Arkansas teacher charged in killing of couple hiking with children 

A 28-year-old teacher has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a married couple who were hiking with their children at Devil’s Den State Park in Arkansas. 

Andrew James McGann was taken into custody at a barbershop in Springdale, Arkansas, about 30 miles from the crime scene, following a five-day manhunt that included public appeals for trailgoers to review their photos and videos, according to the Associated Press. 

He was charged with two counts of capital murder and is being held without bond in Washington County jail. A motive has not been disclosed. 

Clinton and Cristen Brink, ages 43 and 41, were found dead on a trail Saturday while hiking with their two daughters, ages 7 and 9, who were not harmed. 

Police received an overwhelming number of tips after releasing a composite sketch and surveillance image of a person of interest. State Police said public assistance and recovered footage were key in identifying McGann. 

“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,” Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said at a news conference. 

McGann previously taught at Sand Springs Public Schools near Tulsa, Oklahoma, and in Flower Mound, Texas, near Dallas. He passed background checks before being hired by Springdale Public Schools for the upcoming school year but had not yet begun work or interacted with students. 

Former colleagues and parents described him as aloof.  

Sierra Marcum, whose son had McGann in fourth grade in Flower Mound, said he was the “most standoff teacher” she’d encountered.  

“Pretty cold. You could ask him a question and he would give you a one-word response,” she said. “Overall just pretty disinterested in his students.” 

Marcum told CBS News that her son reported concerning behavior about McGann, including that he was physically inappropriate with girls in his class, letting them sit on his lap, keeping them from recess, and making questionable comments. 

According to an email shared with the network, McGann was placed on leave during the 2022–2023 school year pending investigation for “complaints of poor classroom management and poor professional judgment.” Although the investigation found no “evidence of inappropriate behavior with a student,” the district deemed his performance below expectations. McGann resigned immediately from Flower Mound, leaving the position before completing his first year. 

The Brinks had recently relocated from South Dakota to Prairie Grove, Arkansas. Clinton was set to begin a new job as a milk delivery driver for Hiland Dairy, and Cristen had worked as a nurse in Montana and South Dakota before the move. Their family said the couple died protecting their daughters.

Devil’s Den, a 2,500-acre park popular for hiking, remains closed. Officials and residents across the state continue to mourn the loss. 

“Our entire state is grieving for the tragic loss and senseless and horrific crime that’s taken place in this area,” Sanders said.