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28-year-old Andrew James McGann (Source: Washington County, Arkansas jail)

DALLAS – The suspect who is accused of killing a married couple who were hiking with their children at Devil’s Den State Park in Arkansas was a teacher in Flower Mound, according to an Associated Press report.

28-year-old Andrew James McGann (Source: Washington County, Arkansas jail)

Devil’s Den Attack

Arkansas State Police say the suspect, 28-year-old Andrew James McGann was arrested on Wednesday, July 30, four days after the couple was found dead along a trail at the state park. 

State Police declined to release a motive Wednesday night, or state how the couple were killed. It’s also unclear when McGann will first appear in court or whether he has an attorney. 

“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 Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters.

After police released a composite sketch of the suspect, police were overwhelmed with tips from as far away as Washington state. 

Sketch of person of interest in Devil’s Den double homicide (Source: Arkansas State Police)

Arkansas couple killed

What we know:

Arkansas State Police said in a July 27 news release that a couple was killed at Devil’s Den State Park on Saturday, July 26, while they were hiking with their two daughters. 

The girls, who are 7 and 9, were not injured and are safe with family members.

The parents have been identified as Clinton Brink, 43, and Cristen Brink, 41. The family had just moved to the area from another state, police said. 

Clinton Brink, 43, and Cristen Brink, 41

What they’re saying:

“Arkansas State Police Special Agents have arrested James Andrew McGann, 28, of Springdale. He’s been charged with two counts of capital murder in the deaths of Clinton David Brink and Kristen Amanda Brink. Clinton and Kristen were killed on Saturday, July 26, 2025, at Devil’s Den State Park. The suspect was taken into custody this evening at 4:57 PM at a business in the Springdale area,” said Col. Mike Hagar with the Arkansas Department of Public Safety.

“So while an arrest has been made, we are refraining from releasing much of the information that led to that arrest,” said Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division Commander Maj. Stacie Rhoads. “We still have a lot of work to do in terms of, you know, securing a conviction, because that’s our next big focus right now. But we will release some details as they become available that we think are pertinent. You know, the community deserves to know what happened and what led to that arrest, and we’ll be happy to share that when the time is right.”

Person of interest in Devil’s Den double homicide (Source: Arkansas State Police)

Who is Andrew James McGann? 

What we know:

Andrew James McGann was arrested at a barbershop in Springdale about 30 miles north of the state park, State Police said at a news conference Wednesday night. He was charged with two counts of capital murder and is being held at the Washington County Jail. 

McGann had been hired at Springdale Public Schools as a teacher candidate for the upcoming year but had not yet come into contact with any of its families or students, the district said in a statement.

McGann was a teacher at a small Oklahoma school district until May and then resigned to take a job in another state, according to a statement from Sand Springs Public Schools, which is near Tulsa. It added that McGann had passed all background checks.

James Andrew McGann, 28 (Source: Arkansas State Police)

Andrew McGann’s ties to Texas

Dig deeper:

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.

Records show McGann had a Dallas address.

Sierra Marcum told The Associated Press that three years ago, her son was a student in McGann’s fourth grade classroom in Flower Mound, Texas. She described him as the “most standoff teacher she had ever met.” Her son’s yearbook includes a photo of McGann.

“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.”

Lewisville ISD issued a statement to FOX 4 News saying:

“Lewisville ISD is aware of the recent arrest of a former teacher who was employed at Donald Elementary during the 2022-23 school year. The individual was placed on administrative leave in the spring of 2023 following concerns related to classroom management, professional judgment, and student favoritism. An internal investigation found no evidence of inappropriate behavior with students. The teacher resigned from the district in May 2023.

“Our hearts are with the victims and all those affected by this tragic situation. The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority, and we are committed to supporting our school community during this time.”

(Source: Lewisville ISD Parent Lindsay Polyak)

The message below was shared with current Donald families: 

Donald Families, 

I wanted to send you a message this morning regarding the story in the news about a former Donald Elementary teacher who was arrested out of state this week. First, I want to share my sincerest condolences to the family of the victims involved in this unimaginable act of violence. Our thoughts will continue to be with them during this time.

Mr. McGann was a teacher at Donald during the 2022-23 school year. In the spring of 2023, we communicated with families of students in Mr. McGann’s class that he was placed on administrative leave while the district investigated complaints of poor classroom management and poor professional judgment related to concerns about uneven treatment of students and displays of favoritism.

Our investigation did not find any evidence of inappropriate behavior with a student, however we did find his classroom management and professional judgment to be below our district’s expectations. Ultimately, Mr. McGann resigned from LISD in May of 2023.

I know news like this can be unsettling, especially in a close-knit school community like ours. Please know that the safety, well-being, and trust of our students and families will always be our top priority. We remain fully committed to upholding the high standards that define Donald Elementary, and to supporting our students and staff every step of the way. 

If you or your child need support during this time, our counseling team is here and ready to help. Please don’t hesitate to reach out.

The message below was shared with families who previously had students in McGann’s class:

LISD Families, 

We think it is important to keep you informed of situations that impact our district, even if your student is not directly affected. Former Donald Elementary teacher James McGann was arrested out of state this week. You are receiving this message because after further investigation, it has been determined it is possible Mr. McGann was your child’s teacher in the past. 

McGann was a teacher at Donald during the 2022-23 school year. In the spring of 2023, we communicated with families of students in Mr. McGann’s class that he was placed on administrative leave while the district investigated complaints of poor classroom management and poor professional judgment related to concerns about uneven treatment of students and displays of favoritism.

Our investigation did not find any evidence of inappropriate behavior with a student, however we did find his classroom management and professional judgment to be below our district’s expectations. Ultimately, Mr. McGann resigned from LISD in May of 2023.

I know news like this can be unsettling. Please know that the safety, well-being, and trust of our students and families will always be our top priority. If you or your child need support during this time, our counseling team is here and ready to help. Please reach out if you need assistance.

Where is Devil’s Den State Park?

Big picture view:

Devil’s Den State Park is located about 25 miles south of Fayetteville, not far from the Oklahoma state border.

The park is located in a remote and rural area, where the terrain is rugged, vegetation is thick and there is no cellphone service, State Police said.

The Source: This report includes information from The Associated Press, the Texas Education Agency, and previous LiveNow from FOX reporting. 

Flower MoundCrime and Public SafetyArkansas