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A couple who visited Devil’s Den State Park on the day of a double murder at the state park claimed they received a “death stare” from the suspect accused of murdering a couple who had taken their two daughters to the state park.
Tony Brueski, host of the “Hidden Killers” podcast, told NewsNation that two witnesses said they encountered a man matching the description of the suspect, 28-year-old Andrew James McGann, just minutes before the attack.
“The couple was together with a brother and sister and a pet dog, and down the trail, they saw a man coming their way, and they immediately found him to be odd,” Brueski told the outlet.
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Arkansas State Police released a photo of a man wanted for questioning in the deaths of a couple while hiking in Devil’s Den in Arkansas. (Arkansas State Police)
In the interview, the couple said the man was dressed entirely in black and carrying a large mesh-style athletic bag.
“That was very out of place,” they said of the interaction, Brueski said.
They described the interaction as deeply unsettling, saying he gave them what they called a “death stare” and “bad energy.”
Clinton Brink, 43, and wife Cristen, 41, were found dead on a walking trail at Devil’s Den State Park in northwestern Arkansas. (Cristen Brink via Facebook)
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The couple said they later recognized the man in photos released by authorities identifying McGann as the suspect in the July 26 killings of Clinton Brink, 43, and his wife, Cristen Brink, 41.
Along with the couple who believe they saw the suspect, others said they saw the man’s car had duct tape over the license plate on his vehicle. Brueski told NewsNation that he believes that this was a planned attack.
“Based on the dress of the man who was in there with the backpack, he seemed very prepared,” Brueski said.
A sign for a hiking trail at Devil’s Den State Park in West Fork, Ark. (Stephen O’Connell via AP)
Authoriites have pushed back against the possibility that the Brinks’ family was targeted, with ASP Director Col. Mike Hagar announced in a Thursday news conference that investigators found no indication the daughters were targeted.
“It appears to be a completely random event,” Hagar said. “We have no reason to believe there was any known association between our suspect and our victims.”
The Brinks were murdered while hiking with their two young girls – aged 7 and 9 – on Saturday, July 26. Arkansas State Police said that they died from stab wounds. A knife was confirmed as the murder weapon.
The couple’s two children were not hurt and are being cared for by family members, authorities said.
Hagar noted that McGann sustained “injuries” during the attack. The blood found at the scene helped authorities find the suspect, they said.
Hagar said that McGann confessed to the crime and that DNA evidence confirmed his involvement.
“Although everyone is innocent until proven guilty, we did confirm this morning that the suspect’s DNA is a positive match to the DNA recovered at the crime scene,” Hagar said. “During an interview with investigators, the suspect admitted to committing the murders. We also executed a search warrant at his residence and recovered items consistent with the crime.”
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McGann, the ASP said, was arrested at a barbershop in Springdale at 4:57 p.m. Wednesday. Officials said that McGann was in the midst of a haircut when ASP officers tracked down the fugitive following the lethal attack on Saturday.
McGann was charged with two counts of capital murder. His arraignment is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 14. Fox News Digital has reached out to the ASP for comment.
Devil’s Den State Park, Arkansas, USA (iStock)
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Devil’s Den is located about 140 miles northwest of Little Rock. The remote 2,500-acre park features hiking trails and rock formations.