Teacher pleads not guilty to capital murder in Arkansas hike killings

An Arkansas elementary teacher charged with fatally stabbing a couple during a family hike pleads not guilty to two counts of capital murder.

Teacher pleads not guilty to capital murder in Arkansas hike killings

Andrew James McGann, a 28-year-old elementary school teacher, pled not guilty Thursday to two counts of capital murder in the stabbings of Clinton Brink and Cristen Brink at Devil's Den State Park in northwest Arkansas. The Brinks were hiking with their two young daughters, ages 7 and 9, when researchers say the couple was attacked; the children were unharmed. Authorities say McGann was arrested days after the Brinks were found dead, in a Springdale barbershop, and that his DNA was found at the crime scene. He recently moved to Arkansas for a new teaching job after teaching in Oklahoma and had passed background checks for the districts involved.

The case tests the public trust placed in teachers and the gaps that can exist in hiring across state lines. Even when background checks pass, questions remain about how districts screen applicants who relocate to new states for teaching roles. Officials have signaled that the state may pursue the death penalty, highlighting the high stakes of such charges and the severity of the crime.

Highlights

The investigation continues as prosecutors and investigators outline the next legal steps.