Park Predators: "The Confrontation"

Host: Delia D’Ambra
Release Date: October 7, 2025
Episode Focus: The murder of Russell Vinton near Grand Canyon National Park, the investigation that followed, and reflections on risks, compassion, and the criminal justice system.

Episode Overview

In this gripping installment, host Delia D’Ambra investigates the disturbing murder of Russell Vinton, a beloved outdoorsman whose trip to the Grand Canyon’s North Rim turned fatal in October 2024. The episode intertwines the intensity of a missing person case with a deep, personal narrative, as Delia uncovers Russell’s story from his family, unpacks investigative details, and scrutinizes the background of the perpetrator—Patrick Neal Champion, a convicted felon who exploited society’s cracks to kill again. Through meticulous research and sensitive interviews, Delia exposes the vulnerabilities that even the wild’s beauty cannot protect against and leaves listeners with enduring questions about mercy, paranoia, and the failings of the justice system.

Major Discussion Points & Key Insights

1. Personal Connection & Initial Fears

[02:00 - 03:30]

• Delia opens by sharing the story’s nearness to her own life; her husband was hiking the area at the time of the crime, making the investigation much more than abstract.
• Sets up the emotional weight:

  “What if he never came back? What if there was someone out there who posed a threat to him and his friends?... when I did the math, that's when I realized just how close a killer was to my family. It shook me up…” (Delia, 02:30)

2. Timeline: Russell Vinton’s Disappearance

[03:30 - 14:00]

• Last contact: Saturday, Oct 5, 2024, Russell texts his daughter Michelle about a dental appointment.
• Family vacation: While Russell camps near the North Rim, wife Cherry and daughter Michelle are in California, initially unconcerned about his lack of contact due to spotty cell service.
• Rising worry: On Tuesday, Oct 8, family realizes Russell missed jury duty and isn’t responding to calls or texts.
• Outreach: They contact authorities and Russell’s recent camping companion, “Jack.”
• Strange neighbor: Jack informs them about an odd nearby camper called “Kat,” later revealed to be the perpetrator.

3. Discovery at the Campsite

[14:27 - 24:45]

• Law enforcement response: Rangers and Coconino County deputies investigate Russell’s last known campsite, guided by Jack’s GPS coordinates.
  • Findings:
    • Burned, blood-stained outdoor mat in the fire pit with bullet holes (14:45)
    • Shell casings, drag marks, cigarette butt, glasses case, and Russell’s loaded—but abandoned—pistol.
  • Unusual circumstances:

    "The law enforcement officers on scene thought so, too. In fact, in the deputy's body cam, you can hear the investigators repeatedly say how weird it was that the gun was just by itself." (Delia, 17:00)

  • OnStar technology: Assists in tracking Russell’s truck, leading authorities to Lake Havasu.

4. Identification of the Perpetrator

[17:00 - 24:45]

• Lake Havasu confrontation:
  • On Oct 9, police spot Russell’s truck at a Lake Havasu campground.
  • The assailant—Patrick Neal Champion (aka Katherine Quick), a 61-year-old convicted sex offender—opens fire on officers and is killed in the shootout.
  • Background on the perpetrator:
    • Served sentences for kidnapping and sexual assault of a minor, history of deception and sociopathic tendencies.
    • Recent violation as an unregistered sex offender after leaving Tennessee.
  • Disturbing quote from Patrick’s prior conviction:

    “I do not agree with all the facts, but the acts actually did happen and therefore I'm willing to take what's coming to me. Stupidity comes in many forms. It walks in great strides with me. This is not normal behavior of mine.” (Patrick/Delia, 22:40)

5. Locating Russell Vinton

[25:52 - 32:00]

• Body found: Unidentified remains discovered Oct 6 on the side of I-15 outside Las Vegas—eventually confirmed via fingerprints and DNA as Russell Vinton.
• Family’s tragic realization:
  • Recognition of the victim from a composite sketch released by Las Vegas police.
  • Confirmation gives closure but deepens grief.

6. Investigation Findings & Motive Speculation

[32:00 - 35:45]

• Evidence trail:
  • Ballistics tie Patrick’s 9mm handgun—purchased via private sale—to the murder.
  • Body found with homemade chili in his stomach—Russell’s wife’s recipe.
  • Family learns Russell shared his final meal with his killer, a testament to his kindness.

    “… Russell had shared his food with his killer on the night of the crime. So they'd literally dined together shortly before the murder, which, as awful as that seemed in hindsight, was just more proof to Russell's loved ones that even until his dying breath, he was thinking of others and living out his conviction to be kind and generous to the less fortunate.” (Delia, 35:20)

• Killer’s manipulations:
  • Possible false cancer claim by the perpetrator to elicit Russell's sympathy (36:45).
  • Criminal justice system oversight: Despite 58 names on “hit lists,” Patrick Champion was released after minimal observed supervision.

7. Family Reflections & Systemic Critique

[36:00 - 39:30]

• Russell’s character:
  • Devoted family man, motorbike enthusiast, retired engineer, and trail conservator.
  • Remembered as kind, resourceful, and generous—even in his final moments.
• Family's take on the justice system:
  • Amanda, Russell’s daughter and a lawyer, criticizes systemic negligence:

    “She's not necessarily an advocate for harsher punishment for criminals, but unfortunately, she's not sure what can be done to fix the situation that allowed her father's murderer to be permitted back into society.” (Delia, 39:00)

• Faith & coping:
  • Russell’s Bible note found after his death:

    “God is faithful always, exclamation point.” (Delia, 41:00)

  • Friends memorialize Russell with a bench overlooking his favorite landscape, bearing his favorite view-admiring phrase:

    "Isn't this great?" (41:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Delia’s stunned proximity to the crime:

  “...when I did the math, that's when I realized just how close a killer was to my family. It shook me up, but it also made me determined to learn more..." (02:28)

• On Russell’s compassionate nature, even to his murderer:

  “…they'd literally dined together shortly before the murder, which, as awful as that seemed in hindsight, was just more proof to Russell's loved ones that even until his dying breath, he was thinking of others…” (35:20)

• On criminal justice and parole:

  “Patrick had created two separate hit lists with a combined total of 58 people's names on them ... And yet, despite knowing that information, staff ... allowed this person back into society just one month later.” (38:45)

• Memorializing Russell’s spirit:

  "Fixed to the back of it is a plaque that reads, 'Isn't this great?' That's a phrase that people closest to Russell told me he would usually say whenever he stopped to admire a scenic view." (41:30)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment & Content | |---------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:00–03:30 | Delia’s personal connection & introduction to the case | | 04:00–14:00 | Timeline of Russell’s last days, disappearance, family distress | | 14:27–24:45 | Discovery at campsite, evidence, law enforcement response | | 24:45–25:52 | Tracking the missing truck, Lake Havasu shootout | | 25:52–32:00 | Russell’s body found; family’s realization | | 32:00–35:45 | Investigation, motive, Russell’s final meal | | 35:45–39:30 | Family reflections, system critique, faith | | 41:00–41:30 | Memorial bench, Russell’s mantra |

Tone & Closing Reflections

Delia’s narration is clear, compassionate, and at times raw, as she brings the Vinton family’s heartbreak and courage into sharp relief. The episode mourns the randomness and horror of the crime, interrogates failures in tracking dangerous offenders, and ultimately celebrates a life lived generously—reminding listeners of the small but profound impacts one person can leave on both their circle and their environment.

Takeaways & Lessons

• Even the wildest, most beautiful places can harbor unpredictable dangers.
• No act of kindness is wasted—even if exploited, it remains a reflection of true character.
• Systemic flaws—in parole supervision, offender monitoring, and social supports—can have devastating consequences.
• Grief, survival, and remembrance intertwine in the aftermath, anchored by faith, family, and the legacy of those lost.

“Isn't this great?”
A reminder, as Delia says, to hold onto gratitude and wonder even in a world where darkness sometimes hides in the beauty of the wilderness.