Couple Slain While Hiking With Daughters In Arkansas State Park, Police Say

A man and female who had precocious moved to northwest Arkansas were apparently killed arsenic they hiked successful a authorities parkland pinch their school-age daughters, authorities said Sunday.

The victims were identified by Arkansas State Police arsenic Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41. The agency said successful a connection nan mates had precocious moved to Prairie Grove, Arkansas, from retired of state.

Facebook pages for each, verified by NBC News, opportunity that they person lived successful inland California and eastbound Montana. Public records spot them successful Miles City, Montana.

State constabulary said nan agency was notified of nan double homicide successful Devil’s Den State Park soon earlier 3 p.m. Saturday. The parkland is astir 12 miles eastbound of Prairie Grove and astir 25 miles southbound of Fayetteville.

"We are heartbroken by today’s horrific news from Devil’s Den State Park and are successful adjacent interaction pinch State Police and nan Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism arsenic they activity to apprehend nan suspect," Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said connected X connected Saturday evening.

She said "law enforcement will not rest" until nan slayer is recovered and prosecuted.

The victims' daughters, ages 7 and 9, were not harmed and were successful nan custody of family, nan agency said Sunday. It's not clear whether they witnessed nan homicides.

A manhunt led by Arkansas State Police is underway. An FBI typical did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

State constabulary said nan slayer is simply a man pinch a mean build who was wearing a dark, long-sleeved garment pinch nan sleeves rolled up, acheronian pants, a acheronian shot cap, and fingerless gloves.

He whitethorn person been seen driving toward a parkland exit successful a achromatic sedan, perchance a Mazda, pinch portion obscuring its licence sheet number, authorities constabulary said. Investigators judge nan man whitethorn person driven connected State Highway 170 aliases State Highway 220 nearby.

There was nary accusation disposable connected nan type of limb utilized aliases a motive.

The Arkansas State Crime Lab will corroborate nan mode and origin of death, authorities constabulary said.

Detectives dream cellphone and information video tin thief them ace nan case. They called for anyone astatine nan parkland Saturday pinch cellphone aliases GoPro-style imagery to measurement forward.

The area of nan parkland wherever nan homicides took spot was off-limits Sunday arsenic nan investigation continues, authorities constabulary said. The couple's bodies were recovered connected a stepping trail, nan agency said.

It described nan area arsenic "remote and rural," a region "where nan terrain is rugged, vegetation is heavy and location is nary cellphone service."

A authorities parks spokesperson said each trails astatine Devil's Den were off-limits until further notice.

Last month, a dedication was staged for a recently renovated campground astatine nan park. Arkansas State Parks describes Devil's Den arsenic "a favourite destination for hikers, upland bikers and equestrians."

It's not clear really nan double homicide was initially reported.