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yesterday

Devil’s Den Homicide Suspect Pleads Not Guilty as Death Penalty Looms

Held without bond after entering a not guilty plea on August 14, Andrew James McGann faces a capital murder trial scheduled for November 14 following prosecutors’ announcement to seek the death penalty.

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FILE - The trail head to the Devil's Den trail at Devils Den State Park remains closed Monday, July 28, 2025, in West Fork, Ark. Police in Arkansas are searching for a suspect in the deaths of a couple who investigators said were attacked while on the wooded walking trail with their two young daughters. (AP Photo/Michael Woods, File)
Cristen Amanda Brink and Clinton David Brink.
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Overview

  • Andrew James McGann pleaded not guilty to two counts of capital murder on August 14, with Judge Joanna Taylor holding him without bond and scheduling a November 14 hearing.
  • Prosecutor Brandon Carter announced plans to seek the death penalty, foreshadowing protracted pretrial litigation typical of capital cases.
  • State police say McGann admitted the killings during interrogation and that DNA evidence from blood at Devil’s Den matched material found in his vehicle and residence.
  • Arkansas State Police describe the July 26 attack on Clinton and Cristen Brink as random, noting no prior link between them and McGann and leaving motive unexplained.
  • Vermont and Wisconsin agencies have examined possible connections to unsolved hiking-trail murders, with Vermont reporting no known link to its 2023 case.