WEST FORK, Ark. (AP) — Police in Arkansas were searching Monday for a suspect in the deaths of a couple who investigators said were attacked while on a wooded walking trail with their two young daughters.
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.
Their daughters, who are 7 and 9, were not hurt and are being cared for by family members.
“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.”
Officials described the suspect as a white male wearing dark shorts, a dark ballcap, 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.
“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.”
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.
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.
