A Family Hike Turns Tragic in Arkansas Wilderness
Cristen Brink, 41, and her husband, Clinton Brink, 43, were fatally stabbed while hiking with their two young daughters at Devil’s Den State Park in Arkansas on July 26, 2025.
According to Arkansas State Police, the Brinks were ambushed by a man later identified as Andrew James McGann, age 28. Authorities say Cristen heroically guided her daughters, ages 7 and 9, to safety before returning to assist her wounded husband. “She did not return all the way to the car with the kids,” Maj. Stacie Rhoads stated at a press conference. “We believe that the mother took them to safety and then returned to help her husband.”
Suspect Arrested Following Five-Day Manhunt
McGann, who had recently relocated to Arkansas and was about to start working as a teacher, was apprehended without incident five days later at a barbershop in Springdale. He is now facing two counts of capital murder. Investigators claim the attack was “completely random” and that there was no known connection between the suspect and the victims.
The couple’s daughters were unharmed in the attack and are now being cared for by relatives. The family had recently moved to Prairie Grove, Arkansas.
No Known Motive Yet
Authorities have yet to determine a motive and confirmed that there were no warning signs prior to the stabbing. McGann had not yet begun his teaching job, and there is no evidence of previous criminal activity.
