What to know
- James McGann, a newly hired teacher in Springdale, was arrested for allegedly murdering Clinton and Cristen Brink while they hiked with their daughters at Devil’s Den State Park.
- The Brinks' daughters, ages 7 and 9, were found unharmed at the park visitor center, and the motive for the killings remains unclear.
- McGann, who recently moved from Oklahoma, was taken into custody at a local salon and faces two counts of capital murder.
By Jessica Schladebeck
Source New York Daily News
A teacher has been arrested for allegedly murdering a couple in Arkansas as they hiked with their two young daughters over the weekend, state police announced.
James McGann, a teacher who was recently hired by Springdale Public Schools for the upcoming school year, was getting his haircut at a salon in Springdale when he was arrested Wednesday shortly before 5 p.m., ABC News reported. He’s facing two counts of capital murder in the killings of 43-year-old Clinton David Brink and his wife, 41-year-old Cristen Amanda Brink.
The couple — who had recently relocated to the Prairie Grove area from another state — were attacked Saturday during an outing with their daughters at Devil’s Den State Park. Their bodies were found around 2:40 p.m. in the northwest corner of the state near Oklahoma, after the children turned up at the park visitor center alone.
Officials said the girls, ages 7 and 9, “were not injured and are safe with family members.”
The Brinks’ cause of death was not provided.
“Our entire state is grieving for the tragic loss and senseless and horrific crime that’s taken place,” Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, adding, “One of the worst experiences that certainly I’ve ever had was making a phone call to the Brink family earlier this week. Nothing like that should ever have taken place.”
A motive for the murders also remained unclear. Police said McGann had recently moved to the area from Oklahoma for a teaching job. The district confirmed in a statement to media that McGann had been hired for the fall but has not yet worked with students in the school.
______
©2025 New York Daily News.
Visit at nydailynews.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
