UT -Susan Powell, 28, West Valley City, 6 Dec 2009 - #5

[Dwight]

Hello all. New here.

This may have been brought up before, and if so, forgive me. But I've been thinking about the late night camping trip. Does anyone think that it could be a possibility that he burned her body? I sure hate the thought.

Welcome aboard. I haven't seen anyone else speculate about that specific possibility, but I doubt even he would be so depraved as to make s'mores....uh well you know (overcome with sudden coughing spasm.) He had the two boys with him, remember. Plus, I would imagine that a body bonfire would make a huge mess in the snow that would make it much easier to spot - and it's not like every bit would be reduced to ashes. In fact there have been lots and lots of bodies burned in car fires, and even in an accelerant-aided (extra hot) car fire, the skeleton remains. So no, I don't think that the body would have burned, at least nowhere near Utah.

 

[sunflowerchick]

This article is interesting, and it does say that the neighbor was providing counseling, but that Susan quit going to him when he suggested divorce...

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_14137241?source=rss

 

[Dwight]

HELLO wyome... welcome :cat:

Ya know he sure took long enough--both times. We considered "campfire" somewhere back (can't remember where exactly). But he had the boys along and all I can say is if someone can roast s'mores w their kids over their dead mother's body, that's an alltime low...

arrot:

Kiki, I swear I didn't read your post first before I too remembered the s'mores. the thought is positively ghoulish. That's one step away from Jeffrey Dahlmer.

 

[Doctorwoof]

The miles on the rental car could also have been put on while he was trying to create evidence. I doubt he would have gone back to where he disposed of her body. I think he went in a completely different direction to familiarize himself with the spot he was going to tell police he camped at. Maybe leave some evidence of him and the boys being there. If he was being watched he would lead them in the wrong direction. Once he lawyered up he was advised not to say anything at all to the police.

Just a theory.

 

[kiki the parrot]

Awesome points!

There has got to be a TON of evidence collected that needs to be processed.

Were the police AT the home when he arrived home? Was his van immediately taken in, or would he have had a chance to unload it? Were there graham crackers and marshmallows in the van? Hurry up with the forensic results!!!

:thumb: N/k!! "Mr. S'mores" had better come up w s'more believable tales than camping in subfreezing snowstorm at midnite! We'd better see some Hershey bar wrappers on that evidence list! Traces of fresh graham cracker in carpet analysis! Still gooey marshmallow stuck to those little boys' damp mittens!


arrot:

 

[Cher352]

Cher you should read the last 4 threds before. What a toolbox to come after all these thresds!

Take it easy...sheesh!

I was replying to a post by a newbie. And it isn't as if we haven't rehashed some things over and over again on these threads.

Thank you very much!

 

[mysticrose]

Sorry if this has been posted behind
*************************************************************************************

Susan Powell's Husband Back in Utah
Aaron Vaughn Web Content Producer
9:37 PM MST, January 6, 2010

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah - Neighbors of missing Susan Powell say that her husband, Josh Powell, has returned from Washington State on Wednesday. Josh, the only person considered by police as a person of interest, left Utah before the holidays, during a time when friends and family were holding a candlelight vigil for his wife Susan. And now Susan's family says that Josh Powell plans to sell the house and move to his home state of Washington.

One of Powell's neighbor says that Josh was seen pulling into the driveway at about 3:00 p.m.

West Valley Police did make an appearance at the Powell household Wednesday. Susan Powell's friend, Tim Peterson went to the Powell home knocking on the front door hollering Josh's name. Peterson was retrieving a playground set he gave the Powells. Josh's brother answered the door and opened the back fence gate. But when Peterson's truck got stuck in the driveway, Josh's brother called police.

Police spoke with Powell's brother briefly, but there was no sign of Josh.

"He doesn't want to talk about his wife, and you know, the whole world wants to know where his wife is," Peterson says. "And, uh, ask him, 'cause you know. In my opinion, only he and God knows."

http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-josh-powell-returns-to-utah-after-holidays,0,220147.story

 

[Cher352]

This article is interesting, and it does say that the neighbor was providing counseling, but that Susan quit going to him when he suggested divorce...

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_14137241?source=rss

Saw a link further back in this thread with this same guy. He sounded a little too interested in Susan to me...Anyone else?

 

[mysticrose]

Neighbor to Joshua Powell: 'I want my swing set back'
Crime » Neighbor storms to West Valley City home upon hearing of impending move
Updated: 01/06/2010 10:14:21 PM MST

West Valley City Emotions over a lack of resolution in the disappearance of Susan Powell led the missing mother's friend Tim Peterson to a boiling point Wednesday.

Peterson, a member of the same LDS church ward that the Powells attend, had tried to be supportive of Joshua Powell, who is the only person of interest named by police since Susan was reported missing a month ago.

But when Peterson heard news that Joshua Powell planned to sell his West Valley City house and pack his belongings for a permanent move to his hometown of Puyallup, Wash., Peterson grew angry and drove to the Powells' home Wednesday to retrieve a playground set he had given the family.
He arrived at the house around 4 p.m., parking his truck at the end of the driveway before pounding on the door to search for Joshua Powell.

Instead, Joshua's brother, Michael Powell, answered the door. Peterson told Michael Powell he wanted to load up the playground set in his truck before Joshua Powell split town.

Michael Powell told Peterson to call Joshua Powell - who is in Utah but apparently wasn't home at the time of Peterson's visit - to get permission to remove the playground set. Peterson told Michael Powell that his brother won't take his phone calls.

"I said, this playground was for Susan and the kids and for their enjoyment. I said, she's not here anymore and you guys don't appear to be looking for her. So just in case you haven't noticed, Susan's gone," Peterson said of his conversation with Michael Powell.

"He just sat there and stared at me. He's acting just as quiet as his brother."

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14137241

 

[kiki the parrot]

Sorry but I don't agree. It's not like we are an investigative team advising LE. In fact, even if the whole thread came to a unanimous decision about what exactly may have happened down to the nth detail, and we turn out to be correct, it still wouldn't make any difference, because LE isn't reading web blogs to get ideas of what to look for next. They are professionals, and they are going about their job unmindful of what people are speculating about on the internet. We're here to commiserate and chat, and it doesn't hurt anyone to hash every theory over 100 times, if that's what people want to do. If you have to keep reading things that have already been talked about, it shouldn't take you more than a second or two to skim the post and move on to the next.

This is nothing lol Haleigh forum began 11 months ago--all the while a neverending stream of newcomers and dropins have joined the forum! Heck there were almost 30 long threads of work, including maps, dog tracking routes, family histories etc buried from before we even HAD a forum lol. So got used to hearing same topics discussed and looked at--but each time w a fresh new set of eyes and you never know when there will be new insights--someone says something that lends new life to the discussion or triggers a whole different thoughtline, almost a year later! (I'm sure some here have followed cases for far longer than that and deal w this. I do try to completely catch up reading before posting, at times it may not be possible tho I've probably made some eyes roll... lol)

arrot:

 

[fran]

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14134908

Josh returned to UT today to pack up his house to put it on the market.

Also, the results from forensic testing has not yet been received.

I have to tell you that this article hit me like a brick wall!
Why doesn't Josh just turn himself in? What he's doing, leaving his home after 2 weeks of his wife being missing, now moving out of state after a month of his wife missing,................he KNOWS she's not coming home. He knows because he made sure of it!

................................................................................................

Here's another article about Josh's moving. Be sure and watch the video of the interview of Mr. Peterson.

When Mr. Peterson's wife asked Josh what he thinks happened to Susan, Josh mumbled or something and said, "It's not like I stabbed her!"

OhMyGosh! I think I'm going to be sick.


fran


http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-j...-utah-after-holidays,0,220147.story?track=rss

 

[Breathe]

Is LE taping what they take from the house or doesn't it matter? I'm curious if he's only taking his stuff and the boys. Does that help show his mind set/motive if he leaves Susan's belongings?

 

[VALee]

Does anyone have access to their address and ability to search property records in Utah? I think it would be interesting to see if both their names are on the deed, and if so, how he plans to sell the house without her signature or any sort of power of attorney.

 

[Tricia]

I think Jbean already found out that both their names are on the deed. I think

 

[Vegas Bride]

I know there has been quite a bit of speculation about J's father possibly coming to his aid, now I'm wondering if maybe his brother might have helped out also. Is there anybody in the Powell family that seems concerned about
Susan missing?

VB

 

[Karen Anne RN]

Oh no... :scream: me too

lol, thanks Karen, at least now I know I'm not completely crazy :crazy: I thought I read it (versus watched video eg) too and IIRC it was in the first week following report of her disappearance so fairly early in the coverage. Most of the news stories I've read have been deseret and SLTrib but so far no luck refinding... could it have been removed? I'm not giving up lol, we KNOW he was there. And whoever it was w JP I notice stayed in the car (parked on street) when JP gets out and approaches his house where reporter--and news camera--await and engage him in questioning... prolly hoping all the while that JP would handle it and get rid of them quickly. That was right around the time it was reported he'd been seen in WVC and there's something else, not only his age can't put my finger on what, that told me it had to be daddy... probably just looked like a pansy, walked like a pansy lol how he kept his back to the camera... heck I could be wrong.

But it sure would help to have a timeline for daddy... ie if he stated he drove to UT, when does he allege to have left WA? :waitasec: So far all we know is he's back in Puyallup anyway refusing interviews (issuing only a brief statement quoted re his son and his family being "villified") by Dec. 20.

arrot:

Yes, I remember that it was early on. And he didn't stay long... it seems like it was only about 2-3 days. When I watched that video I thought that the other man probably was SP.

All through that video I kept wondering why on earth he stayed as long as he did. He never showed any body language that would have indicated that he wanted to leave, until the end.

I used to have a program on my computer that you could run audio in slow speed, and really hear everything better, but that computer crashed. I would love to run it with this video, because I couldn't make out exactly what he said when he was referring to that night... he said either we, I, or she was already in bed when it all started. I was like when WHAT all started ???

That interview is one of the most bizarre things I have ever seen in my life. He kept pausing, and pausing, and I kept thinking why is he staying, he's got to be wishing he were anywhere but here right now.
I did find that it helps a LOT, to watch/listen to these videos with ear plugs in. It's like you're standing right there next to them.
This has to be one of the strangest men on the planet. When Mr. Peterson's wife asked him where Susan was, and he said "it's not like I stabbed her"... when I read that, I almost fell off the couch. Who says things like this ???

 

[kiki the parrot]

As family and friends of Susan Powell mark Thursday's somber milestone of one month since the West Valley City mother was reported missing, her husband began packing up their home for a permanent move to Washington.

Joshua Powell has returned to Utah from Puyallup, Wash., to retrieve his belongings, friends and a spokeswoman for Susan Powell's parents said. He and the couple's two young sons have been staying with Joshua Powell's father in Washington since Christmas.

Michael Powell, Joshua Powell's brother who also lives in Puyallup, drove the Powells' blue minivan into his brother's garage on Wednesday. The garage contained boxes and other moving materials, and neighbors said a couch and other items were loaded earlier in the day.

John and Kiirsi Hellewell, friends of the Powells, have said Joshua Powell was fired from his job as a computer programmer for a trucking and warehousing company and now plans to sell the family's home.

Joshua Powell remains the only person of interest investigators have identified in his wife's case.

West Valley City police on Wednesday said they are still awaiting state crime lab reports on DNA tests and fiber evidence taken from the Powell home. Last month, police took fingerprint evidence off the front door of the Powell home and collected several items, including a bedspread and a carpet cleaner, according to neighbors. (Pray dirty water was still in machine!)

Police have confirmed they found a large wet spot in the home with fans aimed at it to dry on the day Susan Powell was reported missing. Investigators have said they have subpoenaed the couple's phone records, but have declined to say whether they have reviewed a journal sources have told The Tribune that Susan Powell kept at her workplace.

"We are not at a standstill by any means," said Capt. Tom McLachlan on Wednesday, noting the DNA results generally take four to eight weeks to process. "At this point, with the information we've got and the resources we've got, we're feeling the situation will be resolved." (Translation: Gotcha Joshy)

McLachlan said police are not concerned about the possible sale of the Powell home as evidence has already been gathered. But Joshua Powell's limited responses during police interviews have hampered the investigation, he said....

Shelby Gifford, the spokesperson for Susan Powell's parents, said Wednesday the family hasn't learned any new information about her disappearance from Joshua Powell. Gifford said Chuck Cox has attempted to question his son-in-law about Susan's disappearance, but Joshua Powell has avoided the topic. (If that isn't the proverbial elephant in the room... omg!)

The Coxes last saw their grandsons on Sunday and are "hopeful" to continue a relationship with the boys while they are in Washington, Gifford said. Joshua Powell left the couple's two sons, Charlie, 4, and Braden, 2, with his father during his trip to Utah, she said. (aw geez!)

Guess we've zipped thru the Mandatory Four-Week Grieving Period sounds like everything's running like clockwork, plan's right on schedule... Bird--check. Boys--check. Wa Vacay--check. Couch--check. Boxes--check. Sell House--check! Good Lord... aren't you forgetting something Josh... what about your wife??!!?!

http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_14134908

arrot:

 

[Doctorwoof]

I started a thread on a webpage of Michael Powell, Josh’s brother. It will be interesting to see how long it stays up.

Here's the link It's near the bottom of the page

 

[GameTheory]

I haven't written on this forum for a long long time, but I have followed all your posts guys on this case since day one. I have a few thoughts to share so bare with me

WHAT IS THE MOTIVE? WHAT WAS THE BOILING REASON?

This fast move back to Washington and plans to sell the house (if true) not only reminds me of Scott Peterson selling Laci's car soon after her dissappearance BUT .... it could also be an indication of what was actually the MOTIVE that resulted in Susan's disappearance if Josh is the responsible party (and I believe he is). Did Josh desired to move back to Washington and believed Susan would never follow him and he knew he couldn't do this without leaving his sons back? Did he even ask her for such a possibility and she said no? There is always a motive, a reason. In all the similar cases we have followed in recent years for me it is not as much WHY any sociopath husband/wife will do this or any suspect will do this BUT WHY NOW? WHY AT THAT SPECIFIC POINT? Why this happened NOW? There is always something the suspect WANTED and the VICTIM was in the way of that. Scott Peterson could have easily gotten a divorce but that would have messed up with his plans for a carefree life without having to pay child support or all the funds and the privileged life he felt so entitled for. Mark Hacking lied to his family and wife about attending University. A lie coming out. In other cases the SUSPECT doesn't want the wife to move on with her life perhaps with a new boyfriend, or share custody, or he doesn't want a secret coming out, or or or. There is always a reason for them why divorce is not a good option and in their mind the victim is in the way of getting what they want to get.

And I wonder... plans to sell the house is giving us a clue to what the motive might have been behind Susan's disappearance if Josh is responsible for it? Hm let's see Josh!!! If Susan comes back where is she going to live? Back with your father if you actually sell your house? Her job is in Utah, her friends are here, the children's school is here, her church is here. If Susan was here right now would they be moving with Josh's father? NO!!! Leave alone the fact that Josh can't stay home and pretend he is by the phone waiting for his wife's call or some tip. He runs back to his father's nest. His lawyer will say Josh needed the support system of his family during this hard times. And I am sure the house selling plan will not go forward after his lawyer's strong advice because that is a hard thing to explain to jurors. But if it is true there are such thoughts to sell the house, it does speak volumes not only to what might have happened to Susan and that at least Josh is not expecting her to come back alive but also to the fact that Josh seems pretty ready to make this decision to make a move - a permanent one if you are selling your house. Was this idea festing for a long time in his mind? Did he ask Susan that night for such a possibility and she said no? I can't help but wonder...Susan was enjoying due to her character and hard work a successful climb in the social and professional ladder whilst Josh was going exactly the opposite way for the exactly opposite reasons. A very controlling spouse - according to friend's info and the media - isn't this a move a controlling spouce will do? Remove you from the environment you thrive and to an environment he felt he was in control? A place where where Susan would have to start from the beginning in terms of social and professional life? A place where nobody would knew Josh shortcomings? Isn't this the fantasy more or less Scott played with Amber? An uprooting that will cause interference with Susan's ability to set aside some of the money she so hard earned?

I will not be surprised that the police are asking everyone right now if Josh talked about any plans he had to move back at Washington, telling perhaps people he found a good job there or whatever BEFORE Susan disappeared. Or ask Susan's friends if Susan told them that Josh had discussed about such a possibility.

JOSH'S FATHER:
As for his father, I don't have any indications or suspicions right now if he had anything to do with this. The police will find out if that was the case or not. Based on the info out there in the media and going by my own values and standards I have one personal thought though about Josh's father: he had no value or respect for Susan and Josh and Susan's marriage and family as an independent unit. Because there are plenty of in-laws out there who don't like their son's wife, her choices, her job, her political views, her religious views, her background, her family, the way she speaks to them, and all that, but THEY NEVER SAY ANYTHING because they know the balance is so thin in any family and can so easily be disturbed and they don't want to cause any trouble. GOOD parents-in-law who care about their son and their grandchildren RESPECT their son's family and his wife and don't bombard them with information about how bad the LDS church is, Susan's chosen religion. Susan is a beautiful, young, hardworking, devoted mother and wife, a wonderful friend who is loved and respected and cared for and was active in her community and giving back to her community. What a bad daughter in law to have right? It seems Josh father had a real obsession with Susan's religion choice. An obsession so strong that it overpassed all the wonderful things Susan is. It makes you wonder if someone can overpass all the wonderful things Susan is only based on your obsession about her chosen religion, how much value do you place on her life and well-being? My guess wouldn't be too much. Josh's father had one war to fight: Let his son know how bad the LDS church was (according to the media). It makes you wonder how controlling this grandfather was if he kept sending material and talking about the LDS church, knowing that this would divide this couple. Is control a shared trait between father and son? The grandfather certainly seems to have had no respect for Susan or her family if it is true that he constantly drilled Josh about Susan's religion. It was all about HIM and HIS son and HIS views about the LDS church. Did Josh do the same? Was it all about HIM and HIS SONS? Finding a way to get what he wanted - being back with his father in a new environment where nobody knew his shortcomings with his sons without Susan interfering with this?

POISONED DINNER?
I don't think Josh poisoned his wife during that dinner the neighbour attended. I think the dinner HAD THE PURPOSE OF MAKING his wife safe and calm so he could attack her later and the neighbour watching him being an attentive husband was only a bonus for him as she later vouched for what a sweet husband he was during that dinner. Is a husband making some easy dinner for a wife such a suspicious thing? Of course not ... only that we know from friends and media it was not Josh's usual routine so much that Susan drew attention to the fact how nice he was being to her. Bringing also a blanket out because she was cold --- but remember that incident when Susan was really ill and she had her neighbour come home and give her a blessing to help her feel better? Remember how Josh reacted when their son started re-enacting the whole thing, laughing while Susan was embarrased and ill? Hardly the picture of a compassionate partner when his wife is feeling ill. So it is not such a big deal that he threw some eggs and a blanket to her but it is rather suspicious that it was not his usual ROUTINE of caring and doing things AND COINCIDENCE COINCIDENCE it happened the same night Susan disappeared. He might have poisoned her later but I don't think at that point when the neighbour was present he would risk having Susan perhaps being violently ill from poison or acting strange due to some sleeping pills, going perhaps to hospital with the neighbour's assistance and finding out she was poisoned. I think if he did something to her that night he did it later. The dinner was a dinner to keep her calm and feeling safe around him and UNSUSPECTED of anything that was going to happen later. Perhaps later he might have offered her a nice tea with something in it. Or as she layed unsuspected in bed he did something to her. But not during the dinner. JMO

DO WE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT NOT WANTING THE KIDS TO BE MEMBERS OF THE LDS CHURCH?
If the grandfather was indeed so adamant in his efforts about informing Josh about all the bad things the LDS church was, I wonder if there were also any discussions about the upbringing of Susan's two boys? Perhaps the grandfather advising Josh that he would have to ''save'' his sons from the ''brainwashing'' now they were still very young? A divorce definitely wouldn't solve this problem. Do we know anything from Susan's friends about Josh's views regarding his sons upbringing in terms of religion matters? Do I remember correctly there were instances Josh encouraged the boys not to attend Sunday church?

THANKS FOR READING GUYS. YOU ARE ALL DOING A WONDERFUL JOB HELPING SUSAN, HER FAMILY AND HER FRIENDS WHO LOVE HER

 

[SuziQ]

As family and friends of Susan Powell mark Thursday's somber milestone of one month since the West Valley City mother was reported missing, her husband began packing up their home for a permanent move to Washington.

Joshua Powell has returned to Utah from Puyallup, Wash., to retrieve his belongings, friends and a spokeswoman for Susan Powell's parents said. He and the couple's two young sons have been staying with Joshua Powell's father in Washington since Christmas.

Michael Powell, Joshua Powell's brother who also lives in Puyallup, drove the Powells' blue minivan into his brother's garage on Wednesday. The garage contained boxes and other moving materials, and neighbors said a couch and other items were loaded earlier in the day.

John and Kiirsi Hellewell, friends of the Powells, have said Joshua Powell was fired from his job as a computer programmer for a trucking and warehousing company and now plans to sell the family's home.

Joshua Powell remains the only person of interest investigators have identified in his wife's case.

West Valley City police on Wednesday said they are still awaiting state crime lab reports on DNA tests and fiber evidence taken from the Powell home. Last month, police took fingerprint evidence off the front door of the Powell home and collected several items, including a bedspread and a carpet cleaner, according to neighbors. (Pray dirty water was still in machine!)

Police have confirmed they found a large wet spot in the home with fans aimed at it to dry on the day Susan Powell was reported missing. Investigators have said they have subpoenaed the couple's phone records, but have declined to say whether they have reviewed a journal sources have told The Tribune that Susan Powell kept at her workplace.

"We are not at a standstill by any means," said Capt. Tom McLachlan on Wednesday, noting the DNA results generally take four to eight weeks to process. "At this point, with the information we've got and the resources we've got, we're feeling the situation will be resolved." (Translation: Gotcha Joshy)

McLachlan said police are not concerned about the possible sale of the Powell home as evidence has already been gathered. But Joshua Powell's limited responses during police interviews have hampered the investigation, he said....

Shelby Gifford, the spokesperson for Susan Powell's parents, said Wednesday the family hasn't learned any new information about her disappearance from Joshua Powell. Gifford said Chuck Cox has attempted to question his son-in-law about Susan's disappearance, but Joshua Powell has avoided the topic. (If that isn't the proverbial elephant in the room... omg!)

The Coxes last saw their grandsons on Sunday and are "hopeful" to continue a relationship with the boys while they are in Washington, Gifford said. Joshua Powell left the couple's two sons, Charlie, 4, and Braden, 2, with his father during his trip to Utah, she said. (aw geez!)

Guess we've zipped thru the Mandatory Four-Week Grieving Period sounds like everything's running like clockwork, plan's right on schedule... Bird--check. Boys--check. Wa Vacay--check. Couch--check. Boxes--check. Sell House--check! Good Lord... aren't you forgetting something Josh... what about your wife??!!?!

http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_14134908

arrot:

BBM. Unfortunately that was probably the first thing he checked off that list.