1 month ago
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(NewsNation) — New video shows the infinitesimal a 28-year-old schoolteacher was arrested astatine a barbershop successful narration to the stabbing deaths of a joined mates hiking with their young children astatine Devil's Den State Park.
James Andrew McGann was taken into custody Wednesday astatine the Springdale salon, astir 30 miles northbound of wherever Clinton Brink, 43, and Cristen Brink, 41, were recovered dormant Saturday connected a walking trail. McGann "was wholly cooperative" during the arrest, Arkansas State Police Major Stacie Rhoads said Thursday.
McGann is charged with two counts of superior murder and is being held without enslaved successful the Washington County jail. His archetypal tribunal quality is scheduled for Friday.
DNA grounds links fishy to stabbing deaths of Clinton, Cristen Brink
The probe began erstwhile the Brinks' 2 daughters, ages 7 and 9, were recovered astatine the parkland and told authorities thing had happened to their parents connected the trail. The children provided an archetypal statement of the suspect.
Additional witnesses came guardant with video footage and photographs from their visits to the park, helping constabulary compile a composite sketch. Investigators received much than 500 tips pursuing the archetypal merchandise of fishy information.
Police connected McGann's DNA to the transgression country and executed hunt warrants astatine his location and vehicle, wherever they recovered aggregate knives.
"He made statements indicating that helium had committed these heinous acts," Rhoads told reporters.
Teacher charged with superior execution of hiking mates astatine Arkansas park
James Andrew McGann was arrested and charged for the treble homicide of a mates who were connected a hiking way astatine Devil’s Den authorities parkland successful Arkansas. (Source: Washington County Sheriff’s Office) 
Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, were recovered dormant connected a walking way astatine Devil’s Den State Park successful Arkansas. (Source: GoFundMe)
Special agents with the Arkansas State Police person arrested James Andrew McGann, 28, of Springdale, successful transportation to a double homicide astatine Devil’s Den State Park connected July 26, 2025. (Courtesy)
James Andrew McGann was arrested and charged for the treble homicide of a mates who were connected a hiking way astatine Devil’s Den authorities parkland successful Arkansas. (Source: Washington County Sheriff’s Office) 
Picture of suspect's backmost successful Devil's Den State Park killings. (COURTESY)
Sketch of the fishy successful Devil's Den State Park killings. (COURTESY)
McGann worked arsenic a teacher astatine Sand Springs Public Schools adjacent Tulsa, Oklahoma, until May, erstwhile helium resigned to instrumentality a presumption successful Arkansas. The territory said McGann "passed each inheritance checks."
He antecedently taught astatine Broken Arrow Schools from 2023 to 2024 and was certified to thatch simple schoolhouse successful Oklahoma successful 2022 and Texas successful 2023.
McGann was approved to thatch simple and mediate schoolhouse children successful Arkansas opening autumn 2024 but had not yet started his caller presumption astatine Springdale Public Schools.
Police said McGann had no big transgression history.
Victims' daughters witnessed onslaught but escaped unharmed
Police judge McGann acted unsocial and that determination was nary known relation betwixt the fishy and victims. The motive remains nether investigation.
Clinton Brink is believed to person been stabbed first. Cristen Brink took the children to information and returned to assistance her hubby earlier she was besides killed. Both victims died from stab wounds.
The couple's daughters were not injured and are harmless with household members. The Brinks person different girl who was not connected the way Saturday.
The Brink household had precocious moved from South Dakota to Prairie Grove successful northwest Arkansas. Clinton Brink was scheduled to commencement enactment arsenic a beverage transportation operator for Hiland Dairy successful the Fayetteville area.
"The Brink household said the mates died 'heroes protecting their small girls,'" according to a household statement.
"I'm highly grateful for the agelong hours and dedication that our agents enactment guardant successful bringing justness to this family," said Arkansas State Police spokesperson Mike Hagar.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders praised instrumentality enforcement's enactment successful a statement: "No quality tin heal the tremendous harm done to the Brink household successful past weekend's crime, but this announcement is simply a comfortableness and reassurance for our State."
