Vermont police are probing a potential connection between Andrew James McGann, the suspect in a recent Arkansas double murder, and the unsolved killing of a retired university dean in 2023. McGann, 28, faces two counts of capital murder for the deaths of Clinton and Cristen Brink, who were shot while hiking with their children last month.
According to authorities, McGann had no prior relationship with the victims and has a transient background, having moved between school districts in three states. Following his arrest on 30 July, Vermont investigators contacted Arkansas officials to explore possible links to the murder of 77-year-old Honoree Fleming, a former dean at Castleton University, who was shot dead on a bike path in Castleton on 5 October 2023.
Police previously released a composite sketch of a suspect described as a white man in his 20s, around 5ft 10in tall with short red hair, wearing a dark grey t-shirt and carrying a black backpack. Witnesses reported seeing the man on the trail shortly before Fleming's body was discovered. Vermont State Police have not confirmed a direct connection to McGann but continue to pursue leads.
McGann, who holds teaching certifications in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas, was due to begin work at Springdale Public Schools in Arkansas this month. Reports from Texas allege he resigned from an elementary school there following concerns over his behaviour towards young girls.
Arkansas State Police Colonel Mike Hagar stated that investigators are working to determine a motive for the killings. McGann reportedly confessed to the murders during an interview, and DNA evidence matching him was found at the scene, alongside other items linked to the crime.
