A mother and father have been knifed to death in front of their daughters while out on a family hike, police said.
Clinton and Cristen Brink, 43, and 41, had only just moved to the Washington county, Arkansas, before they were attacked on Saturday.
They are thought to have died while protecting their two daughters, aged seven and nine, from the knifeman.
Their family said in a statement they “died heroes protecting their little girls”.
The young girls managed to find a local visitor centre following the attack and reported it. Police later found their parents' bodies in the remote area of Arkansas.
In an audio recording of the call made from the visitor centre, someone can be heard saying: “Received a call from the visitor centre. Two children are there. They advised their parents were assaulted. One was possibly stabbed. Both parents are missing”.
An officer can later be heard confirming: “Try to relay to the office that we found the victims down here. They are on the lower Devil’s Den Trail… I think I see you right there. I’ve got two bodies down here”.
Police are still looking for the killer, who is thought to have fled following the incident in Devil’s Den State Park.
They are searching for white man with a medium build.
The suspect was reportedly wearing dark trousers, a dark baseball cap, a long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a black backpack, fingerless gloves and sunglasses.
He was last seen heading towards a park exit driving a black, four-door sedan. It may have been a Mazda with the license plate covered by tape, police say.
Investigators are asking anyone with additional information to get in touch.
Nearby residents have been asked to look over their security and game camera footage.
Arkansas Department of Public Safety (ADPS), which is overseeing the probe, said: “Investigators are asking those who visited the park on Saturday to check cellphone photos and videos or GoPro camera footage for images of the suspect.
“They are also asking residents of the area surrounding the park to notify ASP if they have access to security and game camera footage.”
Shea Lewis, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic events that occurred at Devil’s Den State Park.
“Our hearts are with the victims’ loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. The safety of our visitors and staff is our highest priority, and we are working closely with Arkansas State Police and various law enforcement officials as the investigation continues”.
“I never thought anything like this was going to ever happen,” a local told CBS affiliate KTHV.
'Their lives were cruelly stolen'
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up by the family to cover funeral costs.
In a tribute, the Go FundMe description reads: "During an outing with his family, Clinton Brink, the son of my dear cousin Kari, and his wife Cristen, were taken from us.
"He was a son, a brother, a nephew, an uncle, a cousin, a loving husband to Cristen Brink, and an amazing father. Clinton and Cristen were loving parents to their three precious daughters. Devoted to one another, devoted to their girls, and devoted to God. Their lives were stolen senslessly and cruelly."
It called for the killer to be "prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law".
"He robbed these precious girls of their mom and dad, a mother of her son, a mother and father of their daughters.
"We are kindly asking if you can to please help us raise funds to lay Clinton and Cristen to rest and to help these two little girls with whatever they may need," it added.
