Clinton Brink (43) and his wife Cristin Brink (41) were hiking Devil’s Den State Park in northwest Arkansas with their young daughters, Ariana and Christina, when they were brutally murdered in what appears to be a totally random attack.
As some background, the Brink family moved from South Dakota to Prairie Grove in northwest Arkansas, just weeks before the murder. Their water was connected two weeks before their deaths.
Some information about Prairie Grove – the population is around 7,000.
Prairie Grove, Arkansas, is a city in Washington County known for its history, particularly the Battle of Prairie Grove during the Civil War. It’s also recognized for its agricultural heritage, charming downtown, and proximity to Northwest Arkansas. The city offers a blend of historical significance, a small-town atmosphere, and access to amenities in nearby Fayetteville.
Prior to the move, both Clint and Cristen had worked in the medical field. Clint had worked as a nurse aide and Cristen had been a nurse. Clinton had been due to start a job as a milk delivery driver. Cristen had been licensed as a nurse in Montana and South Dakota before the family moved.
According to The Sun, Clint has an older daughter from a previous relationship. Her name is Breanna.
The couple were said to be gentle and ‘outdoorsy’.
“They were outdoorsy people. They loved to take the girls and go do outdoor things and go hiking. They loved every minute of it,” Mary Hinebauch, a fellow choir member from their former church in Miles City, Montana, told Fox.
“That wasn’t an unnatural place for them to be. They did tons of stuff like that.”
Mary said that the family had moved to be closer to Clinton’s mother. Cristen had said the move was a new opportunity for the family.
“It was an opportunity to be closer to family,” Mary said. “And Clinton’s mother lived down there. And it was an opportunity for them for some change of scenery and to be down by his mom.”
A former colleague of the couple also spoke about the reason for the move “Clint’s oldest daughter recently was married and I know they wanted to be closer to family. They didn’t have family out here in Rapid,”
Mary also spoke about Cristen’s parenting.
“She had the two little toddlers when she lived here. I’m 65 years old, and I always stood back and thought, ‘Oh, I wish I could have had that patience,’” she said.
“They were out in the community. Everybody knew them — you know, with the little kids, and she was involved in moms’ groups,” Mary said.
She remembered Cristen as the kind of person who gave what she had — even when it wasn’t much.
“They didn’t have a lot, but she always had an extra hand for somebody else if they needed anything,” she said. “She touched people’s lives just by her softness. And her talent was unbelievable. Her singing was just a real gift.”
Amy, another friend of the family said that they were ‘wonderful people.’
“She [Cristin] got A’s in nursing school while raising babies and taking care of her family,” she told Fox. “She was involved in volleyball at Miles Community College, where she graduated with her nursing degree.”
“I loved her so much, and it just doesn’t seem real. Just seems there should be something I could do to take all this terrible tragedy back. Sadly, they are gone.”
Obituaries for the couple have been released and we have learned more about them:
Clinton and Cristen shared a marriage rooted in faith, laughter, and adventure. Whether hiking as a family, kayaking, or spending days at theme parks with their daughters, they lived for the simple joys that built lasting memories. They were each other’s best friend, biggest cheerleader, and constant teammate—truly one in heart and purpose. They were fiercely loyal to each other, their families, and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Clinton David Brink, born June 14, 1982, had a heart that beat for others. A Certified Nursing Assistant and delivery driver, Clinton was beloved by all who met him. His patients and coworkers knew him as kind, gentle, and unfailingly dependable. His family knew him as the man who made them laugh, comforted them with strength and humility, and loved them without condition. He often apologized—even when it wasn’t needed—because peace and understanding were more important to him than pride. Clinton’s greatest achievement, by far, was being a loving husband and proud father to his three daughters. He was recently honored as “Employee of the Month” as a CNA, a reflection of his quiet excellence and care for others.
Cristen Amanda Brink (Trent), born June 11, 1984, was a vibrant and compassionate soul. She was a Godly woman of principle and lived her faith to others. A registered nurse with both a nursing and math degrees, Cristen blended intelligence with empathy in every facet of her life. Her patients saw her as a beacon of care, and her family knew her as the strong, funny, and deeply loving woman who always showed up for them. An awarded volleyball player through her high school, college, and professionally, Cristen carried the same energy and resilience into motherhood, friendships and marriage. She had a passion for singing, crocheting, and needle point crafting. More than anything, she delighted in her family—her husband and three daughters were her world. She loved her parents, and brothers and brought them joy.
The murders occurred on Saturday, July 26, 2025.
This is some information about Devil’s Den State Park.
Devil’s Den State Park is a 2,500-acre (1,000 ha) Arkansas state park in Washington County, near West Fork, Arkansas in the United States. Park amenities were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, beginning in 1933. Devil’s Den State Park is in the Lee Creek Valley in the Boston Mountains, which are the southwestern part of The Ozarks. The park, with an 8 acres (3.2 ha) CCC-built lake, is open for year-round recreation, with trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Devil’s Den State Park also has several picnic areas, a swimming pool and cabins, with camping sites ranging from modern to primitive.
A neighbor of the Brinks’, named Shyanne Marie, told the media that she saw the family leaving their home in the morning of July 26. Devil’s Den was around a 30 minute drive from their home. “We seen them Saturday morning, leaving their house. They waved at us and our kids and went about their day,” she said.
“We were good friends with the neighbors who lived there before them so when they moved in we wanted to introduce ourselves to them and meet our new neighbors,” she said, adding their kids had already begun playing together.
“They also had a dog and so do we. So we bonded over that first.
“My boyfriend has had a brief conversation with them, they stated how they moved here from South Dakota.
“We live in such a good, quiet town we’ve not ever had anything happen like this in so long, especially so close to home.”
The first call came into Washington County EMS just before 2.30pm. A possible assault was reported.
Law enforcement responded to the scene and started to search for a suspect and victims.
“Two children are there. They advised that their parents were assaulted. One was possibly stabbed. The parents are missing,” someone said, according to police audio obtained by CBS affiliate KFSM-TV.
One responder heading toward the scene radioed that they heard “yelling calling for help.”
By the time authorities reached the family, it was too late. Clinton and Cristen were dead. At the time, their causes of death were not made public.
“We found the victims down here,” responders are heard saying in the audio. “They’re on the lower Devil’s Den trails where I’ve got two, two bodies.”
At 8.40pm, Arkansas State Police released information about the suspect and the manhunt that was ongoing.
They said that the suspect was last seen wearing a long-sleeve shirt with the sleeves rolled up, dark pants, a dark baseball cap, sunglasses, a black backpack, and fingerless gloves.
Arkansas State Police said the male suspect was believed to be driving a black four-door sedan, possibly a Mazda, with tape over the license plate.
Investigators asked anyone who was at the park on the day to check any photos or videos they took for images of the suspect, as well as residents in the surrounding area to notify ASP if they have access to security and game camera footage.
Thankfully, the children were unhurt and were taken into the care of relatives.
“Clinton and Cristen died heroes protecting their little girls and they deserve justice. They will forever live on in all of our hearts,” the Brink and Osgood family said in a statement.
Shyanne, their neighbor, spoke about hearing the news of the murders.
“I cried because I honestly couldn’t believe it. We had just talked to them, so honestly it was hard to believe,” she said.
“My heart hurts so bad for their little girls, they didn’t deserve this. I couldn’t imagine at 9 and 7 watching my parents murdered in front of me.”
Shea Lewis, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, said that rangers had stepped up patrols at Devil’s Den.
“Our hearts are with the victims’ loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” Shea said. “The safety of our visitors and staff is our highest priority, and we are working closely with Arkansas State Police and various law enforcement officials as the investigation continues.”
Authorities released both a sketch and a photo of the suspect they were searching for.
On Wednesday July 30, 2025, Andrew James McGann (28) was arrested while at a barbershop in Springdale, Arkansas. Springdale is around 30 miles from Devil’s Den. He was charged with two counts of capital murder.
Major Stacie Rhoads said that Andrew was cooperative during the arrest and admitted to killing Clinton and Cristen. Police also matched his DNA to blood found at the crime scene.
“In my 27 years that I’ve been with the State Police, this is probably one of the most heinous that we’ve had, especially the aspect of just how random it was,” Major Rhoads said.
Authorities spoke about how they made the arrest.
The State Police collected photos and videos from other hikers who didn’t witness the attack but were on the trails at around the same time. Police also released a composite sketch and a photo that showed a person of interest from behind.
The police then narrowed down the suspect’s vehicle, which had tape over the license plate, using surveillance footage from homes and businesses near Devil’s Den.
Within an hour of Andrew being identified as a suspect, he was caught at the barber shop.
Andrew had recently moved to the area from Oklahoma.
He had been employed at Donald Elementary in Flower Mound, Texas during the 2022-23 school year. He was placed on administrative leave in the spring of 2023 and later resigned after Lewisville ISD investigated him for “concerns related to classroom management, professional judgment, and student favoritism.”
Lewisville ISD said its internal investigation found no evidence of inappropriate behavior with students.
He had also worked previously as a teacher at Broken Arrow (always Broken Arrow) Public Schools during the 2023-24 school year. He had worked as a 5th grade teacher at Sand Springs Public Schools during the 2024-25 school year.
Broken Arrow School District said that McGann left of his own accord. “As with all employees hired by the district, he was subjected to and passed the legally required background checks prior to being hired,” a spokesperson said.
Andrea had also been employed by the Plano ISD in Texas for just four days in 2024, before he resigned. This info is from CBS:
Andrew held a teaching position in the North Texas district from Aug. 6 to Aug. 9, 2024. He resigned voluntarily before the first day of school on Aug. 13, 2024, and did not have direct contact with students, a district spokesperson said.
He had been hired as a teacher for the upcoming school year. He had not started his employment at the time of the murders.
Parents who had children in Andrew’s classes have spoken to the media.
“I was shocked and horrified and saddened, but also angry,” said Sierra Marcum, whose son was in his class. “Honestly, there were signs that not all was right with Mr. McGann.”
In August 2022, Andrew introduced himself to families at the Lewisville ISD elementary school in a now-deleted Facebook post.
Sierra said her son had expressed discomfort with how Andrew treated female students, claiming he gave them extra treats and kept some in his classroom alone during recess.
“Really, the tipping point for him, I think, was when he overheard Mr. McGann tell one of the little girls, ‘If you were older, I would love to marry you,'” Sierra said. “That was the day he came home and started crying.”
Springdale Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Jared Cleveland said: “This individual has not at any time come into contact with Springdale students or the families we serve. At this time, we cannot offer any additional information due to the ongoing investigation.”
After the arrest, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders made a statement “If you commit a violent, senseless act here in our state, our law enforcement will hunt you down and bring you to justice, because that’s what the people of Arkansas frankly deserve,” she said.
On July 31, we learned some more about the circumstances surrounding the murders.
It was alleged that Andrew fatally stabbed Clinton. Cristen took the children to safety and returned back to help her husband.
“She did not return all the way to the car with the kids,” said Maj. Stacie Rhoads of the Arkansas State Police. “We believe that the mother took them to safety and then returned to help her husband.”
Cristen was also stabbed to death.
Investigators have stated that there is no known connection between the Brinks’ and their killer and that they believe the attack was totally random.
Despite him having no criminal record, police have announced that they are exploring the possibility that Andrew has been involved in other crimes.
“I fully expect that other jurisdictions will probably reach out to us to see if there are cases throughout the U.S. that may be connected to him,” said Maj. Stacie Rhoads, with the Arkansas State Police.
Vermont State Police said that they’re looking into possible connections between Andrew and the 2023 murder of Honoree Fleming in Castleton, Vermont.
In a statement, Vermont State Police said once they heard about the arrest, detectives reached out to their counterparts in Arkansas as part of an ongoing investigation into the 2023 murder of Vermont State University Dean Honoree Fleming.
Honoree was shot and killed on the Delaware and Hudson Rail Trail.
Multiple witnesses reported saying that they witnessed the person believed to be involved in Honoree’s death as a young man in his 20’s with red hair, standing at 5 feet, 10 inches.
Witnesses reported that the man was acting odd, and more than one person observed him, police have said. They didn’t know if the shooting was random or targeted.
Online detention records say Andrew is 6 feet tall and weighs 180 pounds.
On Monday August 11, Andrew pleaded not guilty to two counts of capital murder. He was ordered to be held without bond until his trial starts. The trial is scheduled November 14, 2025. Prosecutor Brandon Carter asked that Andrew have no contact with the victims’ families. He also said that because the prosecution is seeking the death penalty in this case, he expects the case to take longer than usual to litigate.
National Crime Survey data indicates that 46 percent of violent crimes (rape, robbery, and assault) were committed by total strangers, 11 percent were committed by those known to the victim by sight only, 13 percent were committed by friends and acquaintances, and 8 percent were committed by relatives.
SOURCE LIST
https://www.wmur.com/article/arkansas-devils-den-mcgann-vermont-murder/65626419
https://www.the-sun.com/news/14844626/last-hours-parents-clinton-cristen-blink-arkansas-devils-den
https://www.luginbuel.com/deceased-records/person/clintonandcristen-brink-1982-2025
https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-state-park-stabbing-deaths-0366548e23a690beb4bb26f138a8cddc
https://people.com/devils-den-mom-killed-saving-kids-ran-back-husband-11783029
https://www.wmur.com/article/arkansas-devils-den-mcgann-vermont-murder/65626419
https://www.gofundme.com/f/to-help-raise-funds-to-lay-clinton-and-cristen-to-rest
https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/violent-crime-strangers-and-nonstrangers
HI, I’m from a town near Devil’s Den AR. Im surprised anyone would label this area “quiet” where “things like this dont happen.” This area is riddled with horrific crimes that are frequent- mostly against women. Maybe they dont make the news but this is one of the worst areas in the country in terms of crime.