Arkansas State Police release new photo of person of interest in devil’s den double homicide

Arkansas State Police ^ | July 29, 2025 | Arkansas State Police

[Verginius Rufus]

He could have removed the tape after he was some distance from the park. But if he put the tape on before the attack it appears he went there planning to kill someone. They said the family had only recently moved to the area from California (so not a family he had had run-ins with and hated). Hope the daughters got enough of a view of him to help the police.

[nuconvert]

That’s what I’m wondering.

[FLT-bird]

Damn. I lived in Fayetteville from 2001-2006. I used to go hiking in Devil’s Den all the time. It was only about 20 minutes away. I’d never heard of a crime there before.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

The victim was a driver for a dairy. He just moved to Arkansas from North Dakota. Originally he was from Bakersfield, California. I have no information about his wife, the female victim.

[Valpal1]

What hitman wears fingerless gloves?

[piasa]

That is an unusual,huge, very sloppy backpack.

[Paul R.]

I’m betting the perp had a change of clothing in the backpack, and the backpack and everything the perp had on, in this pic, is at the bottom of some deep reservoir in the area. Lake Ft. Smith is nearby, and just off Interstate 49, for example.

[piasa]

Bag looks big enough to put a body or field dressed deer carcass in.

[piasa]

They are from California via Montana. Any weird news out of Montana, lately?

[Greg123456]

My guess is the kids didn’t want to move to Arkansas so they paid someone to kill their parents

[waterhill]

Yep.

[CivilWarBrewing]

Targeted HIT?

Also, it appears this guy is balding, based on his hairline shown at the back of his cap.

[Toespi]

To me, he looks like Jason Bateman.

[heartwood]

Why don’t you report abuse on yourself and withdraw your post?

I heard that kind of cruel mockery when a 9 y.o. classmate’s father died and when my father died when I was 11.

Are you a scared, vicious child?

[TornadoAlley3]

Probably a wanted pedo planning on snatching the children after he killed their parents.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

That's not far fetched at all. I believe Arkansas still executes murderers. Let's home he's caught and killed.

[TornadoAlley3]

FBI will get the cell numbers that pinged at the time of the murder, closest tower.
People will send in their videos and photos.
Could be in Oklahoma.

[fella]

I know that area. There’s a creek that runs SW out of that park that has some of the best swimming holes you could hope for many are big enough and deep enough to loose a Mazda in. Was a big hangout for the Fayetteville hippies in the 60’s and 70’s.

[fella]

That country is so rugged that there is no cell service in the park

[jocon307]

“That pic on the left looks like a female to me.”

I can see why you think that, but hard to tell.

Glad the kids are OK, but why is that? Was this targeted? Did they get info from them? The older one should be able to give some info if she saw anything.