Clinton David Brink, 43 & Cristen Amanda Brink, 41 found on trail - Devil's Den State Park, AR- 26 July, 2025 #3 *Arrest*

[arielilane]

Not sure I really buy into that, sorry. Not that it matters. Its just a horrifying event. In the presser, LE said there was nothing to suggest the girls were targeted. So who are we to believe?

I take everything with a grain of salt. I suspect the truth (not saying they were targeted) won't come out.
However, my concern is about how much the children (in the previous cases) were believed and how much of an investigation was done. I believe the kids. Seems some parents cared enough about the cases and spoke up, but I supposed it's a moot point now. Moving along.

 

[Xlady]

As for the name of the park, not exactly opinion but local lore I guess…the park name has to do with a long history of some of the caves in the park being used as outlaw hideouts way back when. State park carried the name. I live here and have been there more times than I can count and this is what I’ve always been told about the area.

A little more context about the area. That state park is surrounded by a huge national forest wilderness area. I’ve hiked, camped and hunted out there. It’s forested and rugged terrain. The possibilities of disappearing out there…it would be easy. But it seems his plan was all about escaping to civilization in a car. Seems odd as there are multiple parks between his home and Devil’s Den where he could have accessed children. But none of those would have been so easy to brutally kill someone and get away. So perhaps murder was his primary mission. Maybe he has a pedo issue too. Maybe they are intertwined. But it’s part of what makes this hard to dissect at this point.

JMO + personal knowledge of the area

 

[Rational_Geographic]

I’m not sure I’d call an interview with a former FBI/CIA Agent random speculation.
All of these have speculated that the girls may be part of the motivation.
Nancy Grace- criminal prosecutor
Tracy Walder- former FBI/ CIA Agent
Jennifer Coffendaffer- former FBI Agent
John Kelly- psychotherapist/ criminal profiler

LE and this guy’s life is not giving a lot of room for speculation.
Maybe it is early and more connections will come forward?

IMO

The people in charge of the investigation have officially came out and said there's nothing to indicate he was after the girls.

Now can they be wrong and come back later and say you know what on second thought yes he was after the girls? Sure but I'll wait for them to say that. Until then its baseless speculation. For the record I'm not saying people can't discuss it here. I mean last week a decent number of people were not even convinced the killer was a male. This is kind of a free for all.

<mod snip- not a verified insider/expert>

 

[indicolite22]

One clue, imo, is that his face was beat up and apparently his hands had injuries as well. Maybe the hand injuries are from his own knife, but the face injuries were likely inflicted by the victim(s). imo

I think it was a fight, not an ambush, imo, and the perp had a knife so he "won."

So, what started the fight? Why would a father on a nice outing with a nice family with a nice job to start in a few days fight in the woods? To protect his daughters, imo.

With no facts to back this up, I envision the family perhaps picnicking or pausing at a nice spot where the kids played. The park offers more than non-stop hiking - and I think it's possible the perp found the kids playing. Did he pounce on, lure, or watch them?

Speculating.

jmopinion

Why did he bring a seemingly empty huge duffel bag with him on the trail? He could have left it in the car. He must have planned to use it for something. Why was he overdressed for the heat and wearing all black clothing? They had a purpose. He wasn't dressed as a runner he professed to be. IMO he planned a deadly attack on a suitably weak target. Ambush would have been the easiest for him. The victims might have still tried to fight back.

 

[Inthedetails]

The people in charge of the investigation have officially came out and said there's nothing to indicate he was after the girls.

snipped

The perp is charged with two counts of murder. The children were not targets of those crimes.

I think that's what LE means, but, yes, it's speculation on my part.

jmopinion

 

[Inthedetails]

Why did he bring a seemingly empty huge duffel bag with him on the trail? He could have left it in the car. He must have planned to use it for something. Why was he overdressed for the heat and wearing all black clothing? They had a purpose. He wasn't dressed as a runner he professed to be. IMO he planned a deadly attack on a suitably weak target. Ambush would have been the easiest for him. The victims might have still tried to fight back.

Perhaps I'm using ambush in too tight of a definition. By ambush, I think of a murderer coming out of nowhere and making a clean kill before the victim is even aware of what happened. (Like what Kohberger attempted with a sleeping victim.)

But, yes, I think AM struck random victims. I just happen to think a fight happened first.

I also think he specifically went to a location that was known to be a place families visited. While the victims might have been random, I don't think the location in the park was. imo

jmopinion

 

[charminglane]

Did he cover up to hide his freckles?

Could he have targeted the mother?

 

[indicolite22]

snipped

The perp is charged with two counts of murder. The children were not targets of those crimes.

I think that's what LE means, but, yes, it's speculation on my part.

jmopinion

By the time he could do anything to the children, they were safe, so we don't know if they weren't a target. But I guess, if he attacked them first, it could turn out even worse.

 

[Rational_Geographic]

Why did he bring a seemingly empty huge duffel bag with him on the trail? He could have left it in the car. He must have planned to use it for something. Why was he overdressed for the heat and wearing all black clothing? They had a purpose. He wasn't dressed as a runner he professed to be. IMO he planned a deadly attack on a suitably weak target. Ambush would have been the easiest for him. The victims might have still tried to fight back.

This is what I want to know. What were all the bags about? Especially the empty duffle in the picture. Was it always empty?

A witness described him earlier in the day and mentioned his bags were weighted down. Seems to me they are empty in that picture. Idk what to make of it. The dude literally has three bags, for what? I know a lot of people are saying they are for kids. I don't know many kids past toddler age that can fit in a duffle bag. Even if they could how are you going to get them in the bag and just walk the trail with them? That makes no sense. My thoughts are the bags were used to transport items commissioned in the crime OR they're an indication he had some sort of break with reality and the actual rational for having the bags is nonsensical.

 

[RedHaus]

I think LE told the public in the press conference that there was no indication the murders were related to the daughters.

RSBM
LE actually used the terminology that they think the girls were "not the target".

As opined ^, perhaps that means literally the girls were 'not the murder target'.

That leaves the motive door open.

Is it possible access to the girls was AJM's motive, while at the same time they were not the murder target?

I think yes.

ET: reformat for clarity

 

[indicolite22]

Perhaps I'm using ambush in too tight of a definition. By ambush, I think of a murderer coming out of nowhere and making a clean kill before the victim is even aware of what happened. (Like what Kohberger attempted with a sleeping victim.)

But, yes, I think AM struck random victims. I just happen to think a fight happened first.

I also think he specifically went to a location that was known to be a place families visited. While the victims might have been random, I don't think the location in the park was. imo

jmopinion

He could have heard their voices as they were coming down the trail and hid, then jumped in front of them.

He must have known that there wouldn't be too much traffic where he attacked. He didn't want other witnesses. That's why it likely happened on the lower trail rather than the main trail.

 

[AngTxGal]

As for the name of the park, not exactly opinion but local lore I guess…the park name has to do with a long history of some of the caves in the park being used as outlaw hideouts way back when. State park carried the name. I live here and have been there more times than I can count and this is what I’ve always been told about the area.

A little more context about the area. That state park is surrounded by a huge national forest wilderness area. I’ve hiked, camped and hunted out there. It’s forested and rugged terrain. The possibilities of disappearing out there…it would be easy. But it seems his plan was all about escaping to civilization in a car. Seems odd as there are multiple parks between his home and Devil’s Den where he could have accessed children. But none of those would have been so easy to brutally kill someone and get away. So perhaps murder was his primary mission. Maybe he has a pedo issue too. Maybe they are intertwined. But it’s part of what makes this hard to dissect at this point.

JMO + personal knowledge of the area

Thank you for your personal knowledge of the area, I was looking at Google Earth and seeing all of the trees. The Ozark National Forest is enormous

I was also looking at what could be his drive back to Springdale, if that is what he did immediately.
Descriptions from the dispatcher say he left from the west exit of the park and either went north or south.

Let’s say he want straight back to Springdale- on 170 is that as rural as it looks until he gets to hwy 49N?

IMO

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

I think we need to keep in mind the girls were present at the crime scene and are witnesses. We know they saw their father stabbed because that is what they relayed at the visitors center. It’s very likely they are aware of how things unfolded.

For now, I’m going to believe what LE has stated. The girls were not targeted. imo

ETA -Link

Police share new info on arrest, alleged confession of Devil's Den double murder suspect

In a press conference, officials said that Andrew McGann acted alone in using a knife during the alleged murders of Clinton and Cristen Brink at Devil's Den.

www.thv11.com

“We've spoken to the family quite a few times over the last several days,” Hagar said. “What we heard consistently is what a loving mother and father they were, and what a loving husband and wife they were towards each other. They absolutely protected those girls to their fullest extent, to the point that it cost them their lives.”

However, officers said there is no indication that either of the two girls were McGann’s target.

 

[AngTxGal]

RSBM
LE actually used the terminology that they do not think the girls were "the target".

As an OP opined ^^, perhaps that means literally the girls were not the 'murder target', leaving the motive door open to the possibility that access to the girls was AJM's motive. I tend to agree with that.

Yes I think that is right, I watched that section over and over looking for him to flinch in some way.
It was a quick short answer, no explanation.
He is very good!

 

[Inthedetails]

Yes I think that is right, I watched that section over and over looking for him to flinch in some way.
It was a quick short answer, no explanation.
He is very good!

Agree. It was one of the best pressers I've seen. The team of people were organized and prepared to communicate with control of the narrative. Words were spoken carefully.

jmopinion

 

[Rational_Geographic]

I think we need to keep in mind the girls were present at the crime scene and are witnesses. We know they saw their father stabbed because that is what they relayed at the visitors center. It’s very likely they are aware of how things unfolded.

For now, I’m going to believe what LE has stated. The girls were not targeted. imo

ETA -Link

Police share new info on arrest, alleged confession of Devil's Den double murder suspect

In a press conference, officials said that Andrew McGann acted alone in using a knife during the alleged murders of Clinton and Cristen Brink at Devil's Den.

www.thv11.com

“We've spoken to the family quite a few times over the last several days,” Hagar said. “What we heard consistently is what a loving mother and father they were, and what a loving husband and wife they were towards each other. They absolutely protected those girls to their fullest extent, to the point that it cost them their lives.”

However, officers said there is no indication that either of the two girls were McGann’s target.

This is a very good point. When LE talks about the crime etc, you kinda get the feeling that the daughters helped them significantly. Maybe that's just me but how they say the girls were not the targets just seems to me like that phrasing indicates they learned something, perhaps from the girls that maybe sheds more light on why they made that statement. Great observation.

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

RSBM
LE actually used the terminology that they do not think the girls were "the target".

As an OP opined ^^, perhaps that means literally the girls were not the 'murder target', leaving the motive door open to the possibility that access to the girls was AJM's motive. I tend to agree with that.

Maybe, but that’s not what LE said.

When the question was asked about the girls being targeted, LE could have easily said that it is still part of the investigation. They didn’t say that. It is still early in the investigation and anything can change. imo

 

[Xlady]

Thank you for your personal knowledge of the area, I was looking at Google Earth and seeing all of the trees. The Ozark National Forest is enormous

I was also looking at what could be his drive back to Springdale, if that is what he did immediately.
Descriptions from the dispatcher say he left from the west exit of the park and either went north or south.

Let’s say he want straight back to Springdale- on 170 is that as rural as it looks until he gets to hwy 49N?

IMO

Yes, that route is just rural highway with a sprinkling of houses along the way. There are two ways in from I-49 and that one is the one recommended for people hauling trailers, RVs, etc. The other route is more fun and scenic and winding/steep.

 

[AngTxGal]

By the time he could do anything to the children, they were safe, so we don't know if they weren't a target. But I guess, if he attacked them first, it could turn out even worse.

And if LE is implying the two girls were not likely targets for murder-
Yes, I agree with that to some degree.

He came prepared to do something with that knife, and had it out and ready or pulled it out quickly.
And the odd clothing- like a stalker
Then there is that ominous huge duffle bag… Hmm

I’ve played out in my mind several times who was possibly where on the trail considering the direction I think he went to his car, and the direction I think the girls went to the visitor’s center.
At some point we will get more info, my brain is going in circles trying to see how it played out.

Two girls, playing on the trail, or climbing or in the woods, kids tend to run ahead
7 and 9 years of age- pretty independent when hiking
Two parents probably walking with each other behind the girls but not too far

It was near 100 degrees in a forest, they took breaks to drink water
That trial is 1.5 miles- not terribly long but remote
The other group saw him on that trail about 1:30 so he was there already

Sounds like stalking

IMO

 

[Inthedetails]

Maybe, but that’s not what LE said.

When the question was asked about the girls being targeted, LE could have easily said that it is still part of the investigation. They didn’t say that. It is still early in the investigation and anything can change. imo

It's possible he will be tried for the two murders based on the evidence that he killed the two adults with a knife and they can prove it. We may never know more than that.

Juries don't need motive in order to convict. I don't think the prosecutor will need the kids to testify because the basic evidence of knife, DNA, adult witnesses placing him in the location, car surveillance, etc. is enough to convict.

And if it can be done that way, I have a feeling Arkansas will indeed do it that way. There was a very strong sense of protecting the kids in the pressers.

jmopinion