Authorities have named Josh Powell’s father Steven a person of interest in the 2009 disappearance of Josh’s wife, Susan Powell. The news comes three days after Josh killed himself and his two young sons in an explosion at his Washington home.
Josh had long been suspected in Susan’s disappearance, but authorities lacked evidence to support an arrest. West Valley City, Utah, police chief Buzz Nielsen says Steven Powell, who is currently being held in a Washington jail on child pornography charges, may have information on what happened to Susan.
"They lived together in the house. There are things he should want to talk to us [about,] we hope," Nielsen tells Utah’s KSL-TV. "We sure can't prosecute Josh, but did somebody know something? Did somebody help him? Those are the questions we need to resolve. If there is still an opportunity to find a body or whatever might have happened to [Susan,] then we'll do that.”
Susan disappeared from the West Valley, Utah home she shared with Josh and their sons Charles, 7, and Braden, 5, on December 6, 2009. Josh told police he was on an overnight camping trip with Charlie and Braden when Susan went missing. He lost custody of the boys last September after police discovered child pornography in the home he shared with his father. Susan’s parents, Chuck and Judith Cox, gained custody of the boys.
Authorities believe a failed bid last week to regain custody of his Charlie and Braden is what led Powell to murder-suicide. He waited outside his home Sunday for a social worker to bring the boys for a supervised visit. At the door, Powell shoved the social worker back, pulled his sons inside the house, and locked the door. Before the causing an explosion that engulfed the house in flames, Josh attacked Charlie and Braden with a hatchet. The Pierce County medical examiner said both children suffered “chop wounds” to their necks and heads. The wounds were not the cause of death; carbon monoxide inhalation killed Charlie and Braden, as well as Powell.
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