COCONINO COUNTY, AZ — The body of a man reported missing out of the Jacob Lake area earlier this week was found Thursday, according to the Coconino County Sheriff's Office.
CCSO says 66-year-old Russell Vinton's wife had reported him missing on Tuesday after he went camping with a friend in the Jacob Lake area, about 30 miles north of the Grand Canyon, and it had been a few days since she had heard from him.
When deputies responded to Vinton's campsite, they could not find Vinton's truck or camper but did find items that were "suspicious in nature" which led deputies to worry for Vinton's welfare.
It is unknown what items were found at the campsite.
On Wednesday morning, Lake Havasu Police Department contacted CCSO, telling them that Vinton's truck was found outside of Lake Havasu City — over 360 miles away from the Jacob Lake campsite.
When CCSO deputies tried to make contact with the man inside the truck, they were met with gunfire. Deputies returned fire and shot the man inside.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene and deputies were treated at a hospital for minor injuries.
The man involved in the shootout was identified as 61-year-old Patrick Champion from Tennessee. CCSO has not said if Champion was the individual Vinton had been camping with before he was reported missing or if he is connected to Vinton's disappearance and death.
Deputies continue to look for Vinton's camper trailer. It is described as a white 2017 travel trailer with Arizona license place 5LA50N. Anyone with information is asked to contact CCSO at 928-774-4523 or Coconino County Silent Witness at 928-774-6111.
CCSO has not said where Vinton's body was found. His cause of death has not been released.
