Susan Cox Powell - Media Links - No Discussion

[Angel Who Cares]

Missing woman's father: Visit to campsite 'confirms it'
Story Published: Mar 19, 2010 at 11:20 PM PDT
Story Updated: Mar 19, 2010 at 11:25 PM PDT
<snipped>
Susan Powell's father no longer believes his son-in-law's story has any credibility. This week, Chuck Cox went to Simpson Springs in remote Tooele County in Utah. For the first time, he saw for himself the campground where Josh Powell claims he went the night his wife disappeared.

Cox believes on that December morning, the pass to the campsite would have been impassible, especially considering Josh Powell was driving a minivan with front-wheel drive and little clearance. "You get pulled into there, get stuck real easily in a car like this," he said, seeing potentially problematic areas.

At the campground, Cox ran into a scout troop from Riverton. It just so happened the troop was also camping at Simpson Springs on the weekend of Dec. 6, and left just as the flurries were starting.

He now firmly believes that whatever happened that night did not happen at Simpson Springs. "It confirms it. The only hard thing is thinking she could be out somewhere... a place like this," said Cox.

Article:
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/88714232.html

 

[Tricia]

From the Examiner.com an indepth look into the case and why the issue with the searches.

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-...or-Susan-Cox-Powell-Precious-time-lost-Part-1

 

[Angel Who Cares]

*FYI: Tricia is being modest with her post above!
Our very own Tricia is quoted in Part 2 & 4 from the above article links in Post#242! :wink:

Susan Cox Powell Update: Detectives plan to 'flip' cement in the desert
March 21, 4:52 PM
<snipped>
There is a possibility the cement strip is nothing more than a dump truck driver cleaning out his load, yet there's a possibility it could be someone's loved one underneath the cement. Regardless what it is, people believe it's worthy of an investigation. The Tooele County Sheriff's Office agreed to investigate.

After going out to find the cement strip on Friday, Deputy N. Collins went again on Saturday to meet Linda Osborne, who initially located the cement strip. Once the deputy confirmed the cement strip and heard Osborne's concerns, he requested she stay away from the strip. Osborne said, "The deputy requested I not get any closer in order to protect possible evidence. We were about 25' away from the cement strip."

Tooele Sheriff's Department Sgt. Gowans told Examiner.com Sunday morning that he is urging citizens to stay away from the area where the cement strip has been located until investigators have a chance to go and flip the cement, which he hopes will happen Monday. He has asked Examiner.com to contact the sheriff Monday afternoon for an update. People are pleased that Tooele County Sheriff's office has acted so quickly and are taking this seriously.

A concerned citizen who wishes to remain anonymous said on Sunday morning he and his family drove out to the area where the abandoned gas station is, close to where the cement strip is located, and that he was shocked to see no police in the area and no police tape blocking people from entering an area where he believes the concrete strip should be.
*More at link!

Slideshow: Susan Cox Powell missing: Cement strip found in West Desert
http://www.examiner.com/ExaminerSlideshow.html?entryID=1101967

Article:
http://www.examiner.com/x-34328-Sea...-Detectives-plan-to-flip-cement-in-the-desert

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Friends of Susan Powell suspect that her body made be hidden in concrete slab
March 21, 8:39 PM
<snipped>
Linda Osbourne is one the searchers. According to ABC 4, Osbourne found the concrete slab that is approximately seven feet long and three feet wide. Osbourne suspects the cement could be covering a body.

Friday, the Tooele County Sheriff's department went out to take a look at the slab. Investigators said that they didn&#8217;t believe the slab was suspicious, but intend to go back out Monday and turn the concrete slab over to see if anything can be seen. Investigators have asked that searchers for Susan Powell&#8217;s body stay away from the concrete slab until they get a chance to look at it closer.

Article:
http://www.examiner.com/x-19632-Sal...ody-made-be-hidden-in-concrete-slab-see-photo

 

[Angel Who Cares]

New concerns about planned search for Susan Powell
Last Update: 1:09 am
<snipped>
But there is growing concern over that search from the Tooele County Sheriff, the Cox family and the Bureau of Land Management.

The BLM's concerns: Where are all those searchers going to park? Even if they come four to a car, two thousand searchers would mean 500 cars in a place that can't handle a fraction of that number. What's more, taking any vehicle off the roads is strictly forbidden.

On Friday, Chuck Cox journeyed with ABC 4 to Simpson Springs. He made it clear the family does not endorse the search. "We're not part of that search," he said. Primarily, the family is worried for the safety of the volunteers. "Depending on how many people you had up here, it could be dangerous," Cox explained. "I don't know that it would be worth the risk."

Tooele County Sheriff Frank Park said he's already said "no" to taking over the search. "No chance at all. We'll be there -- we'll be present -- but I can't handle that kind of liability to have two-thousand volunteers marching through the desert. No way," he said.

The Cox family remains very grateful for all the people who are willing to help them in their time of desperate need. But the family believes the help is needed elsewhere, not in Utah's west desert.

Video: New concerns about planned search for Susan Powell 4:13
More concerns about a planned search for Susan Cox Powell are being raised by the BLM, Tooele County Sheriff and even the Cox family.
http://www.abc4.com/mediacenter/[email protected]&navCatId=8

Article:
http://www.abc4.com/mostpopular/sto...-for-Susan-Powell/4bqHjEihG0K1aYZpBxo0iQ.cspx

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Brent Hunsaker - My ride to the west desert with Susan Powell&#8217;s father.
Last Update: 10:07 am
<snipped>
Chuck has learned the balancing act. He walks a thin line between keeping up the pressure on Josh Powell to cooperate with police while not becoming his prosecutor and judge.

With that as backdrop, Friday afternoon photographer Matt Lee and I met Chuck Cox and his friend, Mike Gifford, in the parking lot of the McDonald&#8217;s in Tooele where we began our journey into the west desert. The afternoon was mostly Sunny, with the temperature in the mid-40&#8217;s. There was also a cold, gusting wind that bit through jackets and made eyes water. The cold and the isolation of the place were something of a revelation.

Chuck had almost made it out to Simpson Springs the previous day with a police detective. But after a few miles down the dirt road of the old Pony Express Trail, he said he &#8220;got the point&#8221; and asked to turn around. He did not wish to waste the detective&#8217;s time.

As we drove that next day I had no idea how after we would go. This was only my 2nd trip down the trail and my first to Simpson Springs. I too wanted to see for myself this place where Josh Powell says he took his boys on the night his wife disappeared, but I deferred to Chuck the final decision. It is his daughter who is missing and his son-in-law&#8217;s story. We would go only as far as he wanted to go.

On the high wire, Chuck Cox is also trying to balance the welfare of &#8220;the ninety and nine&#8221; while still going after she who is lost.

Monument near Simpson Springs campground.

Video: EXCLUSIVE: Susan Cox Powell's Father Journey 3:22
http://www.abc4.com/mediacenter/[email protected]&navCatId=8

Related Link:
This is the BLM website on Simpson Springs
http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/salt_lake/recreation/camping/simspson_springs.html

Article:
http://www.abc4.com/content/about_4...-west-desert-with/fkTWAxuCK0eg60RkyrnE6g.cspx

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Tribune drops suit to see Susan Powell documents
Courts » Sensitive investigation information cited.
Updated: 03/24/2010 09:30:52 PM MDT
<snipped>
Search warrants discussing the investigation of the Susan Powell disappearance will remain closed.

An attorney for The Tribune on Tuesday withdrew the newspaper's lawsuit to open the warrants. An order, agreed to by the newspaper and attorneys representing law enforcement with the dismissal, says the warrants "include some detailed explanations of certain investigative techniques being used in this matter as well the thoughts and reactions of certain investigators regarding the developing evidence, some of which is not known to the public or involved persons."

The warrants also discuss witnesses who "could face a substantial risk of possible harm" if identified, the order states.

Search warrants and the written explanation for why police want them typically are public in Utah, but West Valley City police and the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office persuaded a judge to seal the Powell search warrants.

Article:
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14752227

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Tooele County sheriff has concerns about search for Susan Powell
March 26th, 2010 @ 6:14pm
<snipped>
That search will be in the West Desert, starting at Simpson Springs, and the Tooele County sheriff has some concerns. Sheriff Frank Park is worried a lot of people going out there don't really know what desert conditions are like, and he doesn't want anyone with good intentions to get hurt.

The volunteer search for Susan, scheduled for April 10, will include a massive operation in Tooele County's West Desert by Powell's friends. "The heart of a volunteer should never be questioned. They do a great job, and they're there to help," Park says.

The sheriff says he's heard from search organizers there could be 2,000 volunteers, which makes him a little nervous. "My major concerns are the accountability for the people coming and going. If we've got 2,000 people showing up, we want to make sure we got 2,000 people coming back," Park says.

"Hopefully, it'll be a safe, great day; and the concern of everybody throughout the country is to get closure for this family. If that happens, that's great," Park says. One of the organizers of the search says the snow is starting to melt. She's hoping that will help someone find something.

*Video Included In Article!

Map: Simpson Springs Campground
http://maps.google.com/maps?source=....463666,-112.098999&spn=1.462743,2.334595&z=8

Article:
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=10159431

 

[Texas Mist]

Search for Susan Powell closed to the public
April 2nd, 2010 @ 10:06pm

CACHE COUNTY -- A search for Susan Cox Powell set for Saturday, April 10th, has been closed to the public.

Scores of volunteers had planned to join in on the search of the Simpson Springs area where Susan's husband Josh said he took the children the night she disappeared in December of last year.
.................
The search will now be conducted by trained professionals.

more here

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=10254231/


=============================================

Susan Cox Powell Update: Change of plans for April 10 ground search
April 2, 8:42 PM Seattle Headlines Examiner Isabelle Zehnder

April 2, 2010 - Search organizers have issued a press release this evening (see below for official press release) and have passed the torch to a group of professional search teams who are now in charge of the Susan Cox Powell April 10 ground search at Simpson Springs in Utah's West Desert.

Ground search organizers told Examiner.com they appreciate the outpouring of support from the public and from professionals for the April 10 search.

Organizers of the search have received an overwhelming response from trained professionals with offers to help. Some are experienced search and rescue teams while others have firefighting, medical, law enforcement, and military experience.


much more here - including press release

http://www.examiner.com/x-34328-Sea...of-plans-for-April-10-ground-search-Slideshow

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Brent Hunsaker - Changes to the Simpson Springs search for Susan Cox Powell
Last Update: 12:29 am
<snipped>
The original organizers of the April 10th planned search for Susan Powell in the Simpson Springs area have made a difficult decision: they have decided to step aside. Late Friday night they sent out notice that they will &#8220;cede command of the search to qualified professionals.&#8221;

One of the original organizers wrote me: &#8220;We&#8217;ve always tried to do what is best for Susan.&#8221; There are no egos here, just determination to see the job done right. And if that means letting others take the reigns, then so be it. To those people I can only say this: Please realize that the decisions were made after consultation with police and with Susan Cox Powell&#8217;s own family. I know many of the people who had a part in this decision and I am confident they made it with your safety foremost in their thoughts.

Over and over again, I heard Chuck Cox and others say that they could not bear the thought of someone getting hurt &#8211; or worse &#8211; while they searched for Susan. I believe these difficult decisions will go a long way in allaying those concerns.

As a simple reporter who has watched from the wings, I applaud the folks of the Cache Valley &#8211; Shawn Sorensen and Joanne Bentley chief among them -- who first called for and began to organize this search for Susan. A lot of people talked about a search, but they started the ball rolling. They did not know Susan, but were still drawn to the drama of her disappearance by a noble human desire &#8211; the desire to help.

I also applaud the good men and women of Bridgerland Fire and Strategic Tactical and other organizations who will do a lot of the heavy lifting to make this search happen on April 10th. I am so humbled to witness so many people struggle to do the right thing. God bless and prosper your efforts.

Article:
http://www.abc4.com/content/news/bl...e-Simpson-Springs/tHOIFmK4vkugiZxE6QWJIw.cspx

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Expert group will search for Susan Cox Powell
Saturday, April 3, 2010 11:35 p.m. MDT
<snipped>
Allowing the public to help in the search could be dangerous due to spotty cellular phone service, lack of nearby medical facilities and the possibility of encountering wildlife, according to the release.

Search organizers also were concerned about logistics on such a grand scale, the possible destruction of evidence and parking issues.

Only professionally certified organizations with proper identification and pre-approval from search organizers will be allowed to participate.

Certified groups that would like to help may contact the search team at [email protected].

Article:
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700021923/Expert-group-will-search-for-Susan-Cox-Powell.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Susan Powell west desert search closed to public
Updated: 04/04/2010 07:58:07 AM MDT
<snipped>
Only professionally certified organizations with proper identification and pre-approval from the search organizers will be allowed to participate in the search. It is our hope that a skilled approach to searching will bring quicker results and will encourage other professionals to consider assisting in the search," he added.

Watkins concluded: "We are very appreciative of everyone who has shown their willingness to help. We ask that you keep Susan, her family, and the many trained professionals who will be combing the on April 10 in your thoughts and prayers.

If your certified organization would like to help with the search, please e-mail the Watkins at [email protected]. Those who would like to donate resources or money to the the search may e-mail [email protected].

Article:
http://www.sltrib.com/traffic/ci_14814851

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Friends of missing Utah woman Susan Powell ponder another flier campaign
Updated: 04/05/2010 04:23:33 PM MDT
<snipped>
A Saturday search for missing West Valley City mother Susan Cox Powell has been closed to the public, but friends of the 28-year-old woman may again canvass her neighborhood to raise awareness about her disappearance.

Kiirsi Hellewell, a friend of Powell, is gauging public interest for participation in another flier campaign on Saturday.

"We would like to pass out fliers in the neighborhood, going door to door in pairs, to show that we are still looking for Susan," Hellewell said, noting that a "social media blitz" launched in January brought in new tips and that additional fliers could also help bring in new information.

The latest potential flier campaign would provide an outlet to members of the public who had planned on participating in a search for Powell in Utah's west desert. That search, however, has now been limited to professionals.

Article:
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14824515

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Expert search teams head to West Desert in search of Susan Powell
April 9th, 2010 @ 1:57pm
<snipped>
Experts in search and rescue, fire and medicine are expected to be joined by trained dogs Saturday. Watkins wouldn't say exactly what clues the search teams were seeking around Simpson Springs.

He did elaborate in a phone interview with KSL Newsradio on the risks related to the search, which include everything from snakes and other wild animals to the weather and even unexploded ordnance. "It's by Dugway where we're going to be looking," Watkins said. "You could come across something like that."

Watkins says searchers will not be looking inside the many mines in the area because of the dangers. "There could be poisonous gases in there, there could be huge drop-offs," Watkins said. "A lot of them are just not safe."

While the Tooele County sheriff and West Valley police have no official involvement in Saturday's search, Watkins says he expects a couple of deputies to be on hand in case anything is found.

AUDIO: Extended interview with Chief Jon Watkins
http://real.ksl.com/video/slc/3/317/31742.mp3

AUDIO: Andrew Adams reporting
http://real.ksl.com/video/slc/3/317/31741.mp3

Article:
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=10328219

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Expert search group combs West Desert for missing Utah woman
6:13 PM MDT, April 9, 2010
<snipped>
There is no lack of volunteers who want to help search for the missing West Valley woman, Susan Cox Powell. But this time they are leaving this search to an expert group of volunteers come Saturday morning. The Bridgerland Volunteer Fire Department and other expert volunteer searchers plan to begin the expedition near Simpson Springs, a region in Utah's West Desert, where Susan's husband, Josh Powell took their children camping.

Powell has been missing for four months now and her story has gone international thanks to her friends and concerned community members who have spread the word regarding her disappearance using social networks like Facebook and Twitter.

Video: Powell search party to scour West Desert for Susan 1:47
http://www.fox13now.com/videobeta/5...l-search-party-to-scour-West-Desert-for-Susan

Video: Coordinated effort organized to search West Desert for Susan Cox Powell
http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-video-coordinated-search-west-desert-susan,0,2321902.tivideo

Article:
http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-susan-powell-search-west-desert-0410,0,7102273.story

 

[Texas Mist]

EXCLUSIVE: Susan Cox Powell search will have a surprise guest

Reported by: Brent Hunsaker
Last Update: 9:41 pm

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - 75 experienced searchers will look for clues in the disappearance of Susan Cox Powell tomorrow at Simpson Springs, a recreation area in remote Tooele County. Joining them will be a surprise guest: Cox family friend and confidant, Shelby Gifford.

Gifford arrived in Utah Friday. "We're really mindful of the sacrifice and effort they're putting forward and we just wanted to come and thank them for their efforts," Gifford explained.

She knows searching in a remote desert is no simple task.

Joe and Paul Kelley know it too. They loaded up their gear Friday afternoon for what is sure to be a long day on Saturday. Everything they may need in the desert, they bring: Food, water, first aid and gadgets. "With the handheld GPS we'll be able to track our location and record where we've moved," said Paul Kelley. "We can upload that to a computer and give that to law enforcement so they know what ground has been covered." Both were invited to join this "experts only" search because of their military backgrounds. Joe was an MP. He explained, "It's what I like to do. I love to serve people. I love to help my community."

more here

http://www.abc4.com/content/news/to...earch-will-have-a/UmQBEOi4GkeMtMGIgK7OBw.cspx

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Massive search for Susan Powell turns up empty-handed
10:44 PM MDT, April 10, 2010
<snipped>
A family friend of Susan's family said the kindness is overwhelming. "I think the biggest thing that this will do is make us not feel alone," Shelby Gifford said.

The search group came up empty handed at the end of the day with no sign or clues of Susan's remains. "While on the one hand I really want her to be found so we can have some closure. At the same time, it's going to be a very sad day when they find her," Susan's best friend Kiirsi Hellewell said.

There are no more large scale searches planned at this time. Volunteers say they hope that investigators can at least cross the area off their list.

Video: Volunteers participate in massive search for missing WVC mom 2:14
http://www.fox13now.com/videobeta/b...icipate-in-massive-search-for-missing-WVC-mom

Video: Massive search for Susan Powell turns up empty-handed
http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-video-massive-search-for-susan,0,6905845.tivideo

Article:
http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-massive-search-for-susan-empty-handed,0,3627934.story

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Searchers comb West Desert for signs of Susan Powell
April 10th, 2010 @ 5:30pm
<snipped>
By foot, by truck and even by air, searchers looked everywhere they could for any sign of Susan.

Derrick Vigil was one of a handful of searchers from the Bridgerland Fire Company, volunteers out of Logan looking for clues. "This world is such an awful place already. It's good to have people actually care and want to make a difference, you know what I mean?" Vigil said.

It took just one look at how much land is in the Simpson Springs area of Tooele County for searchers to realize it would be a challenge. "It's kind of like looking for a needle in a haystack when you're not sure if the needle is in this particular haystack," said searcher Maria Dedominicis.

"It actually brings a lot of emotion, and I'm just really grateful for the love and support and the help," said Jennifer Graves, Josh Powell's sister. "You just can't say thank you enough."

Josh Powell did not participate in the search.

Map:
http://maps.google.com/maps?source=....463666,-112.098999&spn=1.462743,2.334595&z=8

Images 1-13:
http://www.ksl.com/?sid=10343508&nid=460&pid=8

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiesCKJzX90[/ame]

Article:
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=10343508

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Day-long search for Susan Powell turns up nothing
Scouring the desert » Family and friends full of praise for volunteers, but search ends in frustration.
Updated: 04/10/2010 06:01:44 PM MDT
<snipped>
They came with ultralight aircraft, dogs, ATVs and old-fashioned shoe leather, but after a day-long search Saturday along the old Pony Express Trail near the Simpson Mountains, 28-year-old Susan Cox Powell remains missing. Dozens of volunteers combed through an area between the Davis Mountains and the Slow Elk Hills southeast of the Dugway Proving Ground's artillery and bombing range for the mother of two who was reported missing Dec. 7. Her husband, Josh Powell, said he took the couple's two young sons camping Dec. 6 at the Simpson Spring's Campground about 25 miles west of Vernon in remote Tooele County.

The tranquil campground looks out across the vastness of Utah's West Desert as it stretches westward to the Dugway Mountains and beyond to the Deep Creek Mountains that straddle the Utah-Nevada line. The search, however, was restricted to an area less than 10 square miles.

Kent Price of Eagle Mountain was among a group of pilots who fly "power parachutes," ultralight aircraft that can skim just feet off the ground at about 25 mph. His group, unofficially called the Cedar Pass Air Force, has volunteered on several search-and-rescue missions. "We can fly very low and very slow and plop down just about anywhere," he said.

But the expanse in question is huge and after four months in the wild, any human remains would be difficult to identify, even up close. That is why folks like Kurt Hadfield and his 3-year-old German shepherd, Kaiser, volunteered. The pair, affiliated with Ogden's Great Basin Search & Rescue, are trained to identify human remains, among other things.

"A dog's nose is 1,000 times more sensitive than a human nose," Hadfield said.

Article:
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_14859885?source=most_viewed

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Search for Susan Cox Powell turns up no clues
Published: Sunday, April 11, 2010 12:17 a.m. MDT
<snipped>
Seemingly flat, the 15 square miles that make up Simpson Springs is really a series of rolling hills lined with juniper and sagebrush. "There's lots of places for hiding," said Bridgerland Fire Company Battalion Chief Dave Schirado, who helped lead Saturday's effort, which was ultimately unsuccessful. "You can't search 100 percent through the trees and everything."

Search teams walked, rode all-terrain vehicles and flew hang-gliders all day Saturday in search of any clues that would lead police to Susan Cox Powell.
All disturbances and oddities in the land were marked using GPS and sent onward to police, but by late Saturday afternoon, searchers were empty-handed. Saturday's search was headed up by eight men and women of the Bridgerland Fire Company. "We've covered a lot of area, about 20 miles," said Chief Jon Watkins, pointing eastward. "We haven't had anything turn up."

Searchers walked along all the roads in the area where Josh Powell said he went that night. They walked five or six abreast with canines but didn't go more than 100 yards from the paths because of the deep snow that would have been on the ground in early December, they explained.

Officials including Maria Dedominicis were on hand from Hill Air Force Base to handle any explosives or bombs that could have been found because of the area's proximity to Dugway Proving Ground, but none turned up. "You never know when you're going to find something," said Dedominicis, who brought her malamute Kayla along for the search. "It's still worth it to come out here. Finding nothing is finding something, too. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack when you're not even sure there is a needle."

"We still don't know whether anything will be found," said Kent Price, who led the motorized hang-gliding group. "For us it was a good drill. At least we can say the area has been searched."

Gallery (4 photos)
http://www.deseretnews.com/photos/midres/2822150.jpg

Article:
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700023622/Search-for-Powell-turns-up-no-clues.html