The desperate hunt for the murderer who killed a married couple in front of their young daughters at Devil’s Den State Park in Arkansas was stepped up Monday — as cops also scrambled to justify taking six hours to alert the public that a double killer was on the run.
Calls first came in at 2:30 p.m. that there was a potential assault in the eerily named state park — with first responders then hearing screams, according to 5News.
By the time they caught up to the family, it was too late, and parents Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, were found dead, officials said.
They were attacked in front of their two daughters — ages 7 and 9 — who were found safe and uninjured nearby.
Police did not elaborate on how or when the couple was killed. Reporters received tips of a massive police presence in the area at 4:30 p.m., but were told to leave the area and given no info, 5News said.
It was not until 8:40 p.m. — roughly six hours after the initial call — that Arkansas State Police released the first warning that a massive manhunt was underway, the outlet noted.
The delay was blamed on how “the terrain is rugged, vegetation is thick and there is no cellphone service.”
“The location is in remote, rural Arkansas,” an ASP spokesperson told 5News. “It took time for our special agents to arrive on scene, locate witnesses, conduct interviews, and collaborate information so we released the appropriate information.”
Police issued an updated description of the suspect on Sunday and said he was last seen wearing a long-sleeve shirt with the sleeves rolled up rather than a tank top as initially reported.
He is described as having a medium build, wearing dark pants, a red baseball cap and sunglasses. Police said he also had a backpack and was wearing fingerless gloves.
The suspect was seen driving into the park in a black four-door sedan, possibly a Mazda, with its license plate covered by tape.
Shea Lewis, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, said in a statement that the state has “increased law enforcement presence in our state parks.”
“Our Park Rangers are fully commissioned law enforcement officers, and they are actively engaged in ensuring the safety and security of our park guests,” he said. “We remain committed to supporting the ongoing investigation and to maintaining Arkansas State Parks as safe, welcoming places for all.”
Devil’s Den State Park — nestled in Ozark National Forest about 30 miles south of Fayetteville — is a tourist destination famous for its caves, rock formations and thousands of acres of woods.
