LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A 28-year-old Arkansas man was arrested Wednesday in the killings of a married couple in front of their children at Devil’s Den State Park over the weekend, officials said.
Arkansas State Police arrested the man from Springdale and charged him with two counts of capital murder. Police did not mention a possible motive.
Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, were found dead Saturday on a walking trail at Devil’s Den. Their daughters, who are 7 and 9, were not hurt and are being cared for by family members, authorities have said.
The search for the man who killed the hikers at a state park in northwest Arkansas had entered its fifth day Wednesday. Many details about the attack remain unclear.
Here are some things to know:
Couple found dead on a walking trail
The Brinks were found dead Saturday on a walking trail at Devil's Den. Their daughters, who are 7 and 9, were not hurt and are being cared for by family members, authorities have said.
Police released a composite sketch and photo of a person of interest they were searching for in the attack. Along with the drawing, state police released a statement saying the suspect “likely sustained an injury while attacking the couple.” It did not go into further detail.
The State Police have released few details, including how the couple was killed. The FBI has said its Little Rock field office is assisting in the investigation.
Victims had moved from South Dakota
Clinton and Cristen Brink had just moved from South Dakota to the small city of Prairie Grove in northwest Arkansas. Their water had been connected less than two weeks ago, Mayor David Faulk said.
Clinton Brink had been scheduled to start a job as a milk delivery driver Monday in the nearby Fayetteville area, according to Hiland Dairy, his employer. Cristen Brink had been licensed as a nurse in Montana and South Dakota before moving to Arkansas.
The Brink family said the couple died “heroes protecting their little girls.”
Park known for hiking trails
Devil's Den is a 2,500-acre state park near West Fork, about 140 miles (220 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock, the state capital.
Devil’s Den is known for its hiking trails and rock formations, and it is a short drive from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and Walmart’s Bentonville headquarters. It was selected as a state park site in the 1930s.
The park's trails, which lead to the surrounding Ozark National Forest, remained closed Wednesday.
The Latest
Featured
