The victims, who had recently moved to Prairie Grove, Arkansas, are identified as 43-year-old Clinton Brink and 41-year-old Cristen Brink. They were killed hiking with their daughters, whose ages are nine and seven, KNWA reported Monday.
Their deaths were first reported around 2:40 p.m. after their bodies were found on a trail in the park.
“Try to relay to the office that we found the victims down here. There are [sic] on the lower Devil’s Den Trail… I think I see you right there. I’ve got two bodies down here,” a trooper said in a recording from a police scanner.
According to Arkansas State Police (ASP), the children were not injured and are now in the care of family members.
The agency deemed the case a “suspected homicide” and gave a description of the suspect.
“After receiving additional information, investigators now believe he was wearing a long-sleeved shirt, with sleeves rolled up, rather than a tank top as originally reported. The suspect is an unknown white male with a medium build,” ASP announced on Sunday. “He was wearing dark pants, a dark ballcap and sunglasses. The suspect had a black backpack and was wearing fingerless gloves. He was seen driving toward a park exit in a black, four-door sedan.”
The agency said the suspect’s vehicle could be a Mazda with a license plate covered by tape, and the vehicle might have traveled on State Highway 170 or 220.
ASP Col. Mike Hagar said, “I want to thank the public and our media partners for their support as we pursue the man responsible for this heinous crime. We are using all available resources to apprehend this suspect and bring him to justice.”
It took law enforcement several hours to release information on the suspect, per 5 News Online. However, an ASP spokesperson explained, “The location is in remote, rural Arkansas. It took time for our special agents to arrive on scene, locate witnesses, conduct interviews, and collaborate information so we released the appropriate information.”
When speaking of the suspect, a man at the park told 40/29 News, “I got nothing to say for that dude right there. It’s gonna come down on him, and when it does only God’s gonna help him because those people didn’t deserve that. They were just out here just trying to enjoy their time.”
The Brinks family issued a statement in light of their tragic loss, saying the couple “died heroes” while shielding their children from harm.
“The family is asking 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,” their statement reads. “Clinton and Cristen died heroes protecting their little girls, and they deserve justice. They will forever live in all of our hearts.”
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