Crime
Moment Former Teacher Andrew James McGann Arrested Mid-Haircut at Lupita’s Body Salon in Springdale
LOWELL, Ark. — Arkansas State Police have arrested 28-year-old James Andrew McGann in connection with the brutal double homicide of Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, who were attacked while hiking with their two young daughters at Devil’s Den State Park on July 26, 2025.
McGann, a former elementary school teacher, was taken into custody at 4:57 p.m. on Wednesday, July 30, while receiving a haircut at Lupita’s Body Salon in Springdale.
Surveillance footage captured the moment officers entered the salon and arrested him. According to police, McGann confessed to the killings following his arrest.
He is now charged with two counts of Capital Murder and is being held at the Washington County Detention Center.
His first court appearance is scheduled for August 1.
Authorities say the attack began when Clinton Brink was assaulted on the trail. Cristen Brink reportedly rushed their two daughters, ages 7 and 9, to the family’s car for safety before returning to assist her husband.
She was then fatally stabbed.
The children were unharmed and are now in the care of relatives.
During a press briefing, Arkansas State Police confirmed McGann’s DNA matched evidence collected at the scene.
Investigators said witness descriptions—particularly from the Brink daughters—as well as tips from the public, including reports regarding McGann’s vehicle, played a significant role in identifying the suspect.
The woman cutting McGann’s hair at the time of the arrest, Adriana Ruiz Avalos, later posted her account on social media, stating:
“I was in the middle of cutting his hair when detectives came in. I was shaking… I asked if this was about the Devil’s Den incident, and it looks like it was. They even collected the chair he was sitting on.”
McGann, originally from Sand Springs, Oklahoma, had recently moved to Arkansas.
He previously taught 4th grade at Donald Elementary in Lewisville, Texas, where multiple complaints were reportedly made about inappropriate behavior toward young female students.
According to social media reports, McGann was allowed to quietly resign from the Texas school district without disciplinary action and soon after secured a new teaching job at Bayyari Elementary School in Springdale under the name “Drew McGann.”
Just weeks before the murders, Bayyari Elementary introduced McGann on its social media page:
“Hello! My name is Drew McGann. I am thrilled to be part of the Bayyari team this year as a 3rd grade teacher!”
That post has since drawn scrutiny as details emerge about his previous employment history and the absence of formal disciplinary records that may have prevented background red flags from surfacing.
McGann’s prior employment also included substitute teaching roles in Tulsa County, Oklahoma, and student teaching in Broken Arrow Public Schools.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Oklahoma State University.
The investigation into the motivations and circumstances surrounding the murders is ongoing.
Authorities have not ruled out the possibility that the parents may have been killed while trying to protect their daughters from a targeted threat.
The Brinks are survived by their three daughters.
The community continues to mourn their loss, while calls grow louder for greater accountability in vetting educators across state lines.
Crime
Angela Johnson and Her Son DeAngelo Johnson Killed After Shooting Inside Home in Chicago, Mother’s Boyfriend in Custody
CHICAGO — A 47-year-old mother and her 27-year-old son were fatally shot inside a residence in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood on the West Side late Thursday night, September 24, 2026, according to Chicago police.
The victims were identified as Angela Johnson, 47, and DeAngelo Johnson, 27. Police said a suspect, identified as Angela Johnson’s boyfriend, was taken into custody following the shooting.
The deadly shooting happened in the 800 block of North Parkside Avenue at approximately 10:43 p.m. Witnesses reported hearing gunshots coming from the basement of the residence and called 911.
When Chicago police officers arrived, they found the two victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
Angela Johnson was found in the basement with a gunshot wound to her chest. Police-radio traffic indicated she had been shot on the right side of her chest.
DeAngelo Johnson was found on the first floor with multiple gunshot wounds. Radio traffic indicated that he had suffered two gunshot wounds to his back.
Both victims were initially unresponsive and in critical condition. Emergency personnel performed CPR on DeAngelo Johnson before both victims were transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
According to police-radio traffic, one victim was pronounced dead at approximately 11:18 p.m., while the male victim was pronounced dead around 11:21 p.m.
Investigators found extensive evidence inside the residence, including approximately 23 shell casings in a basement bedroom. Additional shell casings were reportedly recovered in other areas of the basement, including the stairway, main room and bedroom.
Officers initially recovered a firearm and shell casings from the basement bedroom. Police later located a second firearm inside the home, bringing the total number of recovered firearms to two.
Authorities have not publicly stated who owned the firearms or confirmed which weapon, if either, was used in the fatal shooting.
Police also reported that DeAngelo Johnson was wearing an empty holster when officers found him on the first floor. That discovery prompted an officer-safety alert as officers searched the residence for the missing firearm.
Chicago police said the shooting appeared to be domestic-related and identified the alleged offender as the mother’s boyfriend.
Radio traffic indicated that a person had been detained by approximately 11:26 p.m. The official police report later confirmed that the known offender was taken into custody.
Two witnesses were reportedly available to identify the alleged offender, and officers conducted a show-up identification procedure near the scene.
Police have not released additional information about potential charges against the suspect.
The investigation into the Chicago Austin neighborhood double shooting remains ongoing. Detectives are continuing to examine the circumstances that led to the shooting, the relationship between the people involved and the role of the two recovered firearms.
The deaths of Angela Johnson and DeAngelo Johnson are being investigated as a double homicide.