Clinton David Brink, 43 & Cristen Amanda Brink, 41 found on trail - Devil's Den State Park, AR- 26 July, 2025 #2 *Arrest*

[AngTxGal]

Wild idea, I know, but maybe the defendant doesn't mind going to prison. I wondered previously if he moved around frequently in an attempt to stop himself from committing crimes, to distract urges by uprooting and moving every school year.

Maybe admitting to the murders is another way to calm his demons and remove himself from society, where he cannot live decently. Perhaps he's conceding he can't handle responsibilities and gives up, forcing the state to take control his life.

I know he plans to plead not-guilty. I am well aware.

Sometimes I wonder if crimes committed by young men in particular are a slow form of suicide. They aren't finding their way in the world, so they retreat and let prison be their excuse for not succeeding.

Just a thought. Not saying it's accurate. Pondering only.

jmopinion

I agree, I was surprised to see he did not resist arrest. Especially seeing his mugshot and what a tough guy he is trying to be. Ya stabbed to death two loving parents who were unarmed right in front of their kids. Not tough at all.

He is 28
No significant other
Maybe only has urges with little girls

Yes I know being a perv is wrong, and horrific, as is the murders, and he appears to be well deserving of consequences of his actions. I detest creeps and hope he gets the highest sentence possible.

But what are his options? I believe hormones can reduce the urges but I don’t think there is a cure.
So do they ask to be castrated? What do you tell your doctor?

IMO

 

[RedHaus]

Wild idea, I know, but maybe the defendant doesn't mind going to prison. I wondered previously if he moved around frequently in an attempt to stop himself from committing crimes, to distract urges by uprooting and moving every school year.

Maybe admitting to the murders is another way to calm his demons and remove himself from society, where he cannot live decently. Perhaps he's conceding he can't handle responsibilities and gives up, forcing the state to take control his life.

I know he plans to plead not-guilty. I am well aware.

Sometimes I wonder if crimes committed by young men in particular are a slow form of suicide. They aren't finding their way in the world, so they retreat and let prison be their excuse for not succeeding.

Just a thought. Not saying it's accurate. Pondering only.

jmopinion

I for one would give that serious consideration.

Rather than kill himself to protect society from his likely future depravity, he commits a crime that would guarantee a death penalty sentence.

A 'slow suicide by law enforcement' methodology. And possibly by not involving any children in this crime he may spare himself torture in prison.

Interesting concept, IMO.

 

[fred&edna]

I know nothing will change the outcome, that two parents were slaughtered and their two younger daughters knew they were attacked and saw at least some of it, since they were able to give some details to LE.

IMO it would be a small mercy if the investigation finds that the children were not, in fact, the target.

I feel this way because the children will all be scarred forever by this obscene double murder, but as they grow to adulthood, I don’t want them to suffer survivor’s guilt.

If it turns out that their parents did in fact sacrifice their lives for the two daughters, that may be excruciating for them when they are older.

JM speculation.

i know what you mean, it's difficult to think what the future might hold for them after such trauma. it seems, from what we've heard, these sweet children, in terrible fear, heeded their mother's last words and ran for safety and help. i hope that in the years to come they will realize the strength they have inside themselves... the strength and bravery they showed in reporting as many details of the heartbreaking moments they witnessed... those details providing capture of the monster... who will never, hopefully, harm any one else.. ever.

 

[CityKid]

Presser ended.

That was an EXCELLENT presser, imo.

(Though I'm super shocked the kids were not his target. That will take awhile to sink in for me.)

I thought there was going to be a connection between the perp and the adult victims. I'm shocked that it was random.

 

[AngTxGal]

You did a fantastic job; Thank you!

Quite welcome

 

[bluevioletfour]

I was just thinking about this. If he had a criminal record, I don't think he could be hired as a teacher. (Irony that he WAS hired as a teacher.)

Do schools ask for fingerprints?


jmopinion

In Kansas, we have to have our fingerprints on file.

 

[Cedars]

Apologies if this has already been posted and I overlooked it. It's the security camera footage of his arrest at the hairdresser, posted by 5News:

I was looking for signs of cuts on his hands, I couldn't see anything on his right hand (not definitive, of course). His left hand seemed to stay in his pocket.

ETA the footage is heavily edited, which is good.

 

[cckp72]

It will be interesting to find out if he lurked on trails with this get up previously. Maybe test runs until he found a right victim or the "courage" to act on his impulses.

From what I have seen on sm so far, he seems to have come from a lovely family. Like with BK, it's hard to understand this level of malice.

 

[truthfinder2019]

Source: Washington County, Arkansas jail)

A 28-year-old teacher has admitted to murdering the married couple found stabbed to death on a walking trail in an Arkansas park over the weekend in what appears to be a "completely random" attack, police said.

We believe that the mother took them to safety, and then returned to help her husband," Maj. Stacie Rhoads with the Arkansas State Police said during a press briefing Thursday.

The prosecutor's office will not be waiving the death penalty in the case, Carter said.

McGann is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Friday, with an arraignment expected next week.

Teacher arrested for Arkansas double murder admits to killing married couple: Police

Clinton David Brin and his wife, Cristen Amanda Brink, were "fatally attacked" while out hiking with their two daughters at Devil's Den State Park, police said.

abcnews.go.com

 

[AngTxGal]

I was just thinking about this. If he had a criminal record, I don't think he could be hired as a teacher. (Irony that he WAS hired as a teacher.)

Do schools ask for fingerprints?


jmopinion

All schools/ districts require a background check, even before you can be admitted into a certification program.
But some require a ‘fingerprint background check’ which is a specific type of background check.
Now that those kinds of records can be linked in databases across the nation it is pretty common to have fingerprints in the system.
Mine have been in the system since about 1990. And I’ve worked in lab environments and also play bass guitar so my fingerprints look smoothed off. This means it isn’t easy to get them to scan.
So I can’t help you if you need to rob a bank.

This guy had fingerless gloves- so if he knew he was in the system- I’m guessing those gloves were for traction using the knife? Not to obscure fingerprints. Of course I’ve not seen the gloves.

IMO

 

[Inthedetails]

i know what you mean, it's difficult to think what the future might hold for them after such trauma. it seems, from what we've heard, these sweet children, in terrible fear, heeded their mother's last words and ran for safety and help. i hope that in the years to come they will realize the strength they have inside themselves... the strength and bravery they showed in reporting as many details of the heartbreaking moments they witnessed... those details providing capture of the monster... who will never, hopefully, harm any one else.. ever.

It's likely a very small concession, but perhaps it will be a comfort over the years to know how many people hold their parents in the absolute highest regard for protecting their children. And, maybe, when they are older they will take comfort in knowing their parents died together as a team, true parenting partners.

I will hold the family in my heart, silently of course. Let's leave them be.

jmopinion

 

[RedHaus]

I keep coming back to the idea that this wasn't who he was picking, but something happened that caused Mr. Brinks to encounter him for some reason. Either he was doing something odd and he called him on it or followed him/talked to him to ask him what he was doing, etc. Maybe that caused a reaction from the killer.

RSBM
Right.

At the presser, LE may have been delicate in their wording when answering the question about whether the girls were AM's target, because perhaps the girls were not an abduction target, but instead the girls were AM's focus for any number of perverted actions from a distance...

...until Mr. Brink noticed AM in the woods.

IMO.

 

[Inthedetails]

RSBM
Right.

At the presser, LE may have been delicate in their wording when answering the question about whether the girls were AM's target, because perhaps the girls were not an abduction target, but instead the girls were AM's focus for any number of perverted actions from a distance...

...until Mr. Brink noticed AM in the woods.

IMO.

Yes, I can't shake the idea, but am setting my notions aside. I trust the evidence and investigation are being carefully tended to, and I'll await info based on that.

But, man, it's hard to shake.

jmopinion

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Not Guilty Plea
and (at the same time)
an admission of guilt?

I think he will plead not guilty by reasons of insanity.

 

[SiberianSleuth]

This is the recent for-lease ad for the property address given on his detainee information page.

Lease was recorded July 1st.

It looks like he would have ample access to children at this location being just minutes from the elementary school and playgrounds.

The *no pets* notice makes me wonder where his cat is--did he kill his cat to move there?

3801 Pinecrest Street, Springdale, AR 72764 | MLS# 1301835

Property for $1,785. AVAILABLE NOW! Check out this beautiful, all brick, 3 bedroom 2 bathroom home located just minutes away from elementary school and the C.L. and Willie George Park with trails, playgrounds, baseball fields, tennis courts, and dog park! Head inside to the open concept living...

map.realtyonegroup.com

$1785 a month, on a young teachers salary? Hmmmm

 

[Gators North]

I think he will plead not guilty by reasons of insanity.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Ghostwheel]

I'm just going to say this. I have seen a massive discrepancy in images of this man from cocky to jovial to zoned to really angry. Also the video of his demeanor is so subdued and.... just odd. This is going to turn out to be really bizarre, IMO. Even more bizarre than it already is.

 

[marloweclover]

The salary schedule for Springdale Public Schools is on this page under certifed: Springdale Public Schools

 

[Cedars]

I definitely think he was up to no good by going there like he was dressed and concealing the plates. He had a plan to do something he needed to "hide" from. If the girls were not the target, then I am confused on exactly who was the target. All 4 of them? Seems so brazen to do this in a public park during the day, but even more so to not just pick a single victim, but to do it this way.

Pure speculation, but was there something going on his head ressembling cosplay, almost like the plot of a scary movie... Dressing up as this menacing figure in black, who commits a horrrific crime on a peaceful afternoon in a park, and just disappears...

 

[RedHaus]

From what I have seen on sm so far, he seems to have come from a lovely family.

I'm not sure how to respond to this, other than to suggest be very careful judging a book by its cover.

How many verbally, physically, and / or sexually abused children are in, or grew to adulthood and came from, a seemingly 'lovely' family?

SM is a wonderful tool to create false narratives for friends, families and the public. Many families hide deep secrets.

Not saying AM had a troubled, neglectful, or abusive upbringing. We just don't know and may never know if no one speaks.

IMO.