Arkansas State Police make arrest in Devil's Den double homicide case
SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Arkansas State Police made an arrest in the recent Devil's Den double homicide case on July 30.
Andrew James McGann, 28, is charged with two counts of capital murder.
ASP says McGann was taken into custody at 4:57 p.m. at a business in Springdale.
According to Maj. Stacie Rhoads with ASP, McGann had just moved to Northwest Arkansas from Oklahoma and was recently employed at a local school. He had no connection to the Brinks family. He is being held at the Washington County jail.
Washington County Prosecutor Brandon Carter says McGann is scheduled to appear in court on August 1.
Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, were fatally attacked while hiking with their two daughters. The girls, who are 7 and 9, were not injured and are safe with family members.
'No news can heal the enormous harm done to the Brink family in last weekend's crime, but this announcement is a comfort and reassurance for our State. I am so proud of the Arkansas State Police, Park Rangers, local law enforcement, and others who have worked nonstop since last weekend to capture this suspect. I ask that Arkansans lift up prayers of thanks for the brave men and women of law enforcement – and offer prayers of condolence to the victims of this horrific crime. Let there be no mistake – we do not tolerate violent crime in Arkansas. If you target innocent people, law enforcement will hunt you down and bring you to justice,' Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said.
'I'm extremely grateful for the long hours and dedication that our Agents put forward in bringing justice to this family. The collaboration between State Police, other state and local law enforcement agencies, and our federal partners has been second to none. Because of their hard work and investigative skill, we were able to take a monster off the streets, and bring relief to those two precious girls, and the rest of our citizens,' said ASP Col. Mike Hagar.
Sanders, along with Hagar, held a press conference at the Arkansas State Police Troop L Headquarters in Lowell.
The full press conference can be viewed in the video above.
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The collaboration between State Police, other state and local law enforcement agencies, and our federal partners has been second to none. Because of their hard work and investigative skill, we were able to take a monster off the streets, and bring relief to those two precious girls, and the rest of our citizens." Major Stacie Rhoads with Arkansas State Police said: "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family affected by this unimaginable act of violence." What Happens Next McGann's arraignment is scheduled to take place on August 25. Law enforcement said the investigation remains ongoing, with additional details to be released as they become available. Anyone who may have information regarding the case or suspect has been encouraged to contact the Arkansas State Police.
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"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 females. 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." McGann was charged with two counts of capital murder. Police said he confessed during questioning. "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." WATCH THE NEWS CONFERENCE: Authorities confirmed that the suspect has no known adult criminal history. Investigators have not uncovered any prior charges or convictions. Investigators believe the attack was random and have not identified a motive. "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 revealed that McGann sustained "injuries" during the attack. The blood found at the scene helped authorities find the suspect, they said. GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB Police said that Clinton Brink was attacked first, and that Cristen ran the couple's two young children back to their vehicle and then 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," Major Stacey Rhodes said. WATCH MCGANN'S FIRST COURT APPEARANCE: 9 a.m. CDT — McGann appeared in Washington County Circuit Court for a preliminary hearing. He was formally advised of his rights and the charges against him. Prosecutors confirmed he is being held without bond. A public defender was appointed. Arraignment was set for Aug. 25, 2025.
