NEWYou now have the option to listen to articles from Fox News!
Video footage from a salon in Arkansas captured the moment Andrew James McGann was taken into custody in connection with the tragic double homicide at Devil’s Den State Park.
The video, obtained by Fox News, shows 28-year-old McGann at Lupita’s Beauty Salon & Barber Shop wearing a light blue polo shirt and khaki pants.
McGann was in the middle of a haircut when officers from the Arkansas State Police (ASP) entered the salon and promptly arrested him, removing the black and white haircut cape in the process.
The footage revealed that the suspect did not put up a fight during the arrest, while other customers and employees watched silently.
Andrew James McGann was booked at the Washington County Detention Center on Wednesday, July 30 at 7:08 p.m. (Washington County Detention Center)
The ASP arrested McGann on Wednesday at 4:57 p.m. He has been charged with two counts of capital murder in connection to the deaths of Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, who were found deceased on a trail at Devil’s Den.
The Brink’s daughters, aged 7 and 9, were unharmed and are currently under the care of family members, according to authorities.
During a news conference on Thursday, ASP Director Col. Mike Hagar revealed that both Clinton and Cristen Brink were killed by stab wounds, with a knife confirmed as the murder weapon. He also stated that there was no evidence to suggest the daughters were targeted.
“It seems to be a completely random incident,” Hagar stated. “We have no indication of any known connection between our suspect and the victims.”
Hagar mentioned that McGann sustained “injuries” during the attack, and the blood found at the scene helped authorities identify the suspect.
The suspect confessed to the crime, and DNA evidence confirmed his involvement, according to Hagar.
“While everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty, we have confirmed this morning that the suspect’s DNA matches the DNA found at the crime scene,” Hagar explained. “During questioning with investigators, the suspect admitted to committing the murders. We also conducted a search at his residence and found items consistent with the crime.”
James Andrew McGann, 28, was arrested on Wednesday, July 30 at a barbershop. (Washington County Detention Center)
Who is the suspect?
Authorities confirmed that the suspect has no known adult criminal history. There have been no prior charges or convictions against him.
McGann was a teacher in a small Oklahoma school district until May when he resigned to take up a position in another state, as per a statement from Sand Springs Public Schools. They mentioned that McGann had passed all background checks.
McGann had not yet begun his new job at Springdale Public Schools in Arkansas, according to Jared Cleveland, the district superintendent. Cleveland stated that McGann had not been in contact with any students or their families. He declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing investigation.
“Our entire team extends our deepest sympathies to the Brink family,” he expressed. “Their children are especially in our thoughts and prayers.”
The mother of a former student shared an email from the teacher’s previous school district with Fox News. She stated that in 2023, she filed a complaint with the superintendent after her son witnessed McGann behaving inappropriately towards younger female students.
In response, parents received a letter from the district stating that McGann had been placed on administrative leave while complaints of poor classroom management and professional judgment were being looked into.
Although there was no evidence of inappropriate behavior towards a student, it was determined that McGann’s classroom management and judgment did not meet the district’s expectations. Shortly after, McGann resigned.
“Mr. McGann, on Wednesday afternoon, informed our Human Resources Department of his decision to resign his position, effective immediately,” part of the email read. “We will have a substitute teacher in his class for the rest of the school year.”
Clinton Brink, 43, and wife Cristen, 41, were found dead on a walking trail at Devil’s Den State Park in northwestern Arkansas. (Cristen Brink via Facebook)
Who are the victims?
The Brink family had recently moved from South Dakota to Arkansas and were exploring Devil’s Den State Park in the Ozark Mountains with their two young daughters on Saturday, July 26.
ASP discovered the bodies of Cristen and Clinton Brink on a remote hiking trail on Sunday around 2:40 p.m. Their daughters, aged 7 and 9, were physically unharmed but emotionally distressed, officials stated.
Authorities believe that Clinton Brinks was the first to be attacked, with Cristen Brink then leading her daughters to safety before returning 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,” Rhodes said.
The cause of death for Cristen and Clinton Brink is still under investigation.
The trail head to the lower section of the Devil’s Den trail at Devil’s Den State Park remains closed Monday, July 28, 2025, in West Fork, Ark., as police search for a suspect in the deaths of a couple who were attacked while on a wooded walking trail. (AP Photo/Michael Woods) (AP Photo/Michael Woods)
WATCH:
Major Stacey Rhodes stated that McGann admitted to the double murders.
“He made statements indicating that he had committed these heinous acts,” Rhodes said on Thursday. “We then executed search warrants at both his residence and on the vehicle. While we’re still awaiting results from the crime lab, the DNA recovered at the initial scene has already been confirmed as a match to the suspect.”
Authorities mentioned that the investigation has received over 500 tips and is ongoing. They have not disclosed details from the crime scene. Investigators believe that McGann acted alone, and there are no other suspects being sought at this time.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Devil’s Den is situated about 140 miles northwest of Little Rock and features hiking trails and rock formations across its remote 2,500-acre park.
