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Murder in small-town America: The crimes that tore quiet communities apart in 2025

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Murder in small-town America: The crimes that tore quiet communities apart in 2025

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In 2025, idyllic small towns across America were interrupted by acts of violence from Mississippi to Montana, Arkansas to Washington state.

The murders struck during homecoming weekends, inside neighborhood bars, at campgrounds and along hiking trails.

Together, the cases exposed vulnerabilities in small-town America: unresolved personal disputes, untreated mental health crises and domestic violence.

Clinton and Cristen Brink were murdered at Devil’s Den State Park on Saturday, July 26, 2025. (GoFundMe)

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FRIENDS UNVEIL DEVIL’S DEN COUPLE’S HAUNTING FINAL MESSAGE BEFORE DEADLY PARK AMBUSH

Devil’s Den, Arkansas:

In northwest Arkansas, a visit to a state park ended in a double homicide.

Clinton Brink, 43, and Cristen Brink, 41, the parents of three children, were stabbed to death while hiking at Devil’s Den State Park on July 26.

The couple had recently moved to Arkansas to be closer to family and begin a new chapter. Friends described them as gentle, active and devoted parents.

“They loved to take the girls and go hiking,” said Mary Hinebauch, a friend from their former church in Montana. “That wasn’t an unnatural place for them to be.”

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The Arkansas State Police arrested Andrew James McGann, 28, charging him with murdering the couple. Investigators said the killings appeared unprovoked. The arrest came a day after police released “a composite sketch of a man” they were “seeking to identify for questioning in connection with the double homicide.”

“This was a very safe place to be,” Hinebauch said. “It’s pure evil.”

To read more about this case, click here.

The FBI’s Jackson Field Office released this “seeking information” poster featuring four suspects wanted in connection with the Oct. 11, 2025, mass shooting in Leland, Mississippi, that left six people dead and 20 injured. (FBI)

Leland, Mississippi:

On Oct. 11, 2025, just after midnight in Leland, Mississippi, a small city in Washington County where the population hovers around 3,700, the excitement of homecoming weekend was shattered when a shooting broke out following a football game.

At least six people were killed and at least 19 others wounded.

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The FBI’s Jackson Field Office announced that four people were arrested in connection with the shooting.

Three men, identified as Teviyon Powell, 29; William Bryant, 29; and Morgan Lattimore, 25, were charged with capital murder. A fourth suspect, Latoya Powell, 44, was charged with attempted murder.

MUGSHOT OF RURAL MONTANA BAR MASSACRE SUSPECT RELEASED AFTER WEEK-LONG MANHUNT

Investigators said they believe the violence stemmed from a personal dispute, though no final motive has been confirmed.

“This is not who we are as a community,” Leland Mayor John Lee said. “Our hearts are broken for these families.”

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To read more about this case, click here.

Main Street in Anaconda, Montana, leads to the Deer Lodge County Courthouse with mountains in the background on Aug. 8, 2025. (Peter D’Abrosca/Fox News Digital)

Anaconda, Montana:

In Anaconda, Montana, a quiet bar in a former mining town with about 9,000 people was interrupted when a man opened fire on Aug. 1, 2025.

Authorities said that Michael Paul Brown, 45, an Army veteran and longtime local resident, entered The Owl Bar around 10:30 a.m. and opened fire. Authorities said Brown lived next door to the bar and was known to the patrons inside.

Four people were killed: Daniel Edwin Baillie, 59; Nancy Lauretta Kelley, 64; David Allen Leach, 70; and Tony Wayne Palm, 74. Kelley was working as the bartender; the others were regular customers.

Brown fled, sparking a massive weeklong manhunt involving more than 130 local, state and federal law enforcement officers. The FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service and Montana National Guard all assisted, deploying helicopters, air patrols and ground teams across rugged terrain.

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The Department of Criminal Investigations in Montana released a photo of Michael Brown fleeing the scene after allegedly shooting and killing four people at a bar on Aug. 1, 2025. (Department of Criminal Investigations)

MONTANA MANHUNT EXPANDS FOR EX-SOLDIER SUSPECT SEEN WITH STOLEN SURVIVAL GEAR AFTER BAR MASSACRE

Residents told Fox News Digital that fear settled over the town as the search dragged on.

“The town is just scared,” one bartender said. “Everybody’s on edge.”

Brown was captured Aug. 8 near a barn about five and a half miles from the bar. Authorities said he was armed.

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Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen called the killings “cold-blooded.”

To read more about this case, click here.

Travis Decker was suspected of murdering his three daughters before disappearing into the Washington wilderness.  (Chelan County Sheriff’s Office)

SPECIAL FORCES VET EXPOSES TACTICS OF MONTANA, WASHINGTON STATE SURVIVALISTS: ‘CAN’T STAY HIDDEN FOREVER’

Wenatchee, Washington:

In May 2025, a manhunt was launched for the fugitive father of three accused of murdering his three daughters before disappearing into the wilderness. 

The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office said Travis Decker, a military veteran and wilderness survivalist, failed to return his three daughters from a court-mandated custody visit in late May 2025. Days later, the bodies of Paityn Decker, 9; Evelyn Decker, 8; and Olivia Decker, 5, were found at a Chelan County campground.

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According to police, the girls had been bound with zip ties and suffocated.

This undated photo provided by Whitney Decker shows Paityn, Olivia and Evelyn Decker.  (Whitney Decker via AP)

A manhunt followed, spanning rugged mountain terrain and involving multiple law enforcement agencies. In September, human remains were discovered on Grindstone Mountain, less than a mile from where the girls’ bodies had been found. DNA testing later confirmed the remains belonged to Decker.

“This will bring a close to our case,” Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said after the DNA results were confirmed. “We wanted to show honor to them and let them know we haven’t forgotten.”

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Court records showed Decker’s ex-wife had previously petitioned to modify the parenting plan, citing his worsening mental health and unstable living conditions.

To read more about this case, click here.

Fox News Digital’s Peter D’Abrosca, Julia Bonavita, Michael Dorgan and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

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NASCAR star Denny Hamlin gives health update on mom after she was injured in deadly house fire

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NASCAR star Denny Hamlin gives health update on mom after she was injured in deadly house fire

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NASCAR star Denny Hamlin shared an update on his mother’s condition after she was moved to a burn unit following a house fire in North Carolina that left his father dead earlier this week.

Hamlin thanked those who reached out to him and shared their condolences. Dennis Hamlin died from injuries suffered in the blaze that occurred in Stanley.

Denny Hamlin looks on prior to a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, in Concord, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley, File)

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“Thank you to everyone who has reached out with condolences on my father’s passing,” he wrote on X. “My mother continues to improve, and our family truly appreciates the outpouring of support and the respect for our privacy during this time.”

Officials said Mary Lou Hamlin was transferred to a burn specialist in Winston-Salem to treat her injuries.

Officials said the cause of the fire was still under investigation.

The fire broke out at a home in Stanley around 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, which drew emergency responses from Gaston and Lincoln Counties, according to Queen City News.

NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin during practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 12, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

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EX-NASCAR STAR GREG BIFFLE’S FRIEND RECEIVES HOLIDAY CARD DAYS AFTER TRAGIC PLANE CRASH

Both Dennis and Mary Lou Hamlin were out of the house as emergency personnel rushed to the scene.

“We are thankful for the multiple agency response and ask that the public be in prayer for the affected family and our first responders in fire, GEMs and police,” the Lucia-Bend Fire Department said in a statement to the outlet.

Dennis Hamlin’s death was announced later Monday.

NASCAR released a statement on Tuesday to honor the NASCAR driver’s father.

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“NASCAR extends its deepest condolences to Denny Hamlin and the entire Hamlin family,” the organization said.

Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Progressive Toyota, exits his car  after the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 2, 2025, in Avondale, Arizona. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)

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“Dennis Hamlin instilled a love of racing in his son, and sacrificed greatly to develop Denny into a world-class talent in the sport. We also continue to offer our thoughts and prayers to Denny’s mother, Mary Lou, and hope for her full recovery.”

Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.

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Repeat offender truck driver charged with bank robbery after claiming C-4 explosives, firing on officers: feds

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Repeat offender truck driver charged with bank robbery after claiming C-4 explosives, firing on officers: feds

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A North Carolina truck driver, who is a repeat offender, has been federally charged following a bank robbery and a shootout with law enforcement, authorities said.

Willie Edward McGee Jr. is charged with bank robbery and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, according to a complaint.

Authorities said that McGee entered a First Citizens Bank in Zebulon, North Carolina, on Dec. 26, and demanded money from a teller while claiming to have C-4 explosives. The teller gave him $3,234, and McGee fled in a semi-truck, they said.

Law enforcement officers from multiple agencies responded to an armed bank robbery investigation that led to the arrest of Willie Edward McGee Jr. in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. (U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of North Carolina)

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Deputies with the Rocky Mount Police Department said that McGee’s truck was found in a Hobby Lobby parking lot following the initial robbery.

According to surveillance and officers at the scene, McGee allegedly exited the vehicle armed with a Ruger AR-style 5.56 rifle and fired at officers.

Police returned fire and struck McGee. No law enforcement officers or civilians were injured. While taking McGee into custody, officers recovered the AR rifle he allegedly used to shoot at officers and a handgun from his waistband.

No officers or members of the public were injured as law enforcement safely took the suspect into custody after a coordinated response in Rocky Mount. (U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of North Carolina)

McGee, according to records reviewed by WRAL-News, has a lengthy criminal history. The local outlet said that the suspect has dozens of charges dating back more than 20 years.

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WRAL reported that he has offenses spanning from Duplin, Wake and Durham counties.

Federal and local law enforcement recovered guns and evidence following the arrest of a suspect charged with armed bank robbery and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. (U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of North Carolina)

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche called the incident “domestic terror.”

“As alleged, this defendant didn’t just rob a bank — he threatened innocent civilians with explosives and then opened fire on police officers,” Blanche said. “That is not desperation, it is domestic terror. Thanks to the extraordinary courage and professionalism of our law enforcement partners, he is alive, in custody, and facing decades in federal prison.”

“Let this serve as a warning: if you bring violence into our communities or target the men and women who protect them, this Department of Justice will meet you with the full weight of the federal government and ensure you are removed from the streets for a very long time.”

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The investigation remains active. Anyone with further information about the alleged crimes is asked to please call the FBI at (704) 672-6100. Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of North Carolina, for comment.

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Homeless drifter accused of killing Barnes & Noble Christmas shopper blamed ‘fight or flight’ outburst: report

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Homeless drifter accused of killing Barnes & Noble Christmas shopper blamed ‘fight or flight’ outburst: report

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The man accused of fatally stabbing a woman inside a Palm Beach Gardens Barnes & Noble days before Christmas had traveled through several states before entering Florida, authorities said Tuesday.

Palm Beach Gardens police identified the suspect as Antonio R. Moore, 40, and said he is accused of killing 65-year-old Rita B. Loncharich inside the popular bookstore on the evening of Dec. 22.

Investigators said Moore is not a Florida resident and had moved through multiple states, including through Georgia and North Carolina, before coming to Florida. Police said Moore boarded a bus on Dec. 15 from Orlando to Titusville and then traveled onward into Palm Beach County.

Antonio Moore, 40, is facing a murder charge following the alleged stabbing at a Barnes & Noble bookstore in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (Google Maps/Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office)

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WOMAN IN FLORIDA BARNES & NOBLE STABBED TO DEATH, POLICE SEEK MOTIVE

According to the arrest affidavit obtained by WFLX Fox 29, Moore entered the bookstore around 7:29 p.m. and Loncharich arrived shortly afterward. Investigators said Moore approached Loncharich in a store aisle and stabbed her in the back with a pocketknife.

According to the Palm Beach Post, Moore allegedly told police a “fight or flight” response overtook him, and he took a fixed-blade knife from his jacket pocket. He reportedly told police that he stabbed Loncharich because she was the closest person to him at the time and said he did not have any prior interaction with her.

A Barnes & Noble location in San Diego, Calif.  (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

Bystanders helped the victim until first responders arrived, the local outlet reported. Loncharich was transported to St. Mary’s Medical Center, where she died during surgery.

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MAN WITH VIOLENT CRIMINAL HISTORY ON PAROLE ALLEGEDLY STABS TEEN TO DEATH: OFFICIALS

Police received a 911 call at 7:52 p.m. and located Moore several blocks from the scene minutes later. He was taken into custody without incident.

Moore, who police say is homeless, told investigators he had no prior relationship with the victim and offered no motive for the attack. According to authorities, he admitted to sitting in the store charging his phone just before the stabbing.

Jail records from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office show that Moore was booked on a charge of first-degree premeditated murder. He is being held without bond.

The Palm Beach Gardens Police Department said it is searching for a motive in the Barnes & Noble stabbing. (Palm Beach Gardens Police Department)

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Local family members and community members described Loncharich as a “kind, gentle” person whose life was cut short during what should have been a routine holiday outing.

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman contributed to this report.

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