The Devil's Den Murders (Happening Now) // 526

Summary

Podcast Summary: Going West: True Crime - "The Devil's Den Murders (Happening Now)" Episode 526

Host Information:

• Hosts: Daphne Woolsoncroft and Heath Merryman
• Podcast: Going West: True Crime by Dark West Productions
• Release Date: August 5, 2025

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Introduction

In Episode 526 of Going West: True Crime, hosts Daphne Woolsoncroft and Heath Merryman delve into the harrowing case known as "The Devil's Den Murders," a double homicide that has shocked the community of Prairie Grove, Arkansas. This episode provides an in-depth analysis of the incident, the victims' backgrounds, the ensuing investigation, and the eventual arrest of the suspect.

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The Incident

On July 26, 2025, Clinton (43) and Kristen Brink (41) were hiking with their two young daughters, aged seven and nine, at Devil's Den State Park in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Around 2:30 PM, a hiker discovered the girls in distress, reporting that their parents had been attacked, possibly stabbed ([03:18] Daphne).

Heath emphasizes the brutality of the attack:

"Clinton and Kristen Brink were attacked while hiking in Devil's Den State Park... the suspect is still on the run this morning." ([04:18] He states.)

Within an hour, authorities located the bodies of Clint and Kristen in a secluded, heavily wooded area of the park ([03:43] Heath).

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Victims' Background

Clinton and Kristen Brink were described as loving, devoted parents and community members. They had recently moved to Prairie Grove, Arkansas, from San Bernardino, California, bringing with them a history of service in the medical field.

• Clinton Brink: A nurse aide who was transitioning to a milk delivery job at Highland Dairy to stay closer to family.
• Kristen Brink: A former standout volleyball player and nurse, seeking new opportunities in Arkansas.

Their close-knit family was recently engaged (July 4, 2013) and married on September 7, 2014. Friends and colleagues remember them as selfless and compassionate individuals who actively contributed to their communities ([08:05] Daphne).

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Investigation and Arrest

Following the discovery of the bodies, Arkansas State Police initiated a manhunt for the suspect. Initial efforts were hindered by the park's rugged terrain, dense vegetation, and lack of cell service. However, DNA evidence at the scene led to a breakthrough.

On July 30, 2025, police arrested Andrew James McGann (28) at Lupita's Beauty Salon in Springdale, Arkansas. McGann was identified through a combination of DNA matching and a partial license plate recovered from his vehicle, a black Kia Stinger with obscured plates ([26:19] Daphne).

Notable Quote:

“Upon this horrific discovery, detectives were then tasked with trying to find an unknown suspect...” ([10:38] Daphne)

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Suspect's Background

Andrew James McGann, a fifth-grade teacher with no prior criminal history, had recently relocated to Springdale, Arkansas. His past raised red flags when multiple parents reported inappropriate and predatory behavior during his teaching tenure in Texas and Oklahoma.

• Education and Career: Graduated from Oklahoma State University in Elementary Education. Worked as a substitute teacher in Tulsa County, Oklahoma, before securing positions in Texas and Arkansas.
• Behavioral Concerns: Reports from former students and parents described McGann as overly affectionate with young girls, exhibiting favoritism, and making inappropriate comments such as telling a young girl, "If you were older, I would love to marry you" ([35:19] Daphne).

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Motive Exploration

While McGann has not publicly disclosed a clear motive, the hosts discuss potential reasons behind the murders. Given his history of predatory behavior towards young girls, it is speculated that the attacks may have been influenced by an unhealthy obsession or desire to harm.

Daphne questions:

"So, it's impossible not to go there, though, just based on what all these parents are saying and his potential sick interest in little girls." ([46:32] Daphne)

---

Arrest and Evidence

Police apprehended McGann while he was getting a haircut at Lupita's Beauty Salon. Security footage captured his arrest, where he exhibited calm behavior despite the severity of the charges. Upon searching his vehicle, authorities found significant blood evidence linking him to the crime scene.

Heath summarizes:

"On suspicion of murder, they arrested him and they got his verbal permission to search his vehicle out front. And guess what they found? Significant blood evidence inside." ([28:49] Heath)

Further investigation of McGann’s Arkansas home revealed additional evidence consistent with the murders, including the likely murder weapon ([15:00] Heath).

---

Community and Family Reactions

The Brink family has been described as warm, humble, and deeply devoted to their community. Friends and family expressed disbelief and sorrow over the tragic loss, emphasizing the Brinks' positive impact on those around them.

Mary, a longtime friend, shares:

"I still can't quite wrap my brain around it. It's just hard to believe. I'm so thankful that the little girls are okay..." ([47:36] Daphne)

The community has rallied to support the family, while also grappling with the unsettling revelation of McGann’s disturbing behavior profile.

---

Concluding Remarks

The episode concludes with reflections on the senseless nature of the tragedy and the importance of recognizing and addressing predatory behavior early. The hosts extend their condolences to the Brink family and encourage listeners to stay informed and vigilant.

Daphne concludes:

"Clinton and Kristen Brink are remembered by those who knew them as warm, humble and deeply devoted to their family... They died heroes protecting their little girls and they deserve justice." ([44:09] Daphne)

Heath adds:

"If you guys do happen to have any information, please call the Washington County Sheriff's office..." ([51:26] Heath)

---

Call to Action

Listeners are urged to visit Going West: True Crime’s social media pages for updates, photos, and additional information related to the case. Contributions from the public are encouraged to aid in ongoing investigations.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Heath on the initial manhunt: “Clinton and Kristen Brink were attacked while hiking... suspect is still on the run this morning.” ([04:18])
• Daphne on the victims' character: “They were selfless and unconditional with their love and support for their friends.” ([07:09])
• Heath on the brutality of the crime: “It is a completely random attack...” ([18:42])
• Daphne on McGann’s disturbing appearance: “His mugshot is scary... something so disturbing about his look.” ([28:11])

---

Note: This summary excludes commercial advertisements and non-content segments to focus solely on the in-depth discussion of "The Devil's Den Murders" case.

Transcript

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[Heath]

What is going on? True crime fans, I'm your host Teeth.

[Daphne]

And I'm your host, Daphne and you're.

[Heath]

Listening to Going West.

[Daphne]

Hello everybody. As many of you know, this horrific story is unfolding right now. We have been following it constantly, probably alongside many of you guys. So thank you so much to Brittany, Caitlin and Jace for emailing us about it and recommending that we cover it here on Going West.

[Heath]

And we also want to say that an arrest was made just a few days ago and this episode will have all updated information on this truly, truly tragic story.

[Daphne]

Yeah, quite a bit has come out in the last week really since this happened happened since the arrest was made. So let's just dive into everything that is out there and available.

[Heath]

All right guys, this is episode 526 of Going West. So let's get into it. Police are on the hunt for the killer in the Devil's Den double homicide.

[Daphne]

Manhunt for the suspect accused of murdering a couple on A popular hiking trail outside of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Clinton and Kristen Brink were hiking with their two young daughters at Devil's Den State park when police say they were attacked. Arkansas State Police alerted to the walking trail Saturday afternoon, finding the couple dead. Their two daughters weren't injured. Authorities say the suspect is still on the run this morning.

[Heath]

We do have a new sketch of the suspect from Arkansas State Police. Because it's an ongoing investigation, Arkansas State Police say details of the couple's attack are limited. They said the park is located in a remote and rural area where the train is rugged, the vegetation is thick and there's no cell phone service. We did confirm this morning that our suspect's DNA has been a positive match to the DNA that we suspected to belong to our suspect at the scene. Police have arrested 28 year old Andrew McGann for murdering Clinton and Kristen Brink while hiking in Devil's Den State Park.

[Daphne]

We're not going to talk about his motive right now. One notable detail, though is that the suspect is a teacher, was a fifth grade teacher.

[Heath]

What we heard consistently is what a loving mother and father they were, loving husband and wife, that they were towards each other. They absolutely protected those girls to their fullest extent to the point that it cost them their lives.

[Daphne]

The Brink family, which consisted of 43 year old Clinton or Clint and 41 year old Kristen, along with their three daughters, had just recently, this very summer in 2025, moved to Prairie Grove, Arkansas. And they had actually moved quite a bit during their long relationship, having both grown up in San Bernardino, California. There, Clint attended Foothill High School, whereas Kristen originally Kristen Trent attended Liberty High School nearby and was a standout volleyball player there. And Kristen was actually so good at volleyball that she continued to lead her team to victory at Cal State University right there in San Bernardino for college. And she is remembered to this day by her old coach and, you know, alums alike for her talents. Now, the couple got engaged on the 4th of July in 2013 and were married just over a year later on September 7th, 2014. We know that they spent some time in Montana because Kristen also attended Miles Community College in Miles City, Montana. And an old friend said that both Clint and Kristen were on a recreational volleyball team there, you know, there in Montana and that they'd set up a net in their local park and kind of encourage others to play with them. They were just very neighborly like that. That same friend, Danica Harrell, said of Clint and Kristen, quote, they were selfless and unconditional with their love and support for their friends. So in Montana, Kristen worked as a nurse, but then the couple moved to North Dakota for a spell, then South Dakota, where they both actually worked in the medical field. Kristin was a floor nurse and Clint was a nurse aide in Rapid City. Their ex colleague explained, quote, Clint's oldest daughter recently was married. And I know they wanted to be closer to family. They didn't have family out here in Rapid. And this quote mostly talks, you know, that talks about their eventual move to Arkansas, which we will get into in a second. But I also want to add that nothing has yet been released about their eldest daughter. And if she was from a previous relationship of Clint's, it does seem like she was, especially because she said Clint's daughter and not their daughter. Right. So I just want to clear that up that we, we don't have that information right now. But anyway, this ex colleague added, their love for their girls and each other was undeniable. What I saw on a day to day basis was the heartfelt compassion they each poured into every patient they cared for. This is what made it easy to like them and want to get to know more about them. They really were genuinely good hearted people and had such a strong faith and deep love for each other.

[Heath]

So it seems that at least for the time being, Clint was leaving his nursing career to become a milk delivery driver in Fayetteville, Arkansas for a company called Highland Dairy, which is actually a job he had had previously for Highland Dairy's parent company years earlier, along with being a floorhand for a drilling company. So Clint was very versed in many different jobs here for this job, which he was about to start two days after his murder and to be closer to family, the Brinks settled into a home in nearby Prairie Grove this past July, in 2025. And for anybody that's wondering, Kristen had not yet found a job, but she was ready to find a new nursing position right there in Arkansas. And it appears that their move in date was on or around July 16, because that's the day their water services were turned on. So about 10 days before Kristen and Clint were murdered. Now that they lived in beautiful Washington county, the couple decided to take their two young daughters, aged seven and nine, out for a beautiful Saturday outdoor hike at the Devil's Den State park on July 26, 2025. That day it got up to 93 degrees Fahrenheit, or 34 degrees Celsius. So it was obviously very sunny. It was humid that day in the Ozark Mountains. But this gorgeous spot, which is about 2,500 acres. Features caves, waterfalls, views of and boating on Lake Devil, and just a ton of camping. So even though it was hot, it was a gorgeous day for a little family summer outing in their new home. But around 2:30pm that day, Saturday, July 26, a hiker found the two Brink girls on this trail in distress, explaining that their parents had been attacked and possibly stabbed. This hiker then tried to get cell service, but it was pretty spotty, so they had to hike out of the trail to call police before taking the girls to the visitor center at the state park to get immediate help. So with that, officers and park personnel began searching the lower trails, even reportedly hearing cries for help. Within an hour, they found a trail of blood leading from the crime scene, leading them right to the bodies of 43 year old Clint and 41 year old Kristen, which were located in a heavily wooded area of the park by Arkansas State Police.

[Daphne]

Upon this horrific discovery, detectives were then tasked with trying to find an unknown suspect who had been at Devil's Den State park that day amongst the many others who had been there trying to enjoy their Saturday, which is obviously very difficult to do.

[Heath]

I mean, of course it's a beautiful Saturday. This is a state park. I'm sure that there was a lot of people in that park that day just trying to enjoy the sunshine. So they've got to go through and determine if they can find a suspect through all of these people.

[Daphne]

And because it's so big, like you said, 2,500 acres, there's many entrances, there's many different trails, There is a body of water, multiple bodies of water. Like, this is a really big area for somebody to escape in and to get out of in the different entrances and exits and then hop on the highway and just leave. And that's another thing that's really difficult, is because this is such a beautiful state park, there's a lot of people coming from out of the area. There's people that are either familiar or not familiar with this state park. And so you have all kinds of people here.

[Heath]

And we've talked about this before, about how sometimes when there's a lot of people within, you know, a general area or like just on different trails, they don't really take notice because they're enjoying their own day. They're not, you know, they're not so focused on other people that they may pass on a hiking trail or whatever.

[Daphne]

Right, exactly. And also because it's so vast and because it is outdoors and there's multiple trails, it would have been easy for People to not hear or see anything and somebody to kind of get away unscathed, you know. So this is like a really tough situation off the bat. So, of course, police are scouring the area, they're talking to as many people as they can. But as we know, it took them almost an hour to find Clint and Kristen's bodies. And also, as Heath just said, that there were cries for help. So even amongst the cries for help, nobody had located them and stayed with the bodies and called police and said, here's where I am. Which wouldn't really help because, like, oh, I'm by this tree on the trail. Like it's. It would be hard to find them anyway. But that kind of proves that there was no one around to see this happen, but also that there was a big window of time for somebody to escape before police even knew exactly where to look for the perpetrator.

[Heath]

Exactly. And places like this are a breeding ground for killers because of that exact scenario. You can be very secluded. Even though it's a state park, it's very big. You do have opportunities in times of window to get out of the area. So. And obviously we're assuming that a killer is not going to murder somebody when. When other people are close by, of course.

[Daphne]

But that's why it is still so weird because we have, in other cases we've covered that take place at national parks or state parks or wherever. Somewhere out there in the wilderness like this still was like a fairly busy place that had a bunch of people. So. And as we're going to get into, this was a brutal attack, and part of the brutality is why this person was caught, because of the evidence on them. So anyway, not to spoil, but we will get there now. The following day, Sunday, July 27, 2025, authorities released the victims names into the news and urged anybody who had been there that day to check their videos, their photos, and any trail footage for any suspicious individuals or vehicles.

[Heath]

Right. Because at this point they're thinking maybe somebody took a nice photo of their family that day and there's somebody possibly in the background.

[Daphne]

Absolutely. And because nobody had actually seen the attack occur, this is the best chance that they have of getting something back. But that, again, is part of the issue. There were probably so many people that went there that day and then left and drove back home to a different state or, you know, I mean, let's be honest, this has been a huge story, so I feel like most people in this country right now know about it. Um, so luckily, with all the media attention that Helped get the news to everybody and many, many people that had been there to say, oh, shoot, let me look through the footage that I took that day.

[Heath]

But because there's still an investigation going on here, it is very important to share this episode, share the story, so that if somebody was there that day, maybe police can have a little bit more information about this person that we're going to talk about here soon.

[Daphne]

Now, right now, it has not been released. If the girls remember their daughters, who were 9 and 7, were able to give a description of the attacker. But there were some hikers that gave a similar description of a man who was near the area that the murders took place on that afternoon, noting that this man was alone. Some even said they saw a man with blood on his face get into a black Kia Stinger sedan. So that's what meant. Because the attack was brutal, this guy got blood on his face. And multiple people noticed. Yeah, there was this. Because that's not normal. You know, even though you're outdoors and you could have fallen, someone's going to take note if a dude walks by them with blood on his face.

[Heath]

Yeah, that's just not like a typical, normal thing to see.

[Daphne]

Well, also another really suspicious thing going back to this vehicle, the black Kia Stinger, it had part of its license plate covered with tape.

[Heath]

Okay, so that's not suspicious at all.

[Daphne]

Yeah, I mean, that's literally illegal. You're not allowed to cover your license plate. So already it's like, why? Why are you trying to do that? Is it because you committed a crime and you know it, and you're trying to make sure that your car cannot be tracked? Because that is what it's giving. But police did have a partial plate, and they also were able to create a composite sketch based on the multiple eyewitnesses that day that saw that man hiking alone with blood on his face. So we will post that on our socials as well. Another thing we're gonna post, you know how. I was just saying that law enforcement urged hikers to send in their photos and videos. Well, one of them is a photo of a man from behind, like, standing amongst a bunch of trees on the trail. It's actually a pretty good picture, but it is from the back, you can't see the person's face, but they are wearing an outfit that is exactly like what all these people reported. So when police saw it, they were like, hey, that's the outfit. Is that the killer? And it's been super creepy because this photo has been floating around all week. And it's like all we had, plus the composite before the arrest was made. And you cannot glean really anything from this picture of this guy.

[Heath]

Yeah, it's kind of wild. People were waiting on, you know, pins and needles to find out if this photo was the perpetrator that police were looking for for this entire week.

[Daphne]

And you just want him to turn around so bad. So then they're looking for the photos, trying to find that person from a different angle. But as far as we know, they didn't have that. But here is what the official Arkansas government website released alongside this image on Tuesday, July 29. Quote. Arkansas State Police investigators have released a new photo to accompany a previously released composite sketch of a man they are seeking to identify for questioning in connection with the double homicide that occurred on Saturday, July 26, 2025 at Devil's Den State Park. Clinton David Brink, 43, and Kristen Amanda Brink, 41, were fatally attacked while hiking with their two daughters, who were unharmed and are now safe with family. The wanted man is described as a white male of medium build, last seen wearing a long sleeved shirt with sleeves rolled up, dark pants, a dark baseball cap and sunglasses. He was carrying a black backpack, wearing fingerless gloves, and may have sustained an injury during the attack. Witnesses observed him leaving the area in a black four door sedan with its license plate obscured by tape traveling towards State Highway 170 and State Highway 220.

[Heath]

Now, authorities have not released the autopsy reports in full which took place on Monday, July 28, but they have announced that both Clint and Kristen died from knife induced stab wounds. It appears that Clint was attacked and stabbed first, whereas Kristen was able to flee with their daughters and get them away from this crazed madman. But as the loving wife that she was, authorities do believe that she returned to help Clint and then was subsequently attacked by this same man from the jump. Police believe that it seemed like this was a completely random attack, that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time, because of course, they already didn't have any enemies, but they had also just moved there and they were with their daughters. So it just seemed like, why would somebody do this?

[Daphne]

Yeah, I mean, they're amiable people. They didn't tiff or get into fights with anybody. And like we're saying, they were having a nice family day together. I mean, it's an insane thought that any one person attacked a family of four in public as it is. Like, I'm honestly shocked this happened. I think it's why this story has taken off the way it has other Than, of course, their daughters being there to witness it. But just how truly unlikely of a situation this is. I mean, your brain immediately goes to. No one in their right mind would do this.

[Heath]

Well, of course we're trying to figure out a motive here. Like, why would this person do this and how.

[Daphne]

But it's so risky because like we're saying there's other people hiking that day. Yes, it's a vast area, but like, what, it's insane?

[Heath]

No, it is absolutely crazy. And it does seem like there has to be a motive here. Right. But we will get into that in a little bit. So, of course, police approach this entire thing as a random killing, but concrete answers would come sooner than most would imagine, proving their suspicions to be correct. There was DNA found at the scene of the crime on that devil's den trail. So little did the killer know. Investigators were working quickly to get this tested, and on Wednesday, July 30, just four days after the murders occurred, they arrested a 28 year old man named Andrew James McGann. Everybody needs a good thrill once in a while. Like the thrill of the deal that you get with Rakuten. Rakuten is the most rewarding way to shop because you can stack cash back on top of sales and deals at your favorite stores like Nike, Levi's and Target.

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[Daphne]

As the Arkansas State Crime Lab was working on getting a DNA match, detectives were also hard at work on that partial license plate that they had. And this is what led them to Andrew James McGann, who had no prior criminal history, by the way. So they actually found this guy before the DNA match was made. And guess where they found him? In a hair salon.

[Heath]

Yeah. What is he doing in a hair salon? Well, you could probably guess getting a freaking cut.

[Daphne]

So on Wednesday, July 30, literally just the other day, just before 5pm, 28 year old Andrew McGann was getting his hair cut at Lupita's Beauty Salon in Springdale, Arkansas, which is described on Google as a beauty salon with a friendly staff providing a variety of hair services, including permanent makeup. And this is a standalone business on West Huntsville Avenue, which is a Highway just 35 minutes north of the Devil's Den State Park. So he didn't go far at all. The woman who was giving him his haircut that day, Adriana Avalos, later told reporters, as soon as I saw him, I had an eerie feeling about him. He looked soulless, he didn't look right. And she noted that his eyes appeared very sunken and his hair was very dry and matted. And I gotta say, his mugshot is scary. Like when I first saw it the other day, I had woken up in the middle of the night and I couldn't go back to sleep. So I went on my phone and that is like, of course when I happened to see it because it had just been released like a few hours earlier and I legit, like I had to put my phone down. There is something so disturbing about his look. His eyes, like, it, it freaks you out.

[Heath]

Oh, he looks fucking evil. I mean, just the sunken eyes thing is definitely apparent in that photo. He's like, kind of like he's not frowning. He's like, it looks like he's scowling. He's scowling like he's pissed off, he's.

[Daphne]

Mad, which makes it creepier. Just his whole disposition, everything is just off. And there's two actually, his hair looks really different. One of them, his hair is like curly. The other one, it's a little straighter and looks more matted. But we'll pose both. I mean, they're both really unsettling.

[Heath]

Well, tell us exactly how this whole thing went down and how police were able to find Andrew McGann at this salon.

[Daphne]

Okay, so first when he came in, like, everybody at the salon agrees that, you know, basically with what Adriana said, because they all noticed his very strange behavior and vibes from the get go. Some examples, when he came in, Andrew refused to sign into the salon's walk in wait list, even though he was a walk in. And he acted very rude and just off to the staff upon entry. And while he waited, he spoke very little. And when police came in, like, he was in the middle of his haircut with the entire lower half of his head being shaved, you know, but staying long on top, which I know that a lot of people do that, but it looks really funny. Like, it's not. There's no, like, fade. It's just, oh, yeah, like bald on the bottom.

[Heath]

And it's kind of like a half assed bull cut. It's not all the way, but it's.

[Daphne]

You know, and to be fair to Adriana, like, she wasn't done. So that's why it's kind of funny, because he was arrested literally while in the middle. Yes. But this is what he requested. He actually wanted it to stay longer on top because he wanted to be able to keep his hair in his face.

[Heath]

Of course he did, because he was kind of trying to alter his appearance in a slight way so that maybe people wouldn't recognize him. But then also keep it long so it would cover his eyes.

[Daphne]

So weird.

[Heath]

So that people also would not recognize him because the hair is in his face.

[Daphne]

And this poor stylist. There is a video of his arrest as well. And we're gonna post that. It's like, from the security footage from the salon. And they're cuffing him. He's staying very calm. He spoke very little to police as well. And she's, like, scurrying to a different part of the salon. She's probably so freaked out and confused because she doesn't know what he's being arrested for yet. Like, what a wild day at work.

[Heath]

Yeah. She's just cutting somebody's hair. And then all of a sudden, the police are swarming the place and they're putting a guy in handcuffs.

[Daphne]

Yeah. And cutting somebody's hair who's being arrested that she already thought was really off. And she's like, damn, I was right. Like, something's. Something's Wrong with this guy. And I'm sure being in Arkansas, being so close to the Devil's Den murders, like, I wonder what they all thought when they found out what he was being arrested for, because surely everybody knew about that by then.

[Heath]

And it's kind of crazy because sometimes you see people and they have something's kind of off about them. But then like, your, your thoughts are alleviated when you realize you were just kind of overreacting or they leave and.

[Daphne]

You never find out anything about them.

[Heath]

Right, exactly. But this day, she's sitting there, she's like, wow, he looks really soulless. He looks crazy. She's cutting his hair.

[Daphne]

And then all of a sudden to leave my chair.

[Heath]

Yeah. And then all of a sudden she's proven right.

[Daphne]

That's like insane. Okay, so now you can go into how police got there in the first place.

[Heath]

Yes. Let's talk about exactly how this arrest went down. So police tracked his vehicle to that very salon and inquired at the desk about whose black Kia Stinger was parked out front, which of course matched the vehicle from the state park. And here's what the preliminary police report states. Quote, an individual who was receiving a haircut, later identified as the defendant, Andrew James McGhan, indicated that he was the owner of the vehicle. Investigators noticed in speaking with McGann that there were several cuts on his hands. So, you know, now they have the car and here's this guy getting a haircut with cuts on his body. And they were feeling very confident that this was their guy. So on suspicion of murder, they arrest him and they got his verbal permission to search his vehicle out front. And guess what they found? Significant. Sorry, I'm going to say, quote, because this is actually a, quote, significant blood evidence inside. Now, before we dive deeper into the investigation and where all of it stands now, let's talk about this absolute piece of shit, because he is a piece of shit. Andrew James McGann, known to friends as Andy, grew up in Garfield Ridge, Illinois. Graduating from Fenwick High School in Oak park, which is outside of Chicago, in 2015. A friend who grew up with him named Bill Engelhardt explained this week to ABC7. He was seemingly normal, just played sports, was a nice kid. I couldn't even imagine this would happen. Normal family, you know, his brother was cool. It's a shock. But it seems that things kinda changed because in recent years, the reports on Andrew's behavior have been quite negative because terrifyingly, this guy has been working as a teacher for years now, with many reporting his predatory behavior. In August of 2022, he began working for Donald Elementary School in Florida, Flower Mound, Texas, which is just northwest of Dallas. And as is typical for many schools, when introducing new staff, they posted this on their Facebook page alongside a smiling photo of Andrew holding a black and white cat and it says, hello, my name is Andrew McGann. I'm very excited to join the dolphin family as a fourth grade math and writing teacher. I graduated from Oklahoma State University Go Pokes in May with a B.S. in Elementary Education. I've been a substitute for the past two years in Tulsa County, Oklahoma and a student teacher for the spring 2022 semester in Broken Arrow Public Schools in a fourth grade math and science classroom. This is a year of firsts for me. First year teaching, first year in Louisville Independent School District and first year living in Texas. I think LISD is an excellent place to build a career and a life for myself as that is my intention in coming here from Tulsa, Oklahoma. My favorite thing to do in my free time is exercise, specifically running. I played football, baseball and rugby in high school, so I love sports. I've heard that there are some runners in the dolphin family, so show me where the good trails are at. Since I'm in need of a go to running trail. I'm also a big animal lover. Cats are my favorite. My cat Con in the picture with me. But don't worry dog moms. I love dogs too. I'm honored to be a part of your team and I can't wait to meet my students fellow staff. Go Dolphins.

[Daphne]

Well, this job didn't go too well for him in the end because this POS is a predator.

[Heath]

Oh yeah, big time predator.

[Daphne]

In an interview with WFAA Dallas, a mom whose son attended Donald elementary explains what she remembers about Mr. McGann. And here's that clip.

[E]

He eventually told me that him and some other classmates had noticed that Mr. McGann was very touchy and showed a lot of favoritism to certain girls in the class and that when they would go out for receipts, sometimes he would choose one of those girls to stay behind, just one on one him in the classroom while everyone went outside and that when they'd come back from recess he would sometimes have the little girl in his lap and around the same time he would bring like treats and goodies and stuff, but just for these little girls. And I think the straw that finally, you know, made my son just like snap and spill it all was that he had heard Mr. McGann tell one of the little girls, if you were older, I would Love to marry you. And that just made him deeply uncomfortable because even at 9, he recognized, like, this is weird. You know, this is weird behavior from a teacher.

[Daphne]

If you were older, I'd love to marry you.

[Heath]

What a sick freak this is to.

[Daphne]

A 9 year old. Like, even if this was a 16 year old or anything, like, this is like, you're the teacher, you're the. You were supposed to be helping, inspiring these students. You're not supposed to be preying on them. You're not supposed to be making them uncomfortable with romantic, romantically inclined comments like that.

[Heath]

And gestures, you know, bringing them treats, playing favoritism with students, putting them on.

[Daphne]

Your lap like they aren't dogs. This is a little girl. You don't have a little girl on your lap anywhere, especially in your classroom, after you made them be alone with you while everybody goes out to recess. Like, it really makes your mind wander to a sick place and wonder if he ever did anything to any of these girls. And this was not the only parent to say something like this. Another parent whose child was taught by Andrew right there at Donald elementary in Texas, recently reported, quote, I heard from my son that there were girls that Mr. McGann would teach tickle. He's a sick pervert. I started hearing other things from parents whose kids were in his classroom full time, alleging that during lunchtime, when all the kids went to the cafeteria, he would invite special girls to stay back and to have lunch with him in his classroom. And again, at this point, he's in his mid-20s. These girls are in the single digits. Like, this is so beyond inappropriate on every level.

[Heath]

Yeah. And it's not just one parent coming forward saying that, hey, my child said that Mr. McGann was kind of fucking weird. It's numerous parents, so clearly he was a problem.

[Daphne]

Well, here's more from that same woman that I was just talking about, the one who said he's a sick pervert. She added, Mr. McGann was giving a lot of special treatment to girls. In particular, he was giving them candy, bringing them sonic drinks, asking girls to sit on his lap, giving treats and praising their looks. So, like, if multiple other kids are noticing this same behavior of the treats, the sitting on the lap, the compliments, like, he's doing this in front of other students that were so. Even little boys that are so uncomfortable by just witnessing this that they go home and tell their parents. Now, this behavior actually was reported to the school. We aren't sure if it was by this mother or another one. But Andrew McGann while in his first official teaching job in that first year, was placed on leave over concerns of professional judgment and classroom management and student favoritism. But no criminal charges were filed against him for any type of inappropriate behavior with the children of his fourth grade class or any other classes. But this was actually a voluntary leave. Like Andrew himself resigned in May of 2023. And I imagine they were like, hey, we urge you to resign. But they, they didn't fire him.

[Heath]

That's kind of what I was thinking is that they said, hey, we've got reports that you're being really weird and creepy and you're doing some inappropriate things. It's up to you. You can either voluntary leave and then possibly be able to get work somewhere else, or we're going to fire you. And then that's going to look really bad. But that's. That looks bad on the school because they should have just. They should have fired him. That should have been a mark on his record. But he was able to teach again after that.

[Daphne]

Well, and the school said that, like, of course, in the wake of this news, there's so many parents who are looking back and they're outraged, and they said, hey, this guy taught my child. And so they're going to the school. So Donald elementary made a statement and they said, we did investigate him, and we didn't find any reports of any inappropriate behavior other than these few things. But there is from their angle, they were like, we didn't have any reports that he assaulted a child. As if that is. As if that, like, the other things are bad enough. Like it shouldn't have to get to assault. But they're kind of saying, yeah, like, we. We found these few things, but it wasn't bad enough to actually fire him, so we let him resign, which obviously was a big mistake.

[Heath]

Well, I guess in a way, they were trying to be preventative of possibly something actually happening in the classroom. So that's good. But I just think, you know, if they would have fired him, like I said, it would have been a mark on his record as a teacher.

[Daphne]

Well, that's the problem, is they're okay, go to a different school. Okay, well, now you're letting him potentially assault somebody at a different school.

[Heath]

Right? Because I'm saying if he goes to another school, they're going to say they're going to look at his past record at, you know, the. The Donald elementary School, and they're going to go, well, you didn't get fired. So there's nothing, you know, we don't see Anything wrong, so we'll just hire you.

[Daphne]

Which is why it's so important to have actual reports of things so that people who are doing bad things can get in trouble.

[Heath]

I completely agree.

[Daphne]

So it makes complete sense that another parent recently told reporters, quote, everything just kind of got swept under the rug. And because it was swept under the rug, he was allowed to keep teaching and he went back to Oklahoma where his family lives and begin working in the Sand Springs and Broken Arrow school districts. Now there, no activity was officially reported. And not that we can really trust that that means he was behaving right. But many parents are looking back right now to their time with him and reporting his behavior with students as, quote, eerie.

[Heath]

Right. So they're trying to kind of catch up now. Now that they know that this guy is weird and a murderer, they're like, well, were there any signs? Was there anything that I remember from that time?

[Daphne]

One student told 2News Oklahoma. The first time he came to our school, my friend for some reason told me she had a bad feeling about him. And apparently she said this because he was very quiet generally and was known to stare at students, which is a behavior that many described as off. Another female student said, he just let us play on our computers and he would stare at us a lot.

[Heath]

Ew, God, so creepy. He's just like, do whatever you want. And then he's just sitting behind his desk staring at children.

[Daphne]

Horrible. Well, In May of 2025, Andrew resigned from his teaching position of two years in Oklahoma, which I really wonder why he did that, if he wanted a change of scenery or if he did something that he was trying to get away from.

[Heath]

Well, obviously we can't be exactly sure why Andrew left the state of Oklahoma just yet. But just like Clint Brink, Andrew was also about to start a new job. But coming this fall in Arkansas In May of 2025, 28 year old Andrew moved to Springdale, which is the same small city that he was arrested in, because he got a job as a third grade teacher at Bayari Elementary School in the Springdale Public School District.

[Daphne]

So it's like he committed these murders and then he went back to Springdale, 35 minutes away, and he was just gonna kind of hope that it went away.

[Heath]

Yeah, he was hoping that by fall he was gonna be back in the classroom teaching third graders, which is why.

[Daphne]

I wonder, like, how many things he has done and gotten away with, because obviously he probably thought he was gonna get away with these murders of Clint and Kristen.

[Heath]

Well, here's a post that Bayari Elementary School made. On their Facebook page on June 12, 2020 25, it says, quote, Our third grade team has a new addition, too. Help us welcome Mr. McGann. And then here is Andrew talking. He says, hello, my name is Drew McGann. I'm thrilled to be part of the Bayari team this year as a third grade teacher. I have three years of certified teaching experience and a Bachelor of Science in elementary Education from Oklahoma State University. In my free time, I love going to concerts with friends, working out and being outdoors. I look forward to being an asset to the Bigari family this year and living in the gorgeous state of Arkansas. So now that we know he loved the outdoors and enjoyed trail runs, it kind of makes complete sense why he was at devil's den on July 26th.

[Daphne]

And I just have to wonder if this was premeditated in some way. We know he had a knife on him. It has not been released what kind of knife it was, if it was like a survival knife that you keep on you when you hike or what. But we know as well that he had his license plate partially covered with tape. So it's hard for me to imagine that he didn't plan this in some way enough to have the foresight to cover up your plate.

[Heath]

Well, here's the other thing about that. He's wearing shades. He's wearing a hat, which is fine. People do that. It's sunny, it's the summer.

[Daphne]

Yeah.

[Heath]

But then he's wearing fingerless gloves. He's carrying a backpack. You know what I'm saying? Like, he's alone. So it feels like he went there that day for a purpose.

[Daphne]

Yeah, it does. I mean, that really all ties in to motive, why he committed the killings. Did he want to kill somebody? Or was there a reason that he chose Clint and Kristen that day?

[Heath]

And I know this sounds like a horrible place for all of our minds to go to, but the fact that he was, you know, an elementary school teacher, he sees this couple with their two seven and nine year old daughters.

[Daphne]

That's that age. He seems to like that.

[Heath]

Exactly. So he's on this trail. Was he out there looking for a younger girl? I mean, obviously it's hard to say because we really don't know what the motive was. But just knowing that he had this creepy past leads us down a very dark path in our minds.

[Daphne]

It's impossible not to go there, though, just based on what all these parents are saying and his potential sick interest in little girls. And so did he see them hiking? Maybe he followed them. Maybe he ran into them, and he wanted to kind of take his chances on abducting one of them. Like, it's. It's hard not to wonder that.

[Heath]

Yeah. And we also have to go back to, you know, the fact that Kristen was trying to get the girls away from the situation that was unfolding while climbing. Clint was being murdered, and then, you know, so she already got the kids away, and they're. They're away in a safe area at that point, then she goes back to help Clint, and then she herself gets murdered. So is it possible that had Kristen been able to get the girls away from, you know, Andrew, that.

[Daphne]

That she would have lived?

[Heath]

That she would have lived, and the girls would have also been safe at the same time?

[Daphne]

Yeah. I mean, I'm sure. And that's what's so devastating is, like, Clint was her person. They had been together for so long. They had been married for 11 years.

[Heath]

And I totally understand why she went back to help Clint. I mean, they're in love. They're married.

[Daphne]

Yeah. But if. It's so sad. But if she hadn't gone back, just like the girls survived, she probably would have, too. But that was her person, and she had to go make sure he was okay. I think that really shows her character so much. But it's so weird to think, anyway, that Andrew, even if that was his motive, no matter what his motive was, like, the fact that he thought. I mean, he obviously did kill both of them, sadly. But how was he so confident that he could kill two adults?

[Heath]

Well, going back to, you know, the whole thing about how he attacked Clint first, I think he knew that if he got Clint out of the way, he's a big enough guy that he probably could have overpowered Kristen and then had access to the girls. If that was the motive, of course. But.

[Daphne]

But if that was his motive, like, what. Then he's just gonna take two crying, probably screaming girls because of what. Because of what's happening and what they just witnessed, like.

[Heath]

Yeah.

[Daphne]

Out of the park. Because we know that people saw him with blood on his face, so they surely would have seen him holding two girls like this. This situ. This is a bad plan.

[Heath]

Yeah. I don't know what he was really thinking in that moment. It's just so hard to know.

[Daphne]

Well, the day after he was arrested on Thursday, July 31, the Arkansas State Police confirmed that Andrew had indicated to them in a confession. We don't know the exact words, but apparently he indicated that he had committed the murders of Clint and Kristen Brink, saying that he acted alone. So with that and the positive DNA comparison between the DNA found at the time same scene, Andrew James McGann has been formally charged with the crimes. On top of the search of his vehicle, police have also searched his Arkansas home and reportedly found other evidence consistent with the crime, which many believe include the murder weapon. But I'm sure a lot of that will come out this week. We obviously don't know what's going to happen, if there's going to be a trial or if because he kind of confessed, if he's just gonna lay it all out and you know, we'll see what happens and we will definitely update you guys when that releases. But this is what we have right now. Clint and Kristen Brink are remembered by those who knew them as warm, humble and deeply devoted to their family in Miles City, Montana. Longtime friend Mary shared quote, I still can't quite wrap my brain around it. It's just hard to believe. I'm so thankful that the little girls are okay as far as not getting hurt. Another friend described the couple simply as great, down to earth people. They would go out of their way to help anyone in need. Emphasizing how genuine and kind they were in the many communities they lived in over the years. The Brink family provided a statement to multiple media outlets like ABC News and CNN Exchange Etc, which reads, the family is looking for privacy during this very difficult time as they grieve and learn how to navigate this new reality. They ask that if anyone has any information at all that will help in the investigation to please contact the proper authorities immediately. Clinton and Kristin died heroes protecting their little girls and they deserve justice. They will forever live in all of our hearts. Thank you so much everybody for listening to this episode of Going West.

[Heath]

Yes, thank you guys so much for listening to this episode. Our hearts really go out to the family of the Brinks and the friends of the Brinks. I mean, what a tragedy. What a senseless tragedy. If you do want to see photos from this case, head on over to our socials. We're going to post that composite sketch and photos of James McGann and the two lovely people who were murdered for absolutely no reason. Instagram @goingwest podcast and we're also on Facebook.

[Daphne]

If you guys do happen to have any information, please call the Washington County Sheriff's office at 501-618-TIPS. You can also submit through their website. Just look up Washington County Sheriff's Office Devil's Den tips on Google and that link will come up. Thank you guys so much for tuning into this one again thank you to everybody who emailed in about this. We will definitely stay on top of this and we will see you again on Friday.

[Heath]

Alright guys. So for everybody out there in the.

[Daphne]

World, don't be a stranger. Sam.

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[Daphne]

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[Heath]

That's a hard question. Something that you can strive for to.

[Daphne]

Do anything I set my mind to. You're confident in yourself and you believe in yourself. Stuff that you could achieve. I feel it's Sarah. Anything is possible when you're more confident.

[Heath]

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