner and located the Kia at a barber shop in Springdale, not far from the park, where the suspect was getting a haircut.
McGann did not resist arrest and confessed to the murders, according to officials, who said he appeared to made little to no effort to conceal himself or flee the area.
DNA recovered at the crime scene matched McGann, officials added.
The arrest marked the end of a frantic manhunt; police said they received as many as 500 tips as they searched for the 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.
Arkansas prosecutor Brandon Carter said he will seek the death penalty against McGann.
Col. Mike Hagar that authorities are trying to determine a motive for the attack and have no reason to believe McGann knew the couple or their children.
A composite sketch released by Arkansas State Police prior to Gunn’s arrest
Cristen Brink (left), 41, and Clinton Brink (right), 43, were found dead at around 2.40pm on Saturday on a ‘remote and rural’ trail at Devil’s Den State Park
He also said they will look into whether McGann committed other crimes across the country.
The Brinks had recently moved from South Dakota to the small city of Prairie Grove in northwest Arkansas. Their water was connected less than two weeks ago, Mayor David Faulk said.
Clinton Brink had been scheduled to start working as a milk delivery driver on Monday in the 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.
They had another daughter was not on the hike with them. The three sisters are now in the care of family.
The Brink family said the couple died ‘heroes protecting their little girls.’
McGann is scheduled to appear in court on August 1.
Springdale Public Schools said in a statement it had hired McGann as a teacher candidate for the upcoming year but that he had not yet had any contact with its families or students.
Investigators revealed that McGann had no connection to the couple he’s accused of brutally stabbing to death. They previously released this image of a person of interest in the case
‘The initial information that came from the kids gave us our first starting point, which was a description of a suspect,’ said Arkansas State Police Major Stacey Rhodes
McGann has active teaching licenses in Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma, according to each respective government certification website.
He was placed on administrative leave in spring 2023 while he was employed at Donald Elementary School in Flower Mound, Texas, ‘following concerns related to classroom management, professional judgment, and student favoritism,’ according to a spokesperson for the Lewisville Independent School District.
McGann resigned from the Lewisville posting in May 2023, the district said in a statement.
