by WEST FORK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas police were looking for a suspect Monday in the killings of a couple who were attacked while out on a forest walking trail with their two young kids, according to investigators.
According to Arkansas State Police, Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, were discovered dead on Saturday at Devil’s Den State Park in Washington County in what is believed to be a homicide.
Their girls, ages 7 and 9, are being cared for by family members and were not harmed.
The Brink family told ABC News that Clinton and Cristen deserve justice because they died as heroes defending their little daughters. We will all always have them in our hearts.
The suspect was described by officials as a white man with fingerless gloves, sunglasses, a dark ballcap, and dark shorts. He was observed driving a black, four-door vehicle with a partially taped-over license plate toward a park exit.
According to authorities, the vehicle, which might have been a Mazda, was driving along State Highways 170 or 220 close to the park in a rural, forested area with spotty cellular connection.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders stated in a statement over the weekend, “We are deeply saddened by the terrible news from Devil’s Den State Park today and are working closely with State Police and the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism as they attempt to capture the suspect.” We know that law enforcement will not stop until the offender is apprehended, and we are praying for the victims’ friends and family.
Devil’s Den is roughly 136 miles (219 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock, close to West Fork. The 2,500-acre park, which is close to Walmart’s headquarters in Bentonville and the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, is well-known for its hiking trails and rock formations.
Ranger patrols at Devil’s Den have increased, according to Shea Lewis, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism.
Lewis stated in a statement on Sunday that “our hearts are with the victims’ loved ones during this extremely difficult time.” As the investigation progresses, we are collaborating closely with Arkansas State Police and other law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety of our guests and employees.
Potential witnesses were urged to examine their images and videos taken in the park south of Fayetteville by investigators. No information regarding a potential motive was available.
The victims, according to officials, had just relocated from another state to Prairie Grove, Arkansas. The state crime lab received their remains and will determine the cause and manner of death.
