Park Special Response Team Captures Fugitive

On July 22nd, the park received a be-on-the-lookout message (BOLO) for a registered sex offender who’d failed to surrender himself to authorities on a $300,00 warrant and was thought to be in the park. California detectives suspected that Robert Odenthal was on a pack trip in the park and that he had a child with him. The backcountry office found a permit for Odenthal and rangers quickly found his vehicle. The park’s special response time began an overnight hike to his campsite, where they set up listening and observation posts and maintained them through the night. Odenthal was arrested by the team at daylight without incident and flown out of the backcountry by helicopter. The child was his son and was unharmed. The boy was transferred to child protective services and reunited with his mother. Odenthal waived extradition and was returned to California.