Man accused of killing couple in Arkansas state park taught elementary school in North Texas
A man accused of killing a couple at Devil’s Den State Park in Arkansas previously taught elementary school in North Texas.
James McGann, 28, who was arrested Wednesday at a barbershop in Springdale, Arkansas, taught at Lewisville ISD’s Donald Elementary during the 2022-2023 school year, school district officials said in a statement to WFAA-TV. McGann was placed on administrative leave in the spring of 2023 after concerns arose about his classroom management and alleged student favoritism.
McGann is charged with two counts of capital murder in the deaths of 43-year-old Clinton David Brink and 41-year-old Cristen Amanda Brink. He is accused of killing them as they hiked in the state park on July 26 with their two daughters, according to Arkansas State Police. The daughters, ages 7 and 9, were not hurt.
Police do not think McGann knew the couple prior to the killing, McClatchy News reported.
“Mr. McGann was a teacher at Donald during the 2022-23 school year,” Lewisville ISD officials said in a statement. “In the spring of 2023, we communicated with families of students in Mr. McGann’s class that he was placed on administrative leave while the district investigated complaints of poor classroom management and poor professional judgment related to concerns about uneven treatment of students and displays of favoritism.”
“Our investigation did not find any evidence of inappropriate behavior with a student, however we did find his classroom management and professional judgment to be below our district’s expectations. Ultimately, Mr. McGann resigned from LISD in May of 2023.”
McGann also taught in the Broken Arrow school district in Oklahoma during the 2023-2024 school year.
This story was originally published July 31, 2025 at 8:31 PM.
