Devil's Den Murder Suspect Andrew McGann Was Getting a Haircut When Arrested — Stylist Offered Cut Hair for DNA Evidence

Andrew James McGann, a 28-year-old schoolteacher, was arrested on 30 July 2025 at Lupita's Beauty Salon in Springdale, Arkansas for the murder of Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, at Devil's Den State Park.

The couple was fatally stabbed on 26 July 2025 while hiking with their daughters, ages 7 and 9, on a remote trail.

McGann's dramatic arrest, captured on video, occurred mid-haircut, with the hairdresser offering cut hair for DNA evidence, aiding the investigation that relied on DNA profiling and over 500 public tips to apprehend the suspect.

Dramatic Arrest at the Salon

McGann was apprehended at 16:57 local time on 30 July 2025 at Lupita's Beauty Salon, 30 miles north of Devil's Den, while hairdresser Adriana Ruiz Avalos was giving him a fade haircut.

Avalos posted on social media, 'I was in the middle of cutting his hair when detectives came in,' describing her shock as police entered.

X posts from @newschannel3now echoed, 'Adriana Ruiz Avalos, the hairstylist who was attending to McGann, described the unsettling moment law enforcement entered.'

The salon offered cut hair for DNA profiling, which matched blood found at the crime scene, per Arkansas State Police.

ASP's Colonel Mike Hagar said on 31 July 2025, 'He did indicate that he committed the murders,' noting McGann's admission during questioning.

The arrest followed a five-day manhunt involving a composite sketch and a photo of a suspect in a black Mazda with a taped license plate.

The Investigation and Public Response

The Brinks were attacked around 14:40 on 26 July 2025 on the Lower Devil's Den Trail, a 1.5-mile loop in the 2,500-acre park.

First responders heard cries for help, finding the couple stabbed to death, with Cristen ushering her unharmed daughters to safety before returning to aid her husband.

The Brink family stated, '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.'

X posts from @TiffanyAlaniz noted, 'Police say Andrew McGann was injured during the stabbings and that his blood loss established the DNA profile that investigators collected.'

Over 500 tips, including trailgoers' photos and local surveillance, identified McGann, who Rhoads said was 'sloppy' despite attempts to conceal his identity.

The FBI's Little Rock office assisted, and Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders praised the effort, saying, 'If you commit a violent, senseless act here in our state, our law enforcement will hunt you down and bring you to justice.'

McGann's Background and Community Impact

McGann, recently hired as a teacher candidate at Springdale Public Schools, had not yet worked with students.

He resigned from Donald Elementary in Flower Mound, Texas, in spring 2023 after concerns about 'classroom management, professional judgment, and student favoritism,' though no inappropriate behavior with students was found per Eyewitness News.

The motive remains unclear, with Hagar calling it a 'completely random event.' Devil's Den's trails remain closed, impacting the park's 2,500-acre tourism hub near Fayetteville.

The tragedy, costing an estimated £150,000 ($200,000) in local revenue based on park visitor data, has shaken the community, with Sanders noting, 'Our entire state is grieving for the tragic loss and senseless and horrific crime.'

McGann, held without bond, faces a court appearance on 1 August 2025, with prosecutors eyeing the death penalty.