A Couple Was Killed While Hiking Through an Arkansas Park With Their Two Young Daughters

A community in Arkansas is left scared and confused following the deaths of a local couple. Clinton and Cristen Brink and their daughters had recently moved to the area and were hiking in Devil’s Den State Park in Washington County when the incident occurred.

The 2,500-acre park is deep in the hills of the Ozark Mountains, and "holds the largest formation of sandstone crevices in the United States," per Only in Arkansas.

It gets its name from the roughly 60 crevice caves that can be found throughout the park. Local lore suggests that outlaws used to hide out in these caves before descending upon unsuspecting travelers.

Was history repeating itself with the deaths of the Brinks, who were murdered while hiking with their kids? Here's what we know.

Having just moved to Prairie Grove, Ark., the Brinks family decided to explore their new home. Clinton, 43, and Cristen, 41, took their daughters, ages 7 and 9, to Devil's Den State Park for a leisurely hike. Around 2:40 p.m. on Saturday, July 26, Arkansas State Police received reports of a "double homicide at the park."

They arrived to find the bodies of Clinton and Cristen on a walking trail.

The couple's two daughters were unharmed and are "safe with family members," per The New York Times. On Sunday, police issued a statement asking local residents for any information about the murders.

They specifically asked for any footage, whether it was from a cell phone, security camera, or similar. It didn't take long for the description of a suspect to come to light.

Police are looking for a white man with a medium build who was wearing dark pants, a dark baseball cap, sunglasses, a black backpack, and fingerless gloves, reported The Times.

The suspect was spotted driving a Mazda, but the license plate was covered with duct tape or electrical tape. Clinton and Cristen were killed in a part of the park that has no cell phone service.

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement to X, saying she is praying for the family and friends of the victims.

She went on to say they would not rest until the "perpetrator is brought to justice." Shea Lewis, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, assured people there would be more park rangers patrolling the area.

"Our hearts are with the victims’ loved ones during this incredibly difficult time," said Secretary Lewis.