A man has been accused of murdering a couple during a hiking trip with their children in Arkansas on July 26. Authorities believe he may be linked to other homicides as well.
According to the Arkansas State Police, Andrew James McGann is charged with killing Kristen Amanda Brink, 41, and Clinton David Brink, 43, while they were hiking in Devil’s Den State Park in Washington County. McGann is expected to be taken into custody on Thursday morning and faces charges of capital murder.
Police Colonel Mike Hagar stated that McGann confessed to the acts, describing the stabbing as a “completely random event.” Hagar mentioned that there’s no apparent connection between the suspect and his victims, saying, “In an interview, the suspect admitted to the crime. We also executed a search warrant at his home and found evidence that links him to the murder.”
McGann’s DNA has reportedly tied him to the deaths of the couple. He has previously worked as a teacher in various southeast schools and is suspected of being involved in homicides in both Vermont and Wisconsin.
Detectives in Wisconsin’s Salk County have said they are exploring potential connections between the incident in Arkansas and a death that occurred at Devil’s Lake State Park in October 2020. They are actively investigating whether links exist between McGann and that case.
Detective Sergeant Drew Bryn stated, “We’ve received numerous tips regarding possible ties between this incident and the previous murder. We’re working closely with Arkansas law enforcement to determine if there’s a connection or if it’s merely coincidental.”
Interestingly, McGann hails from Chicago’s Garfield Ridge area, which isn’t very far from Devil’s Lake State Park. The authorities in Salk County have noted that the profile of Schmutzer’s killer matches McGann’s physical description; both stand approximately six feet tall.
Meanwhile, Vermont authorities have reached out to Arkansas to discuss another homicide involving a woman named Honoree Fleming. They confirmed that while they are in contact with Arkansas law enforcement, no known link has been established yet between her case and McGann.
Shane Wilkinson, a criminal defense attorney, suggested that law enforcement agencies handling cold cases from hiking incidents are likely monitoring McGann’s case closely. “Any unsolved hiking murder is probably under scrutiny right now,” he noted.
Another legal expert commented that there are numerous warning signs surrounding McGann’s alleged actions, which raise questions about other unsolved cases across the country.
