A 28-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the brutal double homicide of a married couple who were killed while hiking with their young daughters at a popular Arkansas state park, according to authorities.
James Andrew McGann of Springdale, Arkansas, was taken into custody on Wednesday and charged with two counts of capital murder in the deaths of Clinton David Brink, 43, and his wife, Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, the Arkansas State Police announced.
The Brinks were attacked and killed while hiking along a trail at Devil’s Den State Park on Saturday, July 26. Their two daughters, ages 7 and 9, were present but were not harmed.
McGann was arrested just before 5 p.m. Wednesday at a business in Springdale — identified by officials at a news conference as a hair salon, where he was reportedly getting a haircut at the time of his arrest.
Authorities said McGann had recently relocated to Arkansas from Oklahoma and had been hired to work at a local school.
Investigators declined to release details about a possible motive, citing the ongoing nature of the case.
“This is a heartbreaking and senseless tragedy,” said Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “One of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do was call the Brink family this week. No family should ever have to endure this.”
The suspect had reportedly been seen fleeing the area in a black, four-door sedan — possibly a Mazda — with tape obscuring the license plate, police said.
A composite sketch and photo of a man seen at the park on the day of the killings had been released earlier in the week, as law enforcement sought public assistance identifying a person of interest. That man has now been confirmed to be McGann, according to state police.
The FBI supported the investigation by providing personnel and resources, officials added.
Authorities have not yet disclosed how the couple was killed, and the trail where the attack occurred remains closed. Arkansas Secretary of Parks Shay Lewis said all trails at Devil’s Den State Park will stay closed until further notice.
The Brink family had recently moved to Prairie Grove from out of state, police said. Their daughters are safe and currently in the care of relatives.
The investigation is ongoing.
