Search For Susan Powell: Police End Inspection Of Utah Desert 'Grave'

DELTA, Utah (AP) — Authorities planned to resume searching the rugged Utah desert Sunday as part of a nearly two-year investigation into a missing mother after three days of digging in what had been described as a shallow grave turned up no remains.

Cadaver dogs led police to the site Wednesday just off a dirt road near the base of Topaz Mountain, a popular rock-hounding spot in remote central Utah. The area is more than 130 miles from the location where Susan Powell was last seen at her West Valley City home on Dec. 7, 2009.

"We hoped we would find the hard evidence that everybody wanted," West Valley City Lt. Bill Merritt said Saturday.

Instead, authorities found small charred chips of wood in the hole.

"They obviously have some type of human decomposition on them because that's what the dogs are hitting on," Merritt said.

The wood chips were being brought back to Salt Lake City for further examination.

Authorities have been searching the area since Monday. On Wednesday, they said they found human remains but later backtracked, clarifying that cadaver dogs had alerted them to the site but no remains had been found.

Police plan to continue with their search for remains in the area Sunday.

The spot is about 30 miles south of where Powell's husband, Josh Powell, told police he took his two young children camping on the night his wife vanished. He told police he and their young sons — then 4 and 2 — left his wife at home about 12:30 a.m. The 4-year-old confirmed the trip to police.

Josh Powell is the only person of interest in the case, although he has never been arrested or charged. He has denied having anything to do with her disappearance and said he believes his wife ran off with another man.

Susan Powell was 28 when she was reported missing after she failed to show up for her stockbroker job.

Susan Powell's father, Chuck Cox, was escorted to the scene Friday for a look at the excavation effort.

He believes the area amid central Utah's sagebrush-dotted high desert and jagged mountains is a logical place to conduct the search because Josh Powell had camped at nearby Simpson Springs.

Cox, a former investigator for the Federal Aviation Administration, said he had long-believed the search for his daughter would be a lengthy process.

"There's no real false hope, it's just another step in the investigation," Cox said. "Every day is hard for the family. Life goes on, and so you go on the best you can. It's something you have to live with."

Comments

[Grace Hulbert]

10:25 AM on 09/23/2011

According to the AP, police searched the home of Steven Powell as part of the ongoing investigation into the whereabouts of his daughter-in-law Susan, who disappeared in December 2009. According to prosecutor Mark Lindquist, they found "thousands of images of females being videotaped without their knowledge, including Susan Powell." He added, "The photographer focuses on the women's buttocks, breasts. Many images were of minor females." Those minor females include two former neighbors of Powell, who were just 8 and 10 at the time. Powell has been charged with 14 counts of voyeurism and one of possessing child porn.

[moondawg95]

02:31 AM on 09/23/2011

Just announced on all the local stations here in the Tacoma/Seattle area about 10:00 PM. Susan Powell's father in-law, Steven Powell has just been arrested for voyeurism. After the search of his home in Aug., for evidence in her disappearance, the local Sherrif's Dept. along with the Utah police, removed many articles of possible evidence. Tonight, brought about the arrest of Josh Powell's father for thousands of pictures involving children, naked in sexually explicit poses, as well as in showers, bathtubs & parks. They just showed him being brought in, handcuffed. They said there were also pictures of Susan naked, taken without her knowledge. He used high end camera equipment to photo neighbors children from his home & other inconspicuous places. The children of Susan & Josh, have also, allegedly been removed from the home & are supposely in protective custody of the State of Washington now, but this was not yet fully confirmed. The said other info, in the hands of the Utah police, who are here in the Tacoma area, will decide if there is reason to arrest Josh or not now as well.

[valeskas]

10:09 AM on 09/23/2011

Now it all starts to make sense, maybe the father and son are both involved in her dissapearance. If I was a part of her family, I would have the police investigate, if the father in law maybe had something to do with her dissapearance, at least the police should investigate, after these new allegations with child ponography, that Susan's children were not touched by him. The parents of Susan, should try to get custody after this occurence, the children are not safe in the Powell's enviroment. A child pornographer and peeping Tom like him, are poison for these children, who are missing their mom.

[moondawg95]

04:08 PM on 09/23/2011

Both have been investigated & I will say, the police, both the Utah & our Pierce County Sherriff''s Dept. have not given up on this case & have followed through with every possible lead to date. I Must commend them on their consistency & dedication in finding out the facts concerning Susan's disappearance! We are still waiting confirmation as to whether or not the children were actually removed last night or not, but at this point, no new news. I pray they will be & will be placed with their maternal grandparents as well. They seem like caring loving people & the children, wouldn't be exposed to all this police activity nor jeopardized by their grandfather's sick mind nor apparent lifesyle. I see the father as cold & emotionless from all the interviews & hope this situation can soon be resolved for all concerned, mainly the boys & Susan's parents.

[Grace Hulbert]

10:27 AM on 09/23/2011

I knew there was something beyond creepy about him!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/authorities-charge-father-in-law-of-missing-utah-mom-with-possession-of-child-porn-voyeurism/2011/09/23/gIQAeDEdpK_story.html

[moondawg95]

04:10 PM on 09/23/2011

To say the very least. His statement about being with Susan was sickening & all I could think of was her parents & how that remark must have affected them. So many people hurt by this too!

[NoSillyName]

06:00 PM on 09/19/2011

Oh, that case! I suspected the husband immediately. That lame story about taking the kids camping in the middle of the night in early December.

http://mormonmatters.org/2009/12/24/josh-powell-and-an-lds-ultimatum-get-active-or-im-leaving-with-the-kids/

[hereisallie]

01:45 PM on 09/19/2011

First they say they found a shallow grave, then they say they found remains, now they say there was no remains. Does anyone know if they used the first report of remains to obtain the search warrant of the husbands house? (I saw a news report from a helicopter during the recent search).

[moondawg95]

02:42 AM on 09/23/2011

Not to my knowledge sallie. The house in Puyallup, is about 10-15 miles from us. From what we heard, this was in regards to initial info found on the computers from that search done in Aug. of this year. They found journals of camping areas where Susan & Josh had gone & were looking into these areas. The area he allegedly took the two kids camping was very close to where this spot was, I believe about 25-30 miles from it. That's why they had the dogs with them for this search. Everyone we've seen in this areas news, have always said that she was definitely Not the type of person to have run off & left her 2 boys behind, she loved them way too much. Her parents live not too far from Josh & his father Steven, who's now been arrested for voyeurism too. Sick dude! Thousands of childrens pictures, naked & in sexully explicit poses & acts, plus of Susan naked & they were done, without Her knowledge our police said as well.

[hereisallie]

09:19 AM on 09/23/2011

Thanks Moon. I do not know all the details of this case, but it is very suspicious to me. It sounds horrible for me to say, but there are just so many places/area's out there, that they may never find the body. I feel so sorry for those boys, they may have been told that their Mom has run away, and might have to be told that their father killed their Mother.

[cuzkate]

08:43 AM on 09/19/2011

Just plain nasty situation. Sad beyond words.

[DDL13]

05:50 AM on 09/19/2011

The husband murdered her, by the time they find her there will be no evidence left to examine and he will not be punished for this crime. Who takes a 2 & 4yr old camping at 12 midnight? no normal sane person and what mother would allow that? He needed an alibi and knew the 4yr old would confirm they were camping. My guess is he killed her before going camping, disposed of her body when the kids were sleeping, went back, woke up the children and went camping. The husband is not off the hook yet, his own father said he believed he did it. I hope they find her but two yrs is a long time.

[mother10]

09:43 PM on 09/18/2011

they need to find this missing mom...

[Toby48]

08:28 PM on 09/18/2011

Have the police ever looked into the father-in-law who was also having sex with the missing wife? Could sexual jealousy have gotten out of hand, ending up with the FIL killing her in an argument over which one would 'have' her?? I saw the older guy in a clip - he was both cocky AND creepy. I'm just sayin'.....

[moondawg95]

02:44 AM on 09/23/2011

Yes & he was just arrested for voyeurism tonight as well. (9-22- 2011) He's one sick dude!

[Toby48]

11:24 AM on 09/24/2011

See, I can aIways 'pick' 'em' out! Thanks for the update, 'moondawg'. Love the dog in your photo-icon too!!

[bboer24456]

05:48 PM on 09/18/2011

I live in UT, so understand I see/hear a lot. Say what you want about Mormons, but remember, that there are 2 morman candidates running for the U.S. Presidency. You don't suppose the authorities and the media are baiting the only person of interest in this case????p.s. Im not mormon...

[jakel95020]

03:19 PM on 09/18/2011

Did you see the segment on tv where her husbands father said he had sex with the sons wife because he wasn't going to let that get away and it was all in the family and her husband had offered her to him. like family sex. Those mormans are sex feinds just look at warren jeffs the other morman recently convicted in texas for sex with 12 year old girls and under 12. There is a pattern with morman males. If we elect one to the whitehouse like romney mabey it will be legal to rape girls 12 and under. Elections matter!!!.

[Amanda Lemke]

05:54 PM on 09/18/2011

That's about the dumbest thing I've read in a while

[Tim Kunk]

01:12 PM on 09/18/2011

Has nancy "hangem without a trial" grace spouted off on this case yet?

[stanleycorp1]

10:20 AM on 09/18/2011

So many killing stories, its a shame and getting to be old news... Oh another one? At the same time, I think the more stories shown can cause new killings to spawn

[amahlicatt]

09:40 AM on 09/18/2011

I cannot believe how many people think so little of the police. Many of them are well educated but you must remember that you get what you pay for. Many of you want perfect results but cannot understand that if you cut the police force in half and pay them one-third of what they are worth the very good ones will move on to a place where they are more appreciated. It almost sounds like what many think of teachers. If all of you think you can do so much better then I challenge you to apply for the job. The police in my city do the best they can with what they have and so do the teachers. People seem to think that if you work for a public agency then you are worthless. How many of you co-operate with the police when they want witnesses? For teachers, how many of you support the school system or read to your child from the day they were born. Just remember that when you point a finger at someone that there are still three fingers pointing at you.

[marriea]

08:39 AM on 09/18/2011

Everyone who reports the 'news'? nowadays is on this 'first to report it' kick. But often times, the 'news' that they are reporting is incomplete. I believe Susan Powell is probably dead. And it's a very big assumption that the husband is responsible for her death. But what does it say about the police who report this misinformation? If the husband did do it, I'm sure the remains are hidden in a very good spot. So I can imagine when the police reports of remains found that isn't where he buried or dumped it, I'm sure he has a smug reassurance attached to his demeanor. This case reminds me of the Drew Petersen case in Ill. There's also another case in Ill in which the mother disappeared and haven't been heard of since. I suspect these women were put in a container of acid. As for Susan Powell, in the mountains of Utah, her remains might never be found as she has probably become food for some wild scavenger. Only the killer know for sure and he or it ain't talking.

[gailwynds331]

08:27 AM on 09/18/2011

I find it difficult believing he/husband could outwit the cops.
Our police, FBI, intelligence people are sll failing-big time.
another perfect example is casey anthony......shame on
the people who are supposed to be protecting us. they're
nothing more than the keystone cops

[cOACH48094]

09:05 AM on 09/18/2011

That is so true; I truly believe that aboaut ten percent of the investigative cops are intelligent; Most of them are taking a pay check and hoping to stay out of the way.