Investigators in Sauk County are exploring potential connections between the 2020 homicide at Devil's Lake and murders in an Arkansas park.
In a developing investigation, authorities are examining a potential connection between two tragic homicides that occurred at state parks with similar names but distinct locations.
On October 14, 2020, the body of John Schmutzer, aged 24, was discovered stabbed to death near the Grottos trail on the south side of Devil's Lake State Park in Wisconsin. The killer remains at large, and the investigation into Schmutzer's death is still ongoing[1].
Approximately 750 miles south, at Devil's Den State Park in Arkansas, a double homicide occurred in July 2025. Andrew James McGann, aged 28, was arrested in connection with the killings of Clinton David Brink and Cristen Amanda Brink. The victims were hiking with their two daughters when they were allegedly attacked by McGann[1][3].
Following McGann's arrest, Wisconsin authorities have revisited the Schmutzer case, exploring tips and requesting DNA analysis from Arkansas to include or exclude McGann in the investigation[1]. As of early August 2025, while the investigation remains active, no definitive link has been confirmed, and the case remains open[1][3].
Sauk County officials have described a person of interest as a man, approximately six feet tall, wearing a dark top and dark pants with rips in the knees, who was nicknamed "the runner." The community has shared concerns about the similarities between the two cases[2].
Anyone with information regarding the 2020 Devil's Lake homicide is encouraged to contact the Sauk County Sheriff's Office. As the investigation continues, updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
[1] Sauk County Sheriff's Office press release, August 2025. [2] Local news reports, August 2025. [3] Arkansas State Police press release, July 2025.
In light of the recent arrest of Andrew James McGann in connection with the 2025 Devil's Den State Park double homicide in Arkansas, general news outlets have started to draw parallels between this case and the unsolved 2020 Devil's Lake State Park homicide in Wisconsin, raising questions about war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice in politics. As the Sauk County officials revisit John Schmutzer's case, they are exploring tips and requesting DNA analysis from Arkansas to determine if there is a connection between the two tragedies.
