Presser July 31, 2025 Thurs- 2PM
Colonel Mike Hagar ASP
- kudos to investigators and LE
- thanking public for videos and photos
- about 500 tips
- suspects DNA is a positive match to DNA collected at the scene
- suspect indicated that he Did commit the murders
- residence collected articles consistent with crime
- believe he acted alone
Major Stacie Rhoads ASP
- 2 young children, description events and suspect
- another witness gave info, vehicle description
- public photos and video- obtained a photo
- composite sketch- dozens of tips
- car black sedan sporty, many videos of the car in and out of the park- Kia Stinger
- connected owners of Kia Stinger, link to Springdale
- searched house and vehicle
- DNA at crime scene matched his DNA
Brandon Carter, pros attorney
- thoughts with family, three girls lost parents
- kudos to ASP, and LE and agencies involved and the public
- public- know you are safe, we are confident we have the right suspect
- indication to use the full weight of office to bring justice to the family
Colonel Mike Hagar, ASP
- family- loving mother and father, protected the girls and lost their lives, a third sister
- in awe of the girls, their testimonies, witnessed the most horrific event
- please public be sensitive to a grieving family, speculation and misinformation hurts
- be careful in an investigation- be calculated, the goal was to get him off the street, what was released to the public
- environment half a mile into the woods
- not CSI, won’t be wrapped up in a one hour episode
- do not want to put out information that will hinder the investigation, or put us onto the wrong suspect
- social media be sensitive with speculation, they do not deserve to be victimized
Q: What was the motive? A: Part of the investigation, no reason to believe a known association, appears to be a random event.
What was cause of death? A: Weapon used was a knife, victims died by stab wounds.
Q: Parents have said he was their teacher, perhaps he was a predator of young girls. Are there connections that this was his first time, was he after those girls? A: We have no indication that the girls were his target
Q: Was he there the weekend before? A: Honestly would be pure speculation. Will look at timelines and find out why, how long had he planned this.
Q: Elaborate on injuries A: Yes he was injured and it there was blood loss and that allowed us to get a DNA profile and match to suspect.
Talking I did not understand
Stacie Rhodes
Knives were collected from the residence
Photo of the back of the suspect, things at residence are consistent with the photo
Q: Can you speak on the terrains and timing? A: Typical terrain of park, inclines, trails maintained, about a half a mile into the park. Took time to get out.
Q: Can you confirm that the father was stabbed and the mother took kids to the car and went back? A: We think the mother took kids to safety then returned.
Q: What did he say since arrest? A: No comment, not fair for investigation.
Pros Attorney
Q: What about DP? A: The state will not be waiving the DP.
Q: Will he plead guilty? A: I believe he will plead Not Guilty, do not believe there is a defense attorney that would allow a defendant to plead Guilty upon first appearance.
Q: State parks open? A: I do not know. They are as safe as they could be, as likely to get assaulted at a gas station. I would not hesitate to go to a park today.
S Rhodes
Q: ? A: He lived in TX and OK and recently moved to ARK, but was not yet a teacher. He was a teacher in other locations. We have not yet explored that background. I expect other jurisdictions that will reach out to see if other cases are connected to him. So far we are not aware of those.
Q: What did he exactly say? DId he confess? A: I can’t say what he said exactly, but I would call it an admission.
Q: Did he say why he stayed so close to the scene? A: No indication that he was going to flee, he had a residence in Springdale, and he still had his car.
Q: missed it
Q: how did you track him to the barber shop? A: Good old fashioned police work.
Q: Any idea where he has been? A: We used all of those technological aspects.
Q: About tips A: Initially there were issues with the phone system, we had a team filtering through tips and had a matrix to push them to the top. Video, photos, first hand accounts were priority.
Q: A random crime is difficult. A: Nothing about this crime is typical, especially how random it was. We talked last night, it is every agents worst nightmare. We use victimology to narrow suspect pool, we had no way to do that. The work of our agents was extraordinary.
Q: missed it about change appearance A: He was getting a haircut, and school starts next week.
Q: ? A: best that I not discuss that.
Q: A: I will say that social media did nothing to help, and it hindered the investigation. The emotional toll and question LE, give tips to LE not on social media.
Q: License plate tape? A: Yes he did use tape to conceal his vehicle.
Q: ? A: Everyone speculates he did things to conceal, but was sloppy.
Q:? A: within the hour
Q: ? A: I don’t know, sorry
Q: Can you speak on which agency and who was involved? A: I can tell you FBI, Sheriff’s Office, Park Service, Game and Fish, Springdale detective, dozens of detectives all hands on working around the clock. The community deserved that and that is what we gave them.
Colonel Hagar
Q; Moving forward anything A: Gov Sanders has been in contact with the family several times, expressed support from the state, anything that the family needs. They are a strong family with support in place, those girls will be well taken care of, if they have needs we can assist with we will do that.
Q: Thoughts on what to do better? A: Always think on what could do better. Hard to be critical on investigators, skill, and expertise, and heart and soul. Will always be things to fine tune.
Q: Confirm he did not know the family? A: I can confirm that we have no indication or reason to believe there was a connection between suspect and victims.
2.37 I’m tired, did the best I could.
Interview with Lupita
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