An Arkansas teacher is charged in the killing of a couple who were hiking with their children

LITTLE ROCK Ark AP Arkansas police have charged a -year-old schoolteacher in the killing of a married couple who were hiking with their children at Devil s Den State Park arresting him in a nearby city after a five-day search and populace pleas for tips from other hikers State Police arrested Andrew James McGann at a barbershop in Springdale revealed Col Stacie Rhoads commander of the department s criminal analysis division McGann was charged with two counts of capital murder and is being held without bond Thursday in the Washington County jail Police declined to discuss a accomplishable motive during a Wednesday night news conference to announce the arrest Springdale is about miles kilometers north of Devil s Den where trails have remained closed since the killings on Saturday Springdale Populace Schools explained in a comment it had hired McGann as a mentor candidate for the upcoming year but that he had not yet had any contact with its families or students A lawyer couldn t be located for McGann and a message was left for a number listed for him His first court appearance is scheduled for Friday If you commit a violent senseless act here in our state our law enforcement will hunt you down and bring you to justice because that s what the people of Arkansas frankly deserve Arkansas Gov Sarah Huckabee Sanders stated reporters Police flooded with tips Clinton David Brink and Cristen Amanda Brink were ascertained dead on a walking trail at Devil s Den on Saturday Their daughters who are and were not hurt and are being cared for by family members government have mentioned The State Police have issued scant details about the scrutiny including how the couple was killed In the days after the attack police disclosed a composite sketch and a photo of a person of interest that presented them only from behind Administration urged trailgoers who had been at the park on the same day to check their camera rolls for photos or video that could help point to a suspect Rhoads explained the masses s help and video footage they received was instrumental in capturing McGann Tips came in from as far away as Washington state she explained Suspect taught in other states before Arkansas job McGann has functioning teaching licenses in Arkansas Texas and Oklahoma according to each respective cabinet certification website He was certified to teach elementary school in Oklahoma in and Texas in He approved to teach elementary and middle school children in Arkansas in the fall of The Associated Press reached out to all three state teaching agencies on Thursday There are no infractions or suspensions noted on his constituents state licensure McGann was a mentor at a small Oklahoma school district starting in the summer of until May this year He resigned to take a job in another state according to a announcement from Sand Springs Citizens Schools which is near Tulsa The district announced McGann passed all background checks Law enforcement hasn t contacted Sand Springs Population Schools regarding the scrutiny according to district spokesperson Lissa Chidester Our hearts are with the family and loved ones who have suffered this tragic loss Chidester revealed McGann had not yet started his new job at Springdale Residents Schools stated Jared Cleveland the district superintendent He commented the district could not provide more information citing the assessment Our entire organization extends our deepest condolences to the Brink family Their children are especially in our thoughts and prayers Cleveland stated Sierra Marcum whose son was in McGann s fourth grade class in Flower Mound Texas disclosed the coach came across as standoffish pretty cold and disinterested in his students Casualties had in the last few days moved to Arkansas The Brinks had in recent days moved from South Dakota to the small city of Prairie Grove in northwest Arkansas Their water was connected less than two weeks ago Mayor David Faulk declared Clinton Brink had been scheduled to start working as a milk delivery driver on Monday in the Fayetteville area according to Hiland Dairy his employer Cristen Brink had been licensed as a nurse in Montana and South Dakota before moving to Arkansas The Brink family announced the couple died heroes protecting their little girls Our entire state is grieving for the tragic loss and senseless and horrific crime that s taken place in this area Sanders reported Devil s Den is a -acre -hectare state park near West Fork about miles kilometers northwest of Little Rock the state capital The park is known for its hiking trails and rock formations and it is a short drive from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and Walmart s Bentonville headquarters It has been a state park since the s and its trails lead to the surrounding Ozark National Forest