Teacher charged with murder in Devil’s Den hiker deaths appears in court
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Teacher charged with murder in Devil’s Den hiker deaths appears in court
Andrew James McGann, 28, is charged with two counts of capital murder. He is accused of stabbing Clinton David Brink, 43, and his wife, Cristen Amanda Brink. Their daughters, ages 7 and 9, were not injured in the July 26 attack. McGann appeared in court briefly on Aug. 1 and was appointed a public defender. He had recently moved to Springdale, Arkansas, and had taken a teaching job, school district says. He could be sentenced to death or life in prison without parole if convicted of the two murders.. USA TODAY reported that McGann was expected to begin teaching at Springdale Public Schools during the 2025-2026 school year.
The teacher who Arkansas police say admitted to fatally stabbing a couple while they were on a hike with their children made his first appearance in court, where he faces two capital murder charges.
Clinton David Brink, 43, and his wife, Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, were killed in what officals called a “completely random” attack in Devil’s Den State Park in northwestern Arkansas on July 26. Their daughters, ages 7 and 9, were not injured.
After a dayslong manhunt, Andrew James McGann, 28, was arrested on July 30 at a Springdale, Arkansas, barber shop. McGann was charged with two counts of capital murder and is being held without bond.
State police said McGann’s DNA matched DNA found at the scene, and the suspect had made statements “indicating that he had committed these heinous acts.” But a motive for the attack remains unknown.
McGann appeared in court briefly on Aug. 1 and was appointed a public defender. Prosecutors asked that McGann have no contact with the victims’ family, and the judge said a no contact provision could be added if bond was set.
Who is Andrew James McGann?
Arkansas State Police said McGann was as a resident of Springdale, Arkansas, a city of about 84,000 people about 30 miles north of Devil’s Den State Park.
McGann previously lived in Texas and Oklahoma, according to state police. He had recently moved to Springdale and had taken a teaching job.
USA TODAY reported that McGann was expected to begin teaching at Springdale Public Schools during the 2025-2026 school year. The school district did not provide additional information about his employment, citing an ongoing investigation.
“This individual has not begun employment with the district nor has he at any time come into contact with Springdale students or the families we serve,” Superintendent Jared Cleveland said in a statement. “Our entire team extends our deepest condolences to the Brink family.”
Before moving to Arkansas, McGann was employed by Broken Arrow Public Schools in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Broken Arrow Public Schools spokesperson Tara Thompson told USA TODAY that McGann was a fifth grade teacher at Spring Creek Elementary School for the 2023-2024 school year and left on his own accord to work in a different state.
What’s next for McGann?
McGann will appear in court next on Aug. 25. More information, including charging documents and additional details, will likely be presented at his arraignment.
USA TODAY reached out to Washington County Prosecutor Brandon Carter on Aug. 1 and the Washington County Public Defender’s Office, but did not immediately receive a response.
If McGann is convicted of capital murder, he could be sentenced to death or life in prison without parole. Carter has said his office will not waive the death penalty.
Contributing: Greta Cross and John Bacon, USA TODAY
Video shows Arkansas hiking murder suspect arrested mid-haircut
Andrew James McGann, 28, has been charged with two counts of capital murder in connection to the killings of Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink,. 41, who were found dead on a walking trail at Devil’s Den. The Brinks’ daughters, who are 7 and 9, were not hurt and are being cared for by family members, authorities said. McGann was a teacher in a small Oklahoma school district until May and then resigned to take a job in another state. The mother of a former student provided an email from the teacher’s previous school district to Fox News. She said that in 2023, she filed a complaint with the superintendent after her son witnessed McGann behaving inappropriately toward younger female students. He has not yet started his new job in Arkansas at Springdale Public Schools, Jared Cleveland, the district superintendent, said that McGann “has not at any time” been in contact with students or their families. He declined to provide more information, citing the investigation.
Surveillance video from an Arkansas salon captured the moment Andrew James McGann was arrested in connection with the Devil’s Den State Park double homicide.
The footage, obtained by Fox News, captures 28-year-old McGann in Lupita’s Beauty Salon & Barber Shop in a light blue polo shirt and khaki pants on Wednesday.
McGann was mid-haircut when officers with the Arkansas State Police (ASP) entered the shop and promptly placed McGann in handcuffs, removing the black and white haircut cape in the process.
WATCH THE ARREST:
The double-homicide suspect, footage showed, did not resist arrest, as nearby patrons and employees watched in silence.
ARKANSAS HIKERS KILLED: WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT TEACHER CHARGED WITH MURDERING COUPLE IN FRONT OF CHILDREN
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ASP arrested McGann at 4:57 p.m. Wednesday. He was charged with two counts of capital murder in connection to the killings of Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, who were found dead on a walking trail at Devil’s Den.
McGann had his first court appearance on Friday morning. He is held with no bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for August 25.
The Brinks’ daughters, who are 7 and 9, were not hurt and are being cared for by family members, authorities said.
ASP Director Col. Mike Hagar announced in a Thursday news conference that both Clinton and Cristen Brink died from stab wounds. A knife was confirmed as the murder weapon. He also clarified that investigators found no indication the daughters were targeted.
WATCH: Arkansas mom saved children before being killed in double murder, officials say
“It appears to be a completely random event,” Hagar said. “We have no reason to believe there was any known association between our suspect and our victims.”
Hagar noted that McGann sustained “injuries” during the attack. The blood found at the scene helped authorities find the suspect, they said.
Hagar said that McGann confessed to the crime and that DNA evidence confirmed his involvement.
“Although everyone is innocent until proven guilty, we did confirm this morning that the suspect’s DNA is a positive match to the DNA recovered at the crime scene,” Hagar said. “During an interview with investigators, the suspect admitted to committing the murders. We also executed a search warrant at his residence and recovered items consistent with the crime.”
ARKANSAS MAN CHARGED WITH CAPITAL MURDER AFTER KILLING PARENTS IN FRONT OF DAUGHTERS AT DEVIL’S DEN STATE PARK
Who is the suspect?
Authorities confirmed that the suspect has no known adult criminal history. Investigators have not uncovered any prior charges or convictions.
McGann was a teacher in a small Oklahoma school district until May and then resigned to take a job in another state, according to a statement from Sand Springs Public Schools. They said that McGann had passed all background checks.
McGann had not yet started his new job in Arkansas at Springdale Public Schools, Jared Cleveland, the district superintendent, confirmed to Fox News. Cleveland said that McGann “has not at any time” been in contact with students or their families. He declined to provide more information, citing the investigation.
“Our entire team extends our deepest condolences to the Brink family,” he said. “Their children are especially in our thoughts and prayers.”
The mother of a former student provided an email from the teacher’s previous school district to Fox News. She said that in 2023, she filed a complaint with the superintendent after her son witnessed McGann behaving inappropriately toward younger female students.
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In response, parents received a letter from the district stating that McGann had been placed on administrative leave while officials investigated complaints of poor classroom management and professional judgment.
While the investigation did not find evidence of inappropriate behavior toward a student, it concluded that McGann’s classroom management and judgment fell below district expectations. Shortly afterward, McGann resigned.
“Mr. McGann, on Wednesday afternoon, notified our Human Resources Department of his decision to resign his position, effective immediately,” the email said, in part. “We will have a substitute teacher in his class for the rest of the school year.”
Who are the victims?
After recently relocating from South Dakota to Arkansas, the Brink family spent Saturday, July 26, exploring Devil’s Den State Park in the Ozark Mountains with their two young daughters.
ASP discovered Cristen and Clinton’s bodies along a remote hiking trail on Sunday at approximately 2:40 p.m. Their two daughters were physically unharmed but emotionally distressed, authorities said.
Authorities revealed Thursday that they believe that Clinton Brinks was attacked first. Cristen Brink then led their two daughters away from the scene to safety but later returned to help her husband, where she was also fatally attacked.
“We believe that the mother took them to safety and then returned to help her husband,” Rhodes said.
Cristen and Clinton Brink’s cause of death is being determined.
MANHUNT INTENSIFIES FOR ARKANSAS SUSPECT LIKELY INJURED IN FATAL ATTACK OF COUPLE
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Major Stacey Rhodes said that McGann confessed to the double-murders.
“He made statements indicating that he had committed these heinous acts,” Rhodes said Thursday. “We then executed search warrants at both his residence and on the vehicle. While we’re still awaiting results from the crime lab, the DNA recovered at the initial scene has already been confirmed as a match to the suspect.”
Authorities said the investigation has generated over 500 tips and remains ongoing. Authorities have not revealed details from the scene. Investigators believe McGann acted alone, and no additional suspects are being sought at this time.
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