After a five-day statewide manhunt, Arkansas State Police (ASP) have arrested 28-year-old Andrew James McGann for the brutal double homicide of a married couple who were hiking with their young daughters at Devil’s Den State Park.
McGann, an elementary school teacher who had just moved to Arkansas from Oklahoma, was taken into custody without incident at 4:57 pm Wednesday (July 30) at a business in Springdale.
He now faces two counts of capital offense for the slayings of Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41.
The girls, who witnessed the assault, were physically unharmed and are now in the care of family members.
Arkansas police arrested a 28-year-old elementary school teacher accused of fatally attacking a married couple
Image credits: Facebook / Clinton Brink
Authorities have not disclosed a motive, and details surrounding the nature of the attack remain under investigation.
“Clinton and Cristen passed away as heroes protecting their little girls, and they deserve justice,” the Brink family said in a statement to local media.
Col. Mike Hagar of the Arkansas State Police praised the swift action of law enforcement agencies that collaborated in the arrest.
“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.”
Image credits: Arkansas Outside
McGann was identified after investigators circulated a composite sketch and surveillance photo showing a man wearing a baseball cap, sunglasses, and fingerless gloves leaving the scene.
Witnesses also described a suspicious black sedan with tape covering its license plate.
Image credits: Arkansas State Police
The FBI assisted with the investigation by providing specialized resources and additional personnel. The break in the case came Wednesday afternoon, when McGann was found at a hair salon in Springdale—roughly 30 miles from the crime scene.
Authorities have refused to share further details on the motives behind McGann’s actions
Image credits: Arkansas Outside
The Brinks had recently relocated to Prairie Grove, Arkansas, from South Dakota. They were looking at a bright new start as Clinton Birk had just been hired as a milk delivery driver and was due to start work the Monday following the attack.
Their passing has left a deep void in the small community and beyond.
Image credits: Arkansas Outside
“Our entire state is grieving for the tragic loss and senseless and horrific crime that’s taken place,” said Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, describing having to inform the Brink family of what had transpired as “one of the worst experiences” of her life.
“No news can heal the enormous harm done to the Brink family, but this announcement is a comfort and reassurance for our state,” she continued in a formal statement.
“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.”
McGann had been hired to teach in a public Springdale school for the upcoming school year
Image credits: Facebook / Clinton Brink
Surfaced details on McGann’s background have only added to the shock of the crime, as he had been hired to teach in the Springdale Public Schools district for the upcoming school year.
District superintendent Jared Cleveland, seeing how this information was being received by concerned members of the Springdale community, came forward to confirm that McGann had not yet begun his employment.
“This individual has not at any time come into contact with Springdale students or the families we serve,” Cleveland said in a statement.
Image credits: Facebook / Clinton Brink
Prior to moving to Arkansas, McGann worked as a fifth-grade teacher in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, during the 2023–2024 school year. The district confirmed he passed all required background checks.
The year before that, he was employed at an elementary school in Flower Mound, Texas, where he resigned in spring 2023 after being placed on administrative leave due to “concerns related to classroom management, professional judgment, and student favoritism.”
“His eyes look empty.” Netizens took to social media to discuss the tragedy and mourn the victims
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