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

[AngTxGal]

seems to me if you have an odd personality, being a class room teacher- out in front of 20-30 sets of inquiring eyes every single day, would not be a great job- but then maybe people think elementary kids "will not notice" and can be bullied or cajoled. IMO. why have this as a career?

Great question,
And I’m sure many teachers get into to profession and think it is something it is not.
We know that because so many leave it within the first few years.

He appears he had other motivations beyond molding young minds, and that kept him trying?

IMO

 

[indicolite22]

Regarding how he got out of there to his car. I too was wondering how he didn’t pass the little girls if it was an out and back trail.

I took a look at Devil’s Den Trial, it is a 1.5 mile loop.
I believe this is where they were- the trail is described as 2-3 hours. That is a slow hike

It has two trail heads- one looks to be near the visitor center. Map
If he left out of the east exit- he too would have to get back to that visitor center, or he was parked somewhere else and used that exit.

Devil’s Den Trail- overview
If you scroll and then click on View Map next to Get Directions, you can see it is a loop and looks pretty flat but is a forested area not open.

It is possible he went through the woods back to his car rather than stay on the trail?

IMO

IMO: By the time the perp got out the park, the children were at the visitors' center with other adults leading them there. On the way out the perp did not have to go past the visitors' center. The bodies were allegedly found towards the end of the lower trail (with lower elevation, so on the creek side). Lower trail is mentioned in the released audio from first responders.

Devil's den trail is marked orange on the pic below. The visitors' center is in the top left above the orange part. The parking lot further north. There is more than one way to get there.

 

[AngTxGal]

I agree with the posters here suggesting schizotypal or schizoaffective disorder. Preliminarily those seem plausible, however we still need more information. I also agree there could have been some drastic change in medication regimen or dosage. I considered maybe his seemingly abrupt relocations for work caused some insurance issue perhaps? Just my guess.

As far as spotty records not following teachers from one employment to the next, I definitely do not agree with that as a practice. I saw a comparison on NewsNation with chomo clergy and churches trying to cover those instances up. Apparently they do the same thing in the healthcare profession when it comes to suspected "angels of death." I understand wanting to avoid a lawsuit but my god we have a serious problem in this world when the very institutions that we are supposed to trust are willing to endanger us for the sake of their bottom dollar. That should never happen to that extent.

However. Having said that, I'm not too terribly impressed so far with the information that's come out about his teaching jobs in Texas and Oklahoma. He resigned because of "poor classroom management" and showed favoritism to some female students? Either there's way more to these stories or they're nothingburgers in the context of the murders.

I'm not sure there's an easy fix to this Allen/Kohberger/Mcgann problem we have. Its certainly reassuring that recently it seems it's getting harder and harder for these perps to accomplish their heinous acts without being captured sooner rather than later because of available tech like phone cameras and drones and surveillance cams become more prevalent/affordable/ubiquitous. However in terms of prevention and our ability to frontrun this kind of thing, I don't feel like we've made much ground at all since the 70s in the US. Again maybe there isn't ever going to be an easy one. I will say if there is a way to intervene and save lives, at this early stage it has to start with accurate/relevant reporting being prioritized over sensationalism. These <modsnip> that are being given the spotlight on major media news outlets to make a big fuss because their son or daughter was being taught in a classroom or two over from Mcgann two years ago? That's not helpful in understanding what happened and why this happens.

I didn’t think of the nightmares about health insurance with that many employer changes, there would also be a change in doctors.
You would want the same doctor to oversee your care and not jump from one doctor to the next.
Of course- there are some that do that in order to try to obtain meds for misuse.

Calling the Mandatory Reporter hotline is the best way I know to report someone who is acting in ways that could cause a child harm. Child Protective services should investigate, not school admin. The motivations for school admin seem to be to cover themselves, and they are out of their area of expertise in trying to question kids regarding abuse. They should stay in their lane.

We had a case in Texas where a school covered it up and two years went by before they figure out what he had done- sick sadistic perverse things to dozens of little girls. I read the symptoms some of the little girls were having- and also little boys who he had exposed himself to. He had forced some 7-9 yr old kids watch him pleasure himself, among other games he made up for the little girls, and gave away prizes and candy. He worked with the kids alone out of the eyes of any other adult.
It took way too long for the truth to come out- and so he kept doing his job in another location.
He is in prison now!

Very strange,
IMO

 

[AngTxGal]

There is nothing that would point to the mood disorder in this man. Not even a single symptom. And I think we should not demonise further that disorder, it's just plain wrong.


Same as above.

The question we should be asking is-
What is the route a school teacher can take if they are suffering from mental illness?

And if they are asked to resign, they move on.
And if family is not paying attention adn they have no room mate or significant other- who watches them long enough to see a pattern.
How do you go back to the field of education and walk into a classroom if you’ve taken time off for mental illness?

All the sudden it opens a can of worms for the teacher, and not talking about it is not the way to get to a solution. Demonizing those discussing it doesn’t help.

Mental health services in Texas are terrible, I cannot imagine they would be better in Oklahoma or Arkansas. And the stigma among the uneducated has not gone away.
It is a gap in the system- and when you look you find teen girls, teen boys, new mothers, college age students who are unaware that they are having a crisis.

IMO

 

[AngTxGal]

IMO: By the time the perp got out the park, the children were at the visitors' center with other adults leading them there. On the way out the perp did not have to go past the visitors' center. The bodies were allegedly found towards the end of the lower trail (with lower elevation, so on the creek side). Lower trail is mentioned in the released audio from first responders.

Devil's den trail is marked orange on the pic below. The visitors' center is in the top left corner of the trail and the parking lot in the top right corner.

Thank you, this is very helpful- but at first I was certain this couldn’t be the same park. I see now that North is to the right.
You are saying the lower trial creeks side is near Twin Falls? That is where the bodies were?
Are you saying he probably took the south side of the trail back to his car as he had parked in the lot that is east of the visitor center. Then he exited on that winding road to Hwy 74.
Ok I get it.

Where on here would be the Canyon the young man referred to in the phone call? Do you know?

IMO

 

[SMK777]

This truly seems like a guy who couldn’t even fake it anymore. Not even long enough to smile for the camera. Not long enough to last more than a day at this school.

I’m surprised the school even allowed that I.D. to be printed without demanding that he retake the picture. He looks ferocious.

JMO

Sounds like someone who needed to be in the hospital for an assessment.

 

[Hexe]

I am not the only one who has suggested there may be mental illness related to a young man who has been described as normal and then now is not.

Many killers wear a mask in their daily life, hiding their real, nasty personalities, and are described as normal by their coworkers and acquitances. The masking might be not perfect at all times, as it requires good social skills and a lot of energy. So, when the person is stressed, overwhelmed or exhausted the mask can slip a bit.

McGann is described by his former pupils and their parents as someone who can be nice and charming when he wants, but aloof and rude on other occasions. That is not a symptom of a mood disorder, because when you spiral into mania or depression you cannot switch your niceness on and off. If he got manical to the point of psychosis he would not be that calm and timid while arrested as he was.

It does not seem like schizoid personality disorder either, paranoia and reclusiveness are a constant feature in it and this man played team sports, was liked by the team members, had friends and at one point a girlfriend.

Now, I do agree with Kelly about the possibility of schizophrenia, or psychosis of some sort, but it would have to have a pretty rapid onset, considering McGann was recently able to get employed in yet another school. The education system in the US has it's share of problems but I hope it did not get so bad as to employ a man in throes of psychosis.

So, while there is a possibility the man is mentally ill, throwing around at random the names of disorders is not helpful. It is harmful, adding to the stigmatisation of these disorders.

 

[indicolite22]

Thank you, this is very helpful- but at first I was certain this couldn’t be the same park. I see now that North is to the right.
You are saying the lower trial creeks side is near Twin Falls? That is where the bodies were?
Are you saying he probably took the south side of the trail back to his car as he had parked in the lot that is east of the visitor center. Then he exited on that winding road to Hwy 74.
Ok I get it.

Where on here would be the Canyon the young man referred to in the phone call? Do you know?

IMO

Male voice on the scanner audio: "We're hiking down towards the end of the lower part of the Devil's end trail." Next part of the recording is when they find the victims. "They're on the lower Devil's trail."

To my understanding the lower trail is closer to the creek.

I don't know which route out the perp took, but he could avoid the visitors' center.

 

[indicolite22]

Where on here would be the Canyon the young man referred to in the phone call? Do you know?

SBM. I think they mentioned passing the Ice box and going towards the Cavern(s). I don't know about the latter, but the Ice box in not on the creek side.

 

[Omega Man]

Wonder what his family has to say about him, how his family life looked like. Was he still with his girlfriend at the time he snapped or did they go their separate ways.

 

[LoveyG]

The straight hair mugshot was first. His hair matches the arrest videos released from the salon. The “nose pimple” looks like a healing cut if you zoom in on a good image of it. There are also some marks on his forehead. That mugshot was just hours after the first. The press released it as “new mugshot.” Looks like a curly haired guy took a shower and exposed marks on his face that had been covered by makeup. Witness accounts said he had blood on his face in the park that day.
I think I’m supposed to say this is MY OPINION about the make up. My first post. I joined because this case is local to me and I’m hopelessly deep diving.

I agree! I see makeup on the straight hair mugshot too. Which is good, IMO, because it shows he knows what he did and that it was wrong. Hard to prove you're psychotic when you're hiding evidence under concealer.

 

[AngTxGal]

So, while there is a possibility the man is mentally ill, throwing around at random the names of disorders is not helpful. It is harmful, adding to the stigmatisation of these disorders.

Who here is stigmatizing mental illness?
That was not my intention at all, I am trying to understand and stigmas come from ignorance.
Talking in a True Crime discussion group about how mental illness may play a role in a crime is how people become less ignorant. That is how stigmas are removed.

Psychiatric Illness and Criminality- This is a good reading, and describes that people with untreated mental illness can become violent, reasons, risk factors, and that they can become arrested due to misunderstanding.

So if someone is unsure of my intent- maybe that helps.
I am not a mental health expert, but many of us have had experience in dealing with young people who are having a mental crisis. I lived with one such teen, so I absolutely have no intention of stigmatizing mental illness.

IMO

 

[AngTxGal]

SBM. I think they mentioned passing the Ice box and going towards the Cavern(s). I don't know about the latter, but the Ice box in not on the creek side.

Yes I think you are right, he said Cavern/s.
This would mean that he was there on that loop trail for more than an hour- as the young man said they left the park about 1:30.
These murders took place between 2-2:30 if the 911 call went out about 2:30-2:40.

He wasn’t dressed for running in hot weather, while his profiles say he is a runner.

That seems to suggest he was in a small specific location for a long period of time.
No cell service?
Short distance from his car?

His loud fast car shows a distinct lack of awareness- if he had driven out quietly he would not have been memorable.

IMO

 

[Lilibet]

Not sure how much of an impact this may have on his decision to teach, but many people in his family were teachers as well. Some careers tend to run in families.

That was certainly true of my husband. His mother and several aunts and uncles were teachers. We often do what we are familiar with. If you don’t have a strong focus toward a particular career, and you like kids, teaching really allows you to use your various talents and abilities while making a difference. It sounds like AM, when he was at his best, was well-liked by the kids and related to them in a positive way…until he didn’t.

And as my husband used to joke, a few other good reasons to teach are June, July, August and holidays.

 

[LadyL]

The hair theories are cracking me up. My natural hair texture ranges from very wavy/slightly curly when air dried, but when I blow dry it, it's almost straight albeit frizzy... which is why curly haired people are better off with a wide tooth comb and a diffuser as opposed to a brush and regular blow dryer

He probably washed and blow-dried his hair before going to the salon (as one does - dirty hair + clippers are not good).

Assuming he had a shower in the jail before his second mugshot and his hair had air dried.

Also doubt the hair clippings from the salon floor would be collected and used for much. They would want hair with a root and plucked straight from the body and into a sterile evidence baggie, not collected off a floor where strands *could* be argued to have come from literally anyone else. But that's JMO

my curly hair does not air-dry straight - his second mugshot had straight hair - or do I have it backwards?

 

[sunflowermomma]

Perhaps he has an FBI mugshot and a local agency mugshot because they are working together. His hair was straight and matted looking in the barber shop arrest video, the curly hair shot is probably after he was processed and showered in the facility.

 

[Cryptic]

It sounds like AM, when he was at his best, was well-liked by the kids and related to them in a positive way…until he didn’t.

AM gives me very different vibes, though I agree, he was well liked by kids....

- Having a sexual interest in young female children, AM enters elementary education because, well, that is where the victims are.

- Once in the field, he is observant regarding the likes, dislikes of his targets and what approaches work and do not work. He becomes popular with children. He is decidingly less popular with parents and administrators who are not amused by his lap sitting fun and child dating proposals.

- AM proceeds to blast through what, 5 employers in three years? At least one termination was for red flags of the sexually creepy, though not criminal per se sort.

- AM drifts from high standards, well supervised districts like high income Flower Mound in the DFW area to lower income Broken Bow, Oklahoma where standards maybe reduced due to recruitment and retention shortages and where likely lower staff to student ratio makes yellow flag creepy behavior less noticeable.

In short, I suspect that AM's "best" was always "predatory pedo".

 

[PunishThenForgive]

my curly hair does not air-dry straight - his second mugshot had straight hair - or do I have it backwards?

I think you have it backwards. In this mugshot (which I believe is the first one):

Source

AM looks just like he did in the hair salon immediately before his arrest:

Screenshot from Raw video: Security camera captures Devil’s Den murder suspect’s arrest during haircut

(I posted about this previously: #970)

 

[AngTxGal]

AM gives me very different vibes, though I agree, he was well liked by kids....

- Having a sexual interest in young female children, AM enters elementary education because, well, that is where the victims are.

- Once in the field, he is observant regarding the likes, dislikes of his targets and what approaches work and do not work. He becomes popular with children. He is decidingly less popular with parents and administrators who are not amused by his lap sitting fun and child dating proposals.

- AM proceeds to blast through what, 5 employers in three years? At least one termination was for red flags of the sexually creepy, though not criminal per se sort.

- AM drifts from high standards, well supervised districts like high income Flower Mound in the DFW area to lower income Broken Bow, Oklahoma where standards maybe reduced due to recruitment and retention shortages and where likely lower staff to student ratio makes yellow flag creepy behavior less noticeable.

In short, I suspect that AM's "best" was always "predatory pedo".

Interesting thoughts about schools, parents, and predatory behavior

John Kelly posted an update yesterday about possible motives
He’s an old fart, probably near 80 and reminds me of my dad, I forgot he was out there sharing his insights.
He relates the moving of AJM from school to school like Charles Cullen, the serial killer nurse who moved from hospital to hospital, the Angel of Death.
A good find!

IMO

 

[indicolite22]

From his first year of teaching (2022/23, Donald Elementary School):

Marcum said her son voiced several concerns.

“Just that he didn't manage the class very well, kind of let them run crazy,” Marcum said.

Marcum said several students noticed that McGann would often pay "special attention" to some girls in the class and keep them back in the class during recess for what her son described as "one-on-ones."

"When they would come back from recess, he would have the little girl on his lap," she said.

Arkansas murder suspect was accused of misconduct at Texas school: 'He would keep certain girls back'

Andrew McGann was a 4th-grade teacher at Donald Elementary in Flower Mound. After his arrest, parents of former students spoke out about his past behavior.

www.nbcboston.com