Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, were found dead Saturday on a walking trail. Their daughters, who are 7 and 9, were not hurt and are being cared for by family members, authorities said.
The family had just moved from South Dakota to the small city of Prairie Grove in northwest Arkansas, and their water had been connected less than two weeks ago, Mayor David Faulk said. Clinton Brink had been scheduled to start a job as a milk delivery driver Monday in the nearby Fayetteville area, according to Hiland Dairy, his employer.
"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 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.
“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.”
The FBI said its Little Rock field office is assisting state police in the investigation.
Devil’s Den is located near West Fork, about 140 miles (220 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock, the state capital. The 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.
On Monday, few visitors were at the park and the trails remained closed. Rangers had stepped up patrol at Devil's Den, said Shea Lewis, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders called the deaths “horrific" and said "law enforcement will not rest until the perpetrator is brought to justice.”
Danikka Harrell, a nurse at a rehabilitation center in Montana, said the Brinks had also lived in that state for several years starting around 2018 and played on a recreational volleyball team. In the summer, the Brinks would set up a volleyball net at a local park and encourage people to play, she said.
Harrell said that when she struggled to find child care, the Brinks allowed her daughter to stay with them “without a thought" and that Cristen Brink would often bring a plate of food when she brought the girl back home.
“They were selfless and unconditional with their love and support for their friends,” Harrell said.
Investigators asked for potential witnesses to review their photos and videos from the park south of Fayetteville. The bodies of the couple were taken to the state crime lab, where the manner and cause of death will be determined.
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Associated Press writers Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia, and John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, contributed to this report
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP