DALLAS, TX - Authorities have confirmed that the suspect who allegedly killed a married couple who were hiking with their children at Devil's Den State Park in Arkansas was a teacher in Flower Mound, Texas.
Arkansas State Police (ASP) said that 28-year-old Andrew James McGann was arrested on Wednesday, July 30th, FOX4 reported. His arrest comes just four days after Clinton and Cristen Brink were found dead along a trail at Devil's Den State Park. He was arrested at a barbershop in Springdale, Arkansas, which is about 30 miles north of the state park.
He has been charged with two counts of capital murder and is being held at the Washington County Jail. ASP did not discuss the possible motive behind the attack, but did say that McGann admitted to stabbing the couple.
"While an arrest has been made, we are refraining [from divulging] much of the information that led to an arrest, said Major Stacie Rhoads, the department's division commander. "We have a lot of work to do in terms of securing a conviction. That's our next big focus right now," she added.
McGann is scheduled to appear before a judge in Arkansas to be arraigned on murder charges on Friday, August 1st. "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," Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement.
Clinton Brink, 43, and Cristen Brink, 41, were killed on Saturday, July 24th, while they were hiking with their two daughters. Police said that Clinton was attacked first and that Cristen rushed her two daughters, ages seven and nine, to safety before returning to try to help her husband.
Both of the girls were not injured and made it back to camp to alert the authorities. They are now staying with family members. "For a family to have to go through and deal with that level of tragedy is something that no one should ever experience," Governor Sanders said.
When police released a composite sketch and rear-view photo of the alleged suspect, they reportedly received several tips from as far away as Washington state. A search warrant found evidence connected to the crime that McGann's home and his DNA evidence were found at the crime scene.
McGann had been hired as a teacher candidate at Springdale Public Schools for the upcoming school year, but had not yet come into contact with any of the families or students, the district said in a statement.
He was a teacher at a small Oklahoma school district until May, and then resigned to take a job in another state. Sand Springs Public Schools, which is near Tulsa, said that he had passed all background checks. According to Texas Education Agency records, McGann has a Texas Educator Certificate that was effective on July 21, 2023, and expires on August 31, 2028.
Sierra Marcum said that three years ago, her son was a student of McGann's in his fourth-grade classroom in Flower Mound, Texas. She described him as the "most standpff teacher she had ever met."
"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." Lindsay Polyak's son was also in McGann's fourth-grade class at Donald Elementary during the 2022-2023 school year. She said many parents expressed concerns regarding McGann's teaching style and questionable behavior towards young female students.
"And that's where things really blew up at Donald Elementary School, with other parents going to the administration and saying that these are grooming behaviors, this is inappropriate. Nothing criminal had been done," she said.
Arkansas State Police (ASP) said that 28-year-old Andrew James McGann was arrested on Wednesday, July 30th, FOX4 reported. His arrest comes just four days after Clinton and Cristen Brink were found dead along a trail at Devil's Den State Park. He was arrested at a barbershop in Springdale, Arkansas, which is about 30 miles north of the state park.
He has been charged with two counts of capital murder and is being held at the Washington County Jail. ASP did not discuss the possible motive behind the attack, but did say that McGann admitted to stabbing the couple.
"While an arrest has been made, we are refraining [from divulging] much of the information that led to an arrest, said Major Stacie Rhoads, the department's division commander. "We have a lot of work to do in terms of securing a conviction. That's our next big focus right now," she added.
McGann is scheduled to appear before a judge in Arkansas to be arraigned on murder charges on Friday, August 1st. "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," Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement.
Clinton Brink, 43, and Cristen Brink, 41, were killed on Saturday, July 24th, while they were hiking with their two daughters. Police said that Clinton was attacked first and that Cristen rushed her two daughters, ages seven and nine, to safety before returning to try to help her husband.
Both of the girls were not injured and made it back to camp to alert the authorities. They are now staying with family members. "For a family to have to go through and deal with that level of tragedy is something that no one should ever experience," Governor Sanders said.
When police released a composite sketch and rear-view photo of the alleged suspect, they reportedly received several tips from as far away as Washington state. A search warrant found evidence connected to the crime that McGann's home and his DNA evidence were found at the crime scene.
McGann had been hired as a teacher candidate at Springdale Public Schools for the upcoming school year, but had not yet come into contact with any of the families or students, the district said in a statement.
He was a teacher at a small Oklahoma school district until May, and then resigned to take a job in another state. Sand Springs Public Schools, which is near Tulsa, said that he had passed all background checks. According to Texas Education Agency records, McGann has a Texas Educator Certificate that was effective on July 21, 2023, and expires on August 31, 2028.
Sierra Marcum said that three years ago, her son was a student of McGann's in his fourth-grade classroom in Flower Mound, Texas. She described him as the "most standpff teacher she had ever met."
"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." Lindsay Polyak's son was also in McGann's fourth-grade class at Donald Elementary during the 2022-2023 school year. She said many parents expressed concerns regarding McGann's teaching style and questionable behavior towards young female students.
"And that's where things really blew up at Donald Elementary School, with other parents going to the administration and saying that these are grooming behaviors, this is inappropriate. Nothing criminal had been done," she said.
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