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

[Cedars]

Apparently there is camping and cabins in the park.

IMO a child predator would lurk around where families are relaxing, not where they are hiking and therefore highly alert.

I think sometimes choice of victim is just opportunity: waiting on a particular, perhaps less travelled trail, when no one else is around, at a spot he's found where he can wait for whoever comes along. Probably the method involves taking them by surprise, rather than following them to make them prepared and defensive.

Also, a place with a secure exit so he can get out without being seen/confronted.

Unfortunately, just as deer hunters, duck hunters, etc, carefully choose their location, method, time of day, people are similarly predatory towards other people (not just with violence, but also to get other things we want).

JMO

 

[SMK777]

I do too, as do OPs here.

One possibility not yet explored on this thread is whether the perp is a trans man.

That may be a real possibility. I've seen 7 or 8 posters including myself who have gotten the immediate gut response that the photo is of a female. Why would that be?
I understand this is all speculation but it seems wrong to dismiss the reactions of that many posters.

 

[Danaya]

I echo your thought that this was a thrill kill instead of targeted. There have been a few scary killers at national and other parks who murder random strangers.

It is terrifying that they walk among us.

I also agree with those who mentioned the similarities between him and Missy Bevers' killer (as in type of person). But that one has not been caught and sometimes it is very hard to catch these killers, although in that case, it likely was not random.

BBM. I was thinking of the Piedmont Park murder of Katie Janness in 2021. I'm Canadian and so I had to Google how far away Atlanta is from Arkansas, and it's quite the drive, but still. We know how many serial killers travel across country due to their job, lifestyle, etc. It's still too early to tell, obviously, but just thought of it. I hope he's caught soon, because that's terrifying

 

[vls12345]

Scary thing is if the children ran toward the parking lot, the killer was likely not far behind as he was also running for the parking lot to get away.

Maybe the parents fighting for their own lives and telling their kids to run gave the kids enough of a headstart to get to a safe spot.

I wonder how many parking spaces are in the lot? Did the kids see him driving away?

All speculation on my part.

 

[gitana1]

That may be a real possibility. I've seen 7 or 8 posters including myself who have gotten the immediate gut response that the photo is of a female. Why would that be?
I understand this is all speculation but it seems wrong to dismiss the reactions of that many posters.

To me, the way the shirt hangs in the back is very feminine and makes it look as if the shoulders are feminine. Meaning, the neck line is sort of scooped lower in the back.

But closer inspection, IMO, suggests the broader shoulders of a biological man. But, I am open to the possibility that I’m wrong.

 

[Inthedetails]

Apparently there is camping and cabins in the park.

IMO a child predator would lurk around where families are relaxing, not where they are hiking and therefore highly alert.

snipped

Your post prompted me to google if there are "play areas" in the park. One of the suggestions that popped up a stream and and area suitable for children on Devil's Den Trail.

If this perp was on a mission like it seems he was, perhaps he was heading to that area knowing kids might be there. I am assuming the perp has been to the park before, though, of course, I don't know. The family likely researched the park a bit before visiting and also picked a family-friendly trail with places for the kids to play, imo.

When I went to similar places with my kids, we did allow them to "explore" on their own a bit, not out of our eye-sight and ear shot, but giving them a bit of freedom. The perp could've been counting on parents who were perhaps nearby but not keeping a watchful eye. (But he was wrong and the parents noticed.)

speculation only! Just trying out ideas.

jmopinion

 

[indicolite22]

Apparently there is camping and cabins in the park.

IMO a child predator would lurk around where families are relaxing, not where they are hiking and therefore highly alert.

I think sometimes choice of victim is just opportunity: waiting on a particular, perhaps less travelled trail, when no one else is around, at a spot he's found where he can wait for whoever comes along. Probably the method involves taking them by surprise, rather than following them to make them prepared and defensive.

Also, a place with a secure exit so he can get out without being seen/confronted.

Unfortunately, just as deer hunters, duck hunters, etc, carefully choose their location, method, time of day, people are similarly predatory towards other people (not just with violence, but also to get other things we want).

JMO

Did he escape in the opposite direction of where the children went? The trail is a loop. He might have encountered someone on his way out. I wonder if the children ran back in the direction where the family came from.

IMO he attacked in a secluded part of the trail but also maybe where other hikers couldn't see him from a distance away.

 

[scottishgal]

The neck looks masculine
The leaning on one hip looks feminine

 

[Herat]

The thing I keep coming back to in the photo is how long the black, long-sleeved top appears to be.

It appears to nearly extend to his knees. He is reported to be 5'10 to 6' in height, so if this was one piece of black clothing with the blue image on the back, it would have to have been a Tall size, such as from a Big and Tall store. This would not be what a typical long-sleeved Tshirt length. It would be a length seen in outerwear, such as a cagoule. However, there is no hood visible, and the fabric does not look like a rainwear poncho or long parka-type. Other posters have pointed out a North Face shirt with a similar photo, but North Face doesn't carry a Tall line, just a Big size. The tops in Big size currently available come down to hip length.

 

[indicolite22]

The thing I keep coming back to in the photo is how long the black, long-sleeved top appears to be.

It appears to nearly extend to his knees. He is reported to be 5'10 to 6' in height, so if this was one pieced of black clothing with the blue image on the back, it would have to have been a Tall size, such as from a Big and Tall store. This would not be what a typical long-sleeved Tshirt length. Other posters have pointed out a North Face shirt with a similar photo, but North Face doesn't carry a Tall line, just a Big size. The tops in Big size currently available come down to hip length.

He likely has something tied around his waist. Even more clothing?

 

[Interested_But_Confused]

The impression I get is almost of someone who is carrying their entire life's belongings with them. Or at the very least someone who is carrying enough belongings to last days and days.

Perhaps they live in their car?

 

[Cedars]

Did he escape in the opposite direction of where the children went? The trail is a loop. He might have encountered someone on his way out. I wonder if the children ran back in the direction where the family came from.

IMO he attacked in a secluded part of the trail but also maybe where other hikers couldn't see him from a distance away.

That makes sense to me. Normally parents would be walking in front with children following behind.

Also, possibly he'd found some type of deer trail so he could escape through brush straight to his car and not encounter anyone.

 

[indicolite22]

Scary thing is if the children ran toward the parking lot, the killer was likely not far behind as he was also running for the parking lot to get away.

SBM. Maybe he escaped further down the path (doing a loop) and not in the same direction as the children. If he was lying in wait he would have known if any other hikers went down before him, but people could have also come from the opposite direction.
How long does it take you to get out of the park if you're in the middle of the trail loop (so far we don't know where the attack happened)?

 

[marloweclover]

Imo it's possible that the weird pants are rain pants over other pants, possibly shorts since we can't see the upper legs to see evidence of where something is stopping underneath, or running tights, and the thing around the hips is a rain jacket, and the original idea was to put on the jacket before getting messy, then peel the entire splashed top layer off and put it in the duffle -- if it's a sports bag, maybe it's waterproof or has a waterproof compartment -- before getting in the car.

 

[Herat]

snipped

Your post prompted me to google if there are "play areas" in the park. One of the suggestions that popped up a stream and and area suitable for children on Devil's Den Trail.

If this perp was on a mission like it seems he was, perhaps he was heading to that area knowing kids might be there. I am assuming the perp has been to the park before, though, of course, I don't know. The family likely researched the park a bit before visiting and also picked a family-friendly trail with places for the kids to play, imo.

When I went to similar places with my kids, we did allow them to "explore" on their own a bit, not out of our eye-sight and ear shot, but giving them a bit of freedom. The perp could've been counting on parents who were perhaps nearby but not keeping a watchful eye. (But he was wrong and the parents noticed.)

speculation only! Just trying out ideas.

jmopinion

The killings occured in a region of the park, itself called Devils' Den where there is a lakefront for swimming and boating, a large campground, and the large visitor center and parking area. There are three other areas of similar type in the park that have different trails.

The lower part of the Devil's Den trail runs past a large open lawn-like area described as a picnic area. Photos taken from that area show grills and picnic tables.

Unless there are other side trails, one would have to backtrack on the same trail the same way the girls ran, past the Devils Den area visitor center with the parking lot. I would assume the perp has visited the park enough to know of some alternate unofficial trail that bypasses the main trail to get back to the Visitor Center and Parking Lot.

 

[teeby]

I think the person looks feminine if you take the bottom edge of the clothing as a long shirt because then the hips aren't even (weight on one side, hip popped out) which is a very feminine way to stand. If you think it's a jacket or something tied around the waist where it might just be tied unevenly, it's easier to see the person as a man standing on both feet. Either way the head and shoulders look like a man to me.

 

[Frosty Marsupial]

That makes sense to me. Normally parents would be walking in front with children following behind.

Also, possibly he'd found some type of deer trail so he could escape through brush straight to his car and not encounter anyone.

I disagree. In my experience. The leader of the pack stays in back of the pack to watch their pack. The oldest weakest members of the pact set the pace in front. Mom or the Dad is in front. Kids in the middle. Mom or Dad is in the rear. The kids were too young to be in the lead. The trail has steap cliffs. IMO

 

[scottishgal]

In any case the couple who took the photo of the man they reported as suspicious, identified him as male ,no ?

 

[scottishgal]

Also do we think the POI is just based off the circumstantial evidence of the couple who reported this one man they photographed as suspicious...or do we think the children corroborated him as the one fighting their parents when they ran off ?

 

[Herat]

Imo it's possible that the weird pants are rain pants over other pants, possibly shorts since we can't see the upper legs to see evidence of where something is stopping underneath, or running tights, and the thing around the hips is a rain jacket, and the original idea was to put on the jacket before getting messy, then peel the entire splashed top layer off and put it in the duffle -- if it's a sports bag, maybe it's waterproof or has a waterproof compartment -- before getting in the car.

The people who first described him and who actually made the frontal drawing specifically said he had black shorts on.

He could have had black pants on underneath really wide shorts that might give the same lower hemline that we see on the back of his upper legs. These dont appear to be the zip-off type that have the zipper just above the knees, as there is clearly no continuity of line seen in the photo from the rear.

But what a pain to have to remove your pants then put shorts back on while trying to escape just murdering two people.