09-17-2011 Topaz Mountain Search Yields Charred Wood and Decomp

[Trident]

I am just wondering if this "wood" is a stick (think broom handle) that was used to beat someone. I can see how this would have human DNA on it if someone were beat to death with it.

It bothers me that the dogs did not hit on the soil, just the wood. That to me may indicate that a body was never in that hole. Only the wood. Only the "DNA" on the wood. That would change the senario that JP moved her recently.

I gave that one a long thought myself - the murder weapon.

 

[waltzingmatilda]

I am just wondering if this "wood" is a stick (think broom handle) that was used to beat someone. I can see how this would have human DNA on it if someone were beat to death with it.

It bothers me that the dogs did not hit on the soil, just the wood. That to me may indicate that a body was never in that hole. Only the wood. Only the "DNA" on the wood. That would change the senario that JP moved her recently.

I've had the same thoughts cocomod. I have wondered if JP ( or the 4 year old) owned a wooden baseball bat. UGH! I hate wondering such things.:sick:

wm

 

[cocomod]

I'm going back and reviewing the media reports again. Just wanted to make note of a few things stated:

Susan disappeared after attending church. --This makes it appear she disappeared early in the afternoon...and leaves much of the day and it's activites out of the picture

LE took both Steven and JP's journals from the WA search. This is the first time I have seen this mentioned. Did they infact take JP's journals also???

Josh sold his house and moved to WA. (He rented it)

Merritt clearly states they found bones.

Merritt said a Juab County forensics team and a Utah state medical examiner have been dispatched to the scene. But he conceded they may not have answers right away.

"He (medical examiner) will be able to confirm that these are human bones, but that's about it," he said

http://www.abc4.com/content/news/top_stories/story/Human-remains-found-in-Susan-Cox-Powell-search/dR_5Vk7CyUa0S33hxP1TcA.cspx

Susan's friend came over to the house. She saw Susan that afternoon. She said that Susan suddenly became ill and just left the room to go to bed. She said it was uncharacteristic of her to leave so suddenly. This was AFTER Josh made dinner for everyone and brought Susan and her friend a plate of food.

 

[HotLavaJavas]

I've had the same thoughts cocomod. I have wondered if JP ( or the 4 year old) owned a wooden baseball bat. UGH! I hate wondering such things.:sick:

wm

I share these thoughts. My immediate thought was wood from the basement where "master carpenter" Josh was building a salon for Susan.

Not pleasant thoughts, no.

 

[MsFacetious]

On Sunday, a new lead seemed to emerge as a cadaver dog indicated on an area about 10 miles away from where they had been searching.

Police will have more dogs investigate the area on Monday when they resume their ground search.

http://www.abc4.com/content/news/st...-search-for-Susan/kQuUv8F5Z0eQxlv6OeY3eA.cspx

I thought this was the cluster from yesterday that went a bit like this...

"The dogs have indicted there is human remains NE of where we have been searching. They are going to send in more dogs to check it out."

"There is not human remains."

"The dogs never indicated there was human remains."

"The rest of the dogs did not indicate there."

"It was all a big misunderstanding. The dog did not indicate but a SAR dug around to be sure."

http://twitter.com/#!/RoxanaOre

Or was there ANOTHER "indication/hit/alert/whatever" in another area? :banghead:

That article was posted 5 hours after it was clarified that it was all a big understanding. D@mn dogs that don't know how to communicate.

 

[Lera213]

I say bring in the Anthony search dogs.

 

[BeanE]

On Sunday, a new lead seemed to emerge as a cadaver dog indicated on an area about 10 miles away from where they had been searching.

Police will have more dogs investigate the area on Monday when they resume their ground search.

http://www.abc4.com/content/news/st...-search-for-Susan/kQuUv8F5Z0eQxlv6OeY3eA.cspx

I thought this was the cluster from yesterday that went a bit like this...

"The dogs have indicted there is human remains NE of where we have been searching. They are going to send in more dogs to check it out."

"There is not human remains."

"The dogs never indicated there was human remains."

"The rest of the dogs did not indicate there."

"It was all a big misunderstanding. The dog did not indicate but a SAR dug around to be sure."

http://twitter.com/#!/RoxanaOre

Or was there ANOTHER "indication/hit/alert/whatever" in another area? :banghead:

That article was posted 5 hours after it was clarified that it was all a big understanding. D@mn dogs that don't know how to communicate.

Make it stoooooooooooooooppppppppppp!!!!!

 

[mysteriew]

Wood chips/woodchipper/burn the evidence? Wasn't there talk in the beginning of JP having a generator or some such with him on the camping trip?

A woodchipper is a fairly big piece of equipment isn't it? Probably would have needed a truck to move it. And would be hard for one person to get it on/off the truck.

 

[Dr. Know?]

Police increase resources in Topaz Mtn. search effort for Susan Cox Powell

http://www.examiner.com/missing-per...-topaz-mtn-search-effort-for-susan-cox-powell

(I haven't read this in MSM, last I knew they were scaling back)

snipped

A coordinated effort is underway that involves the assistance of the following Law Enforcement Agencies and their respective Search and Rescue Teams along with the West Valley City Police Department:

Juab County Sherrif's Office
Millard County Sheriff's Office
Iron County Sheriff's Office
Sevier County Sheriff's Office
Beaver County Sheriff's Office
Utah Department of Public Safety Air Burea

 

[Lera213]

I don't see JP spending any money on disposal or his kill.

The reason why LE and us cannot figure it out because we are not mentally challenged like JP is so we cannot think like him!

 

[nursebeeme]

Day 8 of the West Desert search for missing West Valley City mother Susan Powell involves "an extensive increase" in the number of personnel on hand, police announced Monday.

West Valley City police added that the search — focused on terrain surrounding Topaz Mountain in Juab County — is now anticipated to last through Wednesday.

Members of Juab and Millard county sheriff’s offices had already been assisting West Valley City police in the search. On Monday, they were joined by members of the Iron, Sevier and Beaver county sheriff’s offices, as well as the Utah Department of Public Safety Air Bureau, according to a news release.

Searching is to continue on foot, with the assistance of ATVs and aerial support. But there will be no cadaver-scenting dogs on hand.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/52608479-78/police-powell-west-valley.html.csp

 

[Lera213]

Police increase resources in Topaz Mtn. search effort for Susan Cox Powell

http://www.examiner.com/missing-per...-topaz-mtn-search-effort-for-susan-cox-powell

(I haven't read this in MSM, last I knew they were scaling back)

snipped

A coordinated effort is underway that involves the assistance of the following Law Enforcement Agencies and their respective Search and Rescue Teams along with the West Valley City Police Department:

Juab County Sherrif's Office
Millard County Sheriff's Office
Iron County Sheriff's Office
Sevier County Sheriff's Office
Beaver County Sheriff's Office
Utah Department of Public Safety Air Burea

I'm stunned they have that many agencies helping, the only way to get that much help is if they had a strong lead to believe SP is in this area.

 

[MsFacetious]

Here is information on the dogs Sarx and Oriah...

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/52585690-78/dogs-search-cadaver-hendricks.html.csp

Carbon County Sheriff’s Deputy Wally Hendricks, who helped West Valley City detectives search the Topaz Mountain area for the missing mother, organizes the cadaver dog program for Utah.

The program operates mostly through volunteers, the majority of whom have a search and rescue or other law enforcement background.

Hendricks has previously explained the dogs are trained from the time they are puppies to find the odor of human decomposition by practicing with drills where the scent is mixed in dirt.

Hendricks said dogs can pick up the scent of decomposition —which can drift to the surface from deep underground — of remains from nearly a century ago.


http://www.abc4.com/content/news/st...-search-for-Susan/kQuUv8F5Z0eQxlv6OeY3eA.cspx

Juab and Millard County search and rescue teams helped West Valley over the weekend with horseback riders, ATV's and more dogs.


http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/52604453-75/powell-police-susan-search.html.csp

West Valley City Police Lt. Bill Merritt said many of the searchers, including members of the Juab and Millard county search-and-rescue teams and handlers of the cadaver dogs, are volunteers who must return to their regular jobs.

This is where certification comes into play.

It's easy enough to find 100+ 'cadaver' dogs in, say, a tri-state area.

The question is, who what where and when were they certified- and what do they train for.

Okay good, I feel less crazy... for screaming at the computer and TV.... "ELEVEN?!?!?!? You brought ELEVEN different dogs out there?? That is absurd! How did you get Eleven HRD dogs? Where did they come from? Why aren't they in Oregon or Texas?!?!"

 

[Trident]

A woodchipper is a fairly big piece of equipment isn't it? Probably would have needed a truck to move it. And would be hard for one person to get it on/off the truck.

Maybe not:
http://www.lowes.com/pl_Wood+Chippe...E-_-Chippers Shredders Mulcher-_-wood chipper

This one does seem small, but I don't believe any of them the size to get rid of a body are very large. In my opinion, JP could have handled one easily. Of course, between the chipping, and the fire to make s'mores, I can see his hands becoming chapped. I can also see acid doing the same thing.

My opinion only, of course

 

[passionflower]

Maybe not:
http://www.lowes.com/pl_Wood+Chippe...E-_-Chippers Shredders Mulcher-_-wood chipper

This one does seem small, but I don't believe any of them the size to get rid of a body are very large. In my opinion, JP could have handled one easily. Of course, between the chipping, and the fire to make s'mores, I can see his hands becoming chapped. I can also see acid doing the same thing.

My opinion only, of course

morbid.beware.....maybe dismembership as in Zahra's case.
Little fires in several places and left to go home??
I always thought he wrapped Susan in a quilt and shrinkwrap,
but I am thinking he did much more and may of had help......
before, during or after.
No one was watching SP at the time, where they?
He could of been in the plan also. They had a head start,
before LE was told to go to the house.

 

[Dr. Know?]

Last week I heard an update online (video, I think), and the person stated two of the dogs were certified. Certified for what I assumed as HRD dogs. I'll try finding my post about that and track it down.

ETA, after searching I found my post but no link. The video would be from 9/14/11. There's many to go through from each station. ahhhh!

 

[nursebeeme]

West Valley City police Sgt. Mike Powell says searchers will spend Monday scouring a remote area around Topaz Mountain in central Utah. Investigators likely will search a 10- to 12-mile area west of the mountain using ATVs, horses and cadaver dogs.

Police say an "extensive increase" is underway in the number of searchers helping in the effort.

Police stopped excavating Saturday at a spot where cadaver dogs had indicated the possible location of human remains. After four days of digging, no remains were found but police did discover roughly 100 pieces of charred wood chips that will be examined by forensics experts.

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=17306187

 

[Lera213]

If they do not find her if I were LE I would take note of the weather at that time she was missing (a weeks worth) then watch the weather this fall winter for those exact weather conditions, and drive out there. Perhaps this will give LE a better perspective as to where he might have driven, walked, hiked, and other items of interest. They need to basically re-enact with what they know now.

 

[Oriah]

<Okay good, I feel less crazy... for screaming at the computer and TV.... "ELEVEN?!?!?!? You brought ELEVEN different dogs out there?? That is absurd! How did you get Eleven HRD dogs? Where did they come from? Why aren't they in Oregon or Texas?!?!"[/quote]>

*sigh*

Ok, here's the thing.
Many dog teams (LE, private, and volunteer) train their dogs using their own guidelines- or alternate guidelines used by a variety of different groups/agencies. Standardization is a bit of an issue, to say the least.

I have my own opinions on this, which are probably not helpful, lol.
But in a nutshell, I am partial to FEMA and NASAR regs.

http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nims/508-8_search_and_rescue_resources.pdf

http://nasarcanine.org/NASAR_Canine_Certification_Programs_Revised_2010 for submittal.pdf

MOO of course.

 

[BeanE]

More Susan Powell searchers flock to Topaz Mountain

Updated 45 minutes ago

Day 8 of the West Desert search for missing West Valley City mother Susan Powell involves "an extensive increase" in the number of personnel on hand, police announced Monday.

West Valley City police added that the search &#8212; focused on terrain surrounding Topaz Mountain in Juab County &#8212; is now anticipated to last through Wednesday.

Members of Juab and Millard county sheriff&#8217;s offices had already been assisting West Valley City police in the search. On Monday, they were joined by members of the Iron, Sevier and Beaver county sheriff&#8217;s offices, as well as the Utah Department of Public Safety Air Bureau, according to a news release.

Searching is to continue on foot, with the assistance of ATVs and aerial support. But there will be no cadaver-scenting dogs on hand.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/52608479-78/police-powell-west-valley.html.csp