A search continued Monday for a suspect in the killing of a married couple who were attacked in Arkansas’ remote Devil’s Den State Park while hiking with their two young children.
Details remained scarce about the identity or the motive of the killer, who drove away after the attack in a car with his license plate partly covered by tape, police said.
Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, were found dead Saturday at Devil’s Den State Park in Washington County in a suspected homicide, Arkansas State Police said. Police have not elaborated on how the couple were killed or provided more details on the attack.
Their daughters, who are 7 and 9, were not hurt and are being cared for by family members.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | At least 2 dead, multiple people shot at Nevada casino in Reno with a suspect in custody
“Clinton and Cristen died heroes protecting their little girls, and they deserve justice,” the Brink family said in a statement provided to ABC News. "They will forever live in all of our hearts.”
Hiland Dairy confirmed that Clinton Brink had transferred from its parent company, Prairie Farms Dairy, from South Dakota, and was scheduled to start his job as a driver delivering milk in the Fayetteville area on Monday
Officials described the suspect as a white male wearing dark shorts, a dark ball cap, sunglasses and fingerless gloves. He was seen driving toward a park exit in a black, four-door sedan with a license plate partly covered by tape.
The car, possibly a Mazda, may have been traveling on State Highway 170 or State Highway 220 near the park in a rural, wooded area with limited cellphone service, police said.
Devil’s Den is located near West Fork, about 136 miles (219 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock. The 2,500-acre park is known for its hiking trails and rock formations, and is a short drive from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and Walmart’s Bentonville headquarters.
“We are heartbroken by today’s horrific news from Devil’s Den State Park and are in close contact with State Police and the Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism as they work to apprehend the suspect," Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement over the weekend. "We are praying for the family and friends of the victims, and know that law enforcement will not rest until the perpetrator is brought to justice.”
Shea Lewis, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, said rangers had stepped up patrols at Devil’s Den.
“Our hearts are with the victims’ loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” Lewis said in a statement Sunday. “The safety of our visitors and staff is our highest priority, and we are working closely with Arkansas State Police and various law enforcement officials as the investigation continues.”
Investigators asked for potential witnesses to review their photos and videos from the park south of Fayetteville. There was no information about a possible motive.
“We're just really hoping that anybody who captured any video or pictures or anything suspicious, just let us know,” State Police spokesperson Nick Genty said. “We're investigating any and all tips that we get.”
Officials said the victims had recently moved to Prairie Grove, Arkansas, from another state. Their bodies were taken to the state crime lab, where the manner and cause of death will be determined.
