28-year-old Andrew James McGann (Source: Washington County, Arkansas jail)
DALLAS – The suspect 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.
Devil’s Den Attack
28-year-old Andrew James McGann (Source: Washington County, Arkansas jail)
What’s new:
Arkansas State Police said 28-year-old Andrew James McGann was arrested on Wednesday night, four days after Clinton and Cristen Brink were found dead along a trail at the state park.
State Police declined to release a possible motive, but said McGann admitted to stabbing them.
“While an arrest has been made, we are refraining much of the information that led to an arrest. We have a lot of work to do in terms of securing a conviction. That’s our next big focus right now,” said Maj. Stacie Rhoads, the department’s division commander.
McGann is set to go before a judge in Arkansas to be arraigned on murder charges on Friday. It’s unclear 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.
Arkansas couple killed
Clinton Brink, 43, and Cristen Brink, 41
The backstory:
Arkansas State Police said that 43-year-old Clinton Brink and 41-year-old Cristen Brink were killed at Devil’s Den State Park on Saturday while they were hiking with their two daughters.
Police said Clinton was attacked first and that Cristen rushed their two daughters, ages 7 and 9, to safety before returning to try to help her husband. The little girls made it back to camp to alert the authorities. They are now safe with family members.
“For a family to have to go through and deal with that level of tragedy is something that no one should ever experience,” Gov. Sanders said.
After police released a composite sketch and rear-view photo of the suspect, police were reportedly overwhelmed with tips from as far away as Washington state.
Arkansas State Police released images of a person of interest in connection with a couple that was killed in August in Devil’s Den State Park. Images: ASP
A search warrant reportedly found evidence connected to the crime at McGann’s home and his DNA evidence was found at the crime scene, police said.
Who is Andrew James McGann?
James Andrew McGann, 28 (Source: Arkansas State Police)
What we know:
Andrew James McGann was arrested at a barbershop in Springdale, Arkansas about 30 miles north of the state park. He was charged with two counts of capital murder and is being held at the Washington County Jail.
He 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 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.
He had passed all background checks, the district said.
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 also show he once 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.”
Lindsay Polyak’s son was also in McGann’s fourth grade class at Donald Elementary during the 2022-2023 school year. She shared a photo of him during one of the school’s outdoor events.
Polyak said many parents expressed concerns over McGann’s teaching style and questionable behavior towards young female students.
“And that’s where things really blew up at Donald Elementary with other parents going to the administration saying these are grooming behaviors, this is inappropriate. Nothing criminal had been done,” she said.
The Lewisville Independent School District 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.”
Additional letters were sent hom to current and former Donald Elementary families.
(Source: Lewisville ISD Parent Lindsay Polyak)
“It just shook me when I saw the mugshot and I read the story and realized that this guy really was just a sick person,” Polyak said.
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.
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