A 28-year-old man from Arkansas has been arrested over the killings of a married couple in front of their children at Devil’s Den State Park over the weekend, US officials said.
Arkansas State Police arrested James Andrew McGann from Springdale, Arkansas and charged him with two counts of capital murder.
Police did not mention a possible motive.
A lawyer couldn’t be located for him yet as he’s just been arrested; it was not immediately clear when his first court appearance was, or where he was being held.
“No news can heal the enormous harm done to the Brink family in last weekend’s crime, but this announcement is a comfort and reassurance for our State,” Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement.
Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, were found dead on Saturday on a walking trail at Devil’s Den.
Their daughters, who are seven and nine, were not hurt and are being cared for by family members, authorities have said.
Police had released a composite sketch and photo of a person of interest they were searching for in the attack.
Along with the drawing, state police released a statement saying the suspect “likely sustained an injury while attacking the couple”.
It did not go into further detail.
The State Police have released few details, including how the couple was killed.
The FBI has said its Little Rock field office is assisting in the investigation; the head of the State Police praised the cooperation among law enforcement on catching McGann.
“Because of their hard work and investigative skill, we were able to take a monster off the streets, and bring relief to those two precious girls, and the rest of our citizens,” Colonel Mike Hagar said.
Clinton and Cristen Brink had just moved from South Dakota to the small city of Prairie Grove in northwest Arkansas.
Their water had been connected less than two weeks ago, Mayor David Faulk said.
Clinton Brink had been scheduled to start a job as a milk delivery driver on Monday in the nearby Fayetteville area, according to Hiland Dairy, his employer.
Cristen Brink had been licensed as a nurse in Montana and South Dakota before moving to Arkansas.
The Brink family said the couple died “heroes protecting their little girls”.
Devil’s Den is a 2500-acre state park near West Fork, about 220 kilometres north-west of Little Rock, the state capital.
The park’s trails, which lead to the surrounding Ozark National Forest, remained closed.
