SUSAN POWELL - 28 yo (2009) - Stockton (SW of Salt Lake City) UT

Poster's Note: Susan Powell's case has always bugged me. The husband, Josh, is the penultimate example of creepy and should be nowhere near his kids.
This case began before we had an "Adult" section. It would appear that there are new developments.
Credit Crime Reporter from the Examiner - Cindy Adams

Stockton, Ut. - On Sunday, human remains were
discovered in Tooele County near Stockton, Utah. There is speculation
they may belong to missing woman, Susan Powell.Josh Powell, 34, the only person of interest in his wife’s
disappearance, alleges that the December 2009 night his wife vanished he
and his two young sons—ages 2 and 4—were on a camping trip in freezing
cold temperatures in the remote Tooele County desert area at around
midnight. He claims they slept in a minivan and that when they returned
home the next day, Susan, 28, was gone.

To see photos more photos of Susan, click here.

Only a month later, Powell packed up his children and moved from his Utah home to the Puyallup, Washington area.

To see photos regarding Susan's case, click here.

Attorney Doug Hogan, whose family owns a ranch in the area, found
the yet unidentified remains at about 5 p.m. while checking spring
runoff, Tooele County Sheriff’s Lt. Travis Sharmann told KSL.

Continue reading on Examiner.com: Speculation body found in Utah’s Tooele County is missing woman Susan Powell - National Crime | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/olympics-headlines-in-national/speculation-body-found-utah-s-tooele-county-is-missing-woman-susan-powell#ixzz1MZcEKuv3

(CNN) -- Human remains discovered in the Utah desert belong to
a young male and are not a missing 28-year-old mother, authorities
said, a grim discovery that fuels the mystery and opens a new case.
The fate of Susan Powell, who disappeared in 2009, is still unknown. The
remains discovered in Tooele County over the weekend belonged to a
young man, Sheriff's Detective Lt. Travis Scharmann said. Scharmann said
the state medical examiner is working to determine the cause, time
and other circumstances of his death.
In addition to Powell, authorities must now determine what happened to
the man whose remains were found in the same region on Sunday.
They were ''badly decomposed and scattered throughout a wide area,
possibly by wild animals,'' according to a news release from the
sheriff's office. An attorney found the bones in the area where
his family owns ranch property. Investigators
will likely dig for more body parts, Bill Manion, a medical examiner
for Burlington County, New Jersey, told HLN's Nancy Grace on Monday. "The
most important bones that they can find are the jaw and mandible, part
of the skull, because if we have the teeth, we can be very, very
accurate in identification,'' Manion said.
Meanwhile, the search for the missing woman continues. Josh
Powell says he last saw his wife on a cold December night in 2009 as he
and his two young sons left to go camping in the Tooele County desert
area. Powell's sister reported her as missing.
A month later, Powell and his children moved to the state of Washington.
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/05/18/utah.missing.woman/

Missing woman Susan Powell

Susan Powell’s father-in-law to post her journals online
Jul 15, 2011 07:32AM

The father-in-law of missing West
Valley City woman Susan Cox Powell said Thursday he plans to post
excerpts of her journals online.

Steve Powell claims the journals, which Susan
began at age 8 and continued to about six months after she married Josh
Powell, support his view she was capable of leaving her family to have
an affair. Steve Powell has theorized Susan ran away with Utah resident
Steven Koecher, who was last seen in Henderson, Nev., days after Susan’s
December 2009 disappearance.

Susan’s father, Chuck Cox, criticized the plan and said Steve Powell shouldn’t even be reading the journals.

“I don’t think he has any right to do it,” Cox said. “They’re the private writings of a teenage girl.”

Steve Powell last year posted a journal entry written by one of Susan’s friends on his website, www.susanpowell.org.

The Cox family has criticized the Powells for
their suggestions that a then 28-year-old Susan willingly left her two
young sons, and for not doing more to help find her. Her husband, Josh
Powell, has not spoken with West Valley City police detectives since the
early days of his wife’s disappearance. The Coxes have also criticized
Josh Powell as an abusive and controlling husband.

Josh and Steve Powell, meanwhile, have said
the Cox family has a history of mental illness and Susan’s parents were
emotionally abusive to her.

The Coxes have denied the claims about their
family and called the Koecher theory another effort to take the focus
away from Josh Powell as a suspect in his wife’s disappearance.

Steve Powell said he emailed the FBI and U.S.
Marshals about a month ago with information he wanted them to know, but
on Thursday he declined to offer details. He said Josh Powell still has
no plans to speak with West Valley City police because he is unhappy
with how they treated him in the early days of the investigation.

“They burnt their bridge,” Steve Powell said.

West Valley City police Sgt. Mike Powell, no
relation to the Powell family, on Wednesday declined to comment on
whether investigators had reviewed the journals. The case, he said, is
still “an active investigation.”
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/cougars/52190879-78/powell-susan-steve-josh.html.csp

A new lead in the nearly two-year-old case of missing Utah mom Susan Powell
has investigators scrambling to Nevada, where they say they have a
fresh lead that might help solve the mysterious missing person's case.

"We have received some information, a tip, that we're going to be
following up on, and it's information regarding Susan Powell," said
Utah's West Valley City Police Sgt. Michael Powell, who is not related
to the missing woman.

"We will be in Ely, Nev., tomorrow with a team of detectives," he said.

Sgt. Powell declined to say whether they believe the missing mother might be dead or alive, or comment on the nature of the tip.

Probe Into Susan Powell Disappearance Heads to Ely, Nev.

The Nevada town where investigators will soon be searching is nearly 250
miles southwest of where Susan Powell, then 28, was last seen on Dec.
6, 2009, at the West Valley City, Utah, home she shared with her husband Josh Powell and their two young sons, who were 2 and 4 at the time.

She was reported missing the next day.

Josh Powell, 34, is the only named person of interest in the case and
has maintained that his wife left on her own. He has told authorities
that he had been camping -- in the middle of a blizzard -- with the
couple's sons the night his wife vanished.

In a November 2010 interview with the Salt Lake City Tribune, Josh
Powell described his wife as being "extremely unstable" and said he
feels her mental illness led to her disappearance.

Josh Powell has taken his kids to live with his father, Steven Powell, in Washington state since the disappearance.

A message left for Josh Powell's attorney, prominent criminal defense lawyer Scott Williams, was not immediately returned.

Steven Powell also spoke to the Tribune, saying that the curious wet
spot found by police on the carpet in his son and daughter-in-laws home
after her disappearance was from a clean-up that Susan Powell had done
on a red stain that he said was "probably juice or something."

In an e-mail to ABC News last year, Steven Powell also attributed Susan Powell's disappearance to mental illness.




New Lead in Susan Powell Disappearance


"Clearly we think Susan decided to leave," Steven Powell wrote. "Susan
had an occasional tendency to lose control ... much like her mother."

Susan's friends have previously denied this, saying that the couple would frequently argue and threaten each other with leaving.

"They would get in fights and talk about divorce and she would say: 'I'm
going to take the kids,'" Susan Powell's close friend Kiirsi Hellewell
said. "And he would say, 'No, over my dead body.'"


Susan's family, and even Josh's own sister Jennifer Graves, have said
they feel that he and Steven Powell are covering up something regarding Susan Powell's disappearance.
"Has he kidnapped her, holding her somewhere? Has he killed her?" Graves asked in September. "Who knows?"

"The whole story is just ridiculous, they've made it up, they just want
to make themselves look better, or less guilty I think I should say,"
Graves said.



http://abcnews.go.com/US/break-missing-mom-susan-powell-case/story?id=14333638

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44200283/ns/today-today_news/t/utah-police-launch-nevada-search-missing-mom/#.Tk5nTmH854I

SALT LAKE CITY — New information has prompted authorities to launch a search Friday of the remote mountain desert around Ely, Nev., for a Utah woman who disappeared when her husband went camping with their boys, police said

searching today....

Notes from presser:

He wants the press to go to the search sites . . . huh?

Can't discuss specifics.
Search sites are outside of town.
5 officers at this point.
Want to involve media in the process.
Investigation still very active.
Time spent here depends on follow up.
Looking for specific things - can't mention.

(Timed out. Reloading.)

Officer changing into other clothing for search.
First time here for follow up on this information.
Detectives made pre-emptive drive.
Can't mention information. but it has led them to this area to follow up.
They are there to continue on with active investigation.
Will make way out to search in 10 - 15 minutes.

LIVE VIDEO: Continuing coverage of Susan Powell:



http://www.abc4.com/content/news/top_stories/story/LIVE-VIDEO-Continuing-coverage-of-Susan-Powell/Ee0SsyR9Y0Cpwd4IPjBP2w.cspx

Another day, another desert. They have searched and searched. How many more places within the target zone (distance v. timing) can they go to that they not have already been? They will not find anything out there. She never left the house, so to speak. Why do think this asshat was so quick to vamoose? Just an armchair detective guess; but I'd start digging up the foundation....pull those floors up! This is how the kids could honestly say, "No. Mommy didn't go with us. She stayed at home."

Police invite media to Susan Powell search in Nevada

Updated: 10:27 am | Published: 10:14 a

ELY, Nev. (ABC 4 News) - West Valley City Police spokesman Sgt. Mike Powell announced that investigators would be searching in the wilderness near Ely, Nevada for evidence related to the disappearance of Susan Powell.

Sgt. Powell also invited members of the media to tag along during the search.

Powell refused to elaborate on the source, nature, or any specifics on the new information that led investigators to Ely.

Stay tuned to ABC 4 News and ABC4.com for more on this story.

http://www.abc4.com/content/news/top_stories/story/Police-invite-media-to-Susan-Powell-search-in/KSM6hDHzCkGVE6ltq0gs-w.cspx

By melinda rogers and christopher smart

The Salt Lake Tribune
First published 3 hours ago
Updated 1 minute ago

Ely, Nevada — Officials on Friday morning invited members of the media to accompany officers as they conduct a search for missing Utah mother Susan Cox Powell.

West Valley City Police Sgt. Mike Powell said during a 10 a.m. news conference that five detectives from his department and a total of 40 investigators will assist in a search of "several areas" outside of town.

"This is the first time we have been here to follow up on information that has lead us out here," said Mike Powell, no relation to Susan Powell. "Detectives have made a preemptive drive out here to see what it was that we may be looking at in the event that we did come out here."

Mike Powell said police felt it was "important...to involve the media in the process."

"We will be able to allow the media to follow detectives as they are out conducting their follow up," Mike Powell said. "Part of that follow up is going to include searches and those detectives are actively conducting those searches at this point."

West Valley City police on Thursday issued a statement saying investigators would conduct the search after investigators developed what Mike Powell called "credible" and "important" new information related to Susan Powell’s December 2009 disappearance.
snipped
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/52413989-78/powell-susan-police-mike.html.csp

Police give few details regarding search in Susan Powell case

ELY, Nevada — Police released scant details about why they have set up camp in remote Ely, Nev., in connection with the case of missing West Valley mother Susan Cox Powell.

"The specifics I'm not able to discuss in any detail at all," West Valley Police Sgt. Mike Powell said at a news conference that prompted more questions than provided answers.

Mike Powell attributed the lack of additional information to a court-ordered "secrecy order" and invited members of the media to join him and four police detectives on several searches in areas outside of town. He said the White Pines County Sheriff's Office and members of the Bureau of Land Management would be there to assist as well.

Well over a dozen reporters and photographers were accompanying the searchers late Friday morning. The first search was taking place five miles west of Ely along Highway 50 in a gravel pit below Squaw Peak.

The search appears to be focused on mine shafts.

BLM spokesman Chric Hanefeld warned that there are many mine shafts in the area, both documented and undocumented. He also warned of rattlesnakes and live wires in the area.

Four detectives carrying ropes, riding ATVs, wearing helmets with big lights and climbing gear left an abandoned mine shaft about 11 a.m. They immediately began searching a second abandoned mine shaft farther up the road.

The initial searches were occurring east of an active copper mine, Robinson Mine, near Lane, Nev.

Mike Powell indicated detectives are looking for something specific, but would not specify.

"This is the first time we've been here to follow up on information that led us out here," the sergeant said, yet also said officers had earlier taken a "pre-emptive drive" to Ely.

He said detectives "felt strongly that we needed to follow" up on information that led them to the area.

News stations from Salt Lake City began parking satellite trucks in front of the Ely Public Safety Building Thursday afternoon. West Valley police, however, weren't seen in the city until just before the press conference began. Ely officials referred all questions regarding the search to West Valley.

Around town, many people said they had heard of the Susan Cox Powell case, but they were all surprised to learn of a possible link to the case in Ely. The Ely Times wrote a small article on the front page talking about West Valley police coming to Nevada.

read more>
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=16872231

Friends, family and others react to search for Susan Powell

By Shara Park
August 19th, 2011 @ 3:52pm

SALT LAKE CITY -- Family and friends of Susan Powell were anxiously waiting for the "significant" information police had said they would present in Ely, so when it didn't happen - it left many feeling frustrated.

Jennifer Graves, sister of Josh Powell, says it was like being on an emotional roller coaster while watching the press conference. She says she was waiting for the big announcement that perhaps Susan had been found or that there was a huge break in the case -- but then there was nothing.

"I was expecting more. I was definitely expecting more," she said.

A second media briefing is scheduled for 8 p.m. (MST).

Graves says police have not told her anything about what is happening with the search in Ely. She actually found out about it from a reporter. She says her family has no connection to Ely, and Susan never mentioned it.
"It's been very hard to go through this process and I miss her. Seeing all the footage just brings it all back fresh, makes me miss her all over again." -- Jennifer Graves

Watching the press brought back all the emotions from the past two years for Graves.

"It's been very hard to go through this process and I miss her. Seeing all the footage just brings it all back fresh, makes me miss her all over again," she said. "I was just sitting there crying while I was watching it."

Why police have approached the search so enigmatically is anybody's guess. According to Dave Lundberg, director of UtahDetective.com, police could have leads that turned out to be nothing, and had to save face at the media gathering. It is also possible that they are simply using the media to smoke out a suspect.

Susan's father, Chuck Cox, told KING-TV in Seattle Friday that he was "confused" by the police press conference.

"If you don't have anything, then you don't have anything," he said. "That's what's confusing. Maybe they do have something but why is it being revealed in this way? It's just kind of an odd thing."

He said he was happy to see that police are still working on the case and are dedicated to finding his daughter, but was disappointed by the information that was revealed.

"I was hoping to hear something, so I could say: 'This is what's going on' or have something we could react to," he said. "What it was, was not helpful to anybody at the moment."

Judy Cox, the missing woman's mother, said she went through a variety of emotions awaiting the news and hopes to hear more soon.

"We need closure," she said. "We need to find out the truth and I just really appreciate the police for not letting it become a cold case."

Graves says she is disappointed with today's press conference, and expected more from police, considering the fact that they bought all the media out to Ely.

Looking at a silver lining, she says at least today's press conference has once again brought the spotlight back to the case.

"It will bring a flood of new leads so that I guess we can be grateful for that," she said

Graves is hopeful that during the searches, police will find something that will provide a break in the case, or even closure to her family. But right now, she's waiting along with everyone else to see what happens.

Story written by Shara Park with contributions from Peter Samore and the ksl.com news team.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=16877030

Father-in-law, father of missing Susan Powell argue Saturday in Puyallup, Wash.

By Nate Carlisle, The Salt Lake Tribune

First published 53 minutes ago
Updated 12 minutes ago

Puyallup, Wash. — The father and father-in-law of Susan Powell met face-to-face in front of reporters and cameras for the first time Saturday with each accusing the other of telling lies and not helping to find the missing woman.

Her father, Chuck Cox, and her father-in-law, Steve Powell, raised their voices but otherwise kept their tempers in check. They stood three feet from each other at a busy intersection outside a Fred Meyer store. Members of the Cox family and supporters were waving a banner and signs with Susan Powell’s photo at the spot.

"We were going to get a picture of Chuck Cox," Steve Powell said, turning to reporters. "We believe he’s in violation of a restraining order because Josh shops at this store."

"You own the neighborhood?" Cox asked.

Josh Powell is Susan Powell’s husband and the only one who West Valley City police have named as a person of interest in her December 2009 disappearance. Josh Powell has taken out a temporary restraining order against Cox. A court hearing Tuesday in Tacoma, Wash., is scheduled to consider whether the order should be permanent.

"We wanted to see if [Cox] was here because we wanted to be able to say something at the hearing Tuesday," Steve Powell added.

Powell’s father-in-law had arrived at about 11:15 a.m. local time. He approached Cox and asked why the Coxes picked the intersection.

"How is you coming here helping to find Susan?" Cox asked Steve Powell at one point.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/52424180-78/powell-cox-josh-susan.html.csp

Poster's Note" A repost of my comments which may have been lost in the flurry of "non-news"

Another day, another desert. They have searched and searched. How many
more places within the target zone (distance v. timing) can they go to
that they not have already been? They will not find anything out there.
She never left the house, so to speak. Why do think this asshat was so
quick to vamoose? Just an armchair detective guess; but I'd start
digging up the foundation....pull those floors up! This is how the kids
could honestly say, "No. Mommy didn't go with us. She stayed at home."

Husband of Susan Powell Concocts Police Conspiracy Theory
August 22, 2011 12:55 AM EDT

The husband of missing woman, Susan Powell, wants to meet
with the FBI regarding his missing wife. This all comes conveniently
close to the searches in Ely, Nevada which have been deemed as
"successful" by police. This update comes with some more confusing
behavior displayed by Josh Powell. Why is the husband of the missing
Utah mother acting so strangely?
When Susan Powell vanished around Christmas of 2009,
Josh claims that he had taken their two young
children camping in the middle of the night while a blizzard was going
on. Since her disappearance, police in West Valley, Utah have publicly
acknowledged Josh as their only person of interest and for good reason.
Who in the world takes two young children camping in a blizzard at
night? Seems like he was trying to create an alibi based around whatever
may have happened to Susan Cox Powell.
Now the husband of the missing woman is saying that he will not meet with police on this matter,
as he has remained uncooperative with their investigation. He wants to
meet with the FBI but says he wants them to pay for his lawyer fees as
well. It seems a little strange that he believes he's in the position to
make demands like this, considering he is a person of interest and may
eventually become the prime suspect in this missing persons case.
Meanwhile back in Ely, Nevada, investigators say that they are calling off the search and that it has turned out "successful," though they will not comment on the nature of whatever discoveries they've made, or if
any have been made. Considering that they quoted this renewed search
for Susan Cox Powell "successful," it certainly brings to mind the
possibility that they could have either found a body or perhaps some
other evidence leading them through their investigation. Sources say
that no human remains were found, but what could have led them to say
the search was "successful?"
Anyway, Josh Powell must find it a necessary time to continue a story
based on his wife's disappearance. He says that she is still alive, and
that she ran off on her own free will with a man who also disappeared
from Henderson, Nevada around the same time. He says if people post her picture
in beauty supply stores it might help find her, because she allegedly
had a deep love of beauty supplies. He also says that he believes that
investigators have chosen to search the Ely desert and mines because
they are planning on planting evidence against him.

This seems like a pretty serious accusation to make against police who are
only following standard procedures in investigating the very suspicious
disappearance of his wife. He is, after all, the only person of interest
and the one who claims to have taken two young children camping late
night in the middle of blizzard. How ridiculous is that? If he's telling
the truth, he should at the least be given a good talking-to
about proper child care. But, sadly, it just looks like he's trying to
create some conspiracy to take away from the fact that he is indeed one
suspicious looking individual.
---~~*~~---
©2011 Chelsea
Hoffman is the Author of "Chloe and Louis," and the "Fear Chronicles,"
series of books. She also covers a myriad of true crime stories online.
Visit ChelseaHoffman.Com to follow the blog and contact Chelsea directly.
---~~*~~---

Friends say Steve Powell (FIL) was obsessed with Susan

Video: http://connect2utah.com/news-story/?nxd_id=160927&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=New+Twitter

Families clash over planned release of Susan Powell diaries
By Lindsay Cohen & KOMO Staff
Published: Aug 22, 2011 at 8:29 AM PDT

PUYALLUP, Wash. -- The parents of a woman missing since 2009 say her husband has no right to make public her personal diaries.

The fight over the diaries is the latest in a series of public disputes between the parents of Susan Cox Powell, who disappeared more than 1 1/2 years ago, and her husband, Josh Powell.

Josh Powell and his parents have said they believe Susan ran away with another man and that the journals, which Susan kept until she was 20, bolster this belief.

Susan's father, Chuck Cox, says the theory his daughter ran off has no grounds and he has threatened a lawsuit if the diaries are made public.

"You have no right to those journals," Chuck Cox said to Steve Powell, Josh's father, during a rally for Susan held on Saturday. "Those are my daughter's journals."

Steve Powell said the journals are now his son's property and they will probably be posting them online at susanpowell.org.

KOMO News has seen the journals, but has chosen not to publish them to protect Susan's privacy.

The dispute over the journals were just one part of a public uproar that unfolded as friends of Susan Powell gathered for a rally Saturday to remind residents in the area of her case.

Josh Powell later arrived at the rally and tearfully accused his father-in-law of trying to tear apart the family.

"He is using my sons as nothing but pawns in the media to elicit hate in our family," Josh Powell said, with tears in his eyes. "It's had an impact."

Josh also recently filed for a restraining order against Chuck Cox, accusing Susan's father in court documents of stalking him. A hearing on the restraining order is scheduled for Tuesday.

The public disputes came as investigators wrapped up three days of new searches in the Susan Powell case.

Police said new information led them to search a network of mine shafts in the rugged mountains outside Ely, Nev. Investigators haven't said what they were looking for or exactly what prompted the new search, but dubbed the efforts as "successful."

Susan Powell was last seen Dec. 6, 2009, and was reported missing the next day after she failed to show up for her stockbroker job. She had been seen by friends at church and at dinner the day before.

Her husband, Josh Powell, said he last saw his 28-year-old wife before he left with their two boys, ages 2 and 4, to go on a midnight camping trip in freezing temperatures on the Pony Express Trail, about 80 miles west of Salt Lake City.

Police have said that Josh Powell a person of interest in the case, although he's never been arrested or charged.

Josh Powell said Saturday that he is willing to meet with the FBI and be questioned, but only if the agency will pay for his attorney to be present.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/128183583.html

http://www.abc4.com/content/news/top_stories/story/Washington-state-court-rules-on-protective-order/q6Z-bSHiL0Oa5eU0HVzbzw.cspx
snipped
Reported by: Brent Hunsaker

Video
Images

TACOMA, Washington (ABC 4 News) - State court commissioner to Josh Powell and his father-in-law, Chuck Cox: Stay away from each other.

That was result of a Superior Court hearing this afternoon in Tacoma.

Since Susan Powell disappeared from her West Valley, Utah home 20-months ago, there has been growing tension between Josh and his in-laws.

In just the last few days that tension has exploded in open, verbal battle.

The accusations have been flying: Josh and is father, Steven Powell, threatened to release Susan's childhood journals and accuse the Cox's of being abusive parents.

Cox family friends fired back that Steven Powell was obsessed with Susan, spied on her and wanted her for himself. They say Susan insisted on moving to West Valley City, Utah largely to get away from her father-in-law.

lots going on with the susan powell case - jp and sp were on the morning shows - i sure hope LE was watching them. I will try to find the links.

http://www.abc4.com/content/news/top_stories/story/Did-Joshs-dad-write-love-songs-to-Susan-Cox-Powell/7KshEnAEFk6iU_9liQwcHA.cspx?rss=20&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Did Josh's dad write love songs to Susan Cox Powell?
snipped
Reported by: Brent Hunsaker

Video
Images

Related Links

This is Steve Powell's web site. Hear his songs and read the lyrics.
This is the examiner.com article.

PUYALLUP, Washington (ABC 4 News) - Is Susan Powell's father-in-law sexually obsessed with her? Did he write love songs about her?

Those are some of the new allegations against Steve Powell, father of Josh Powell.

A number of friends of Susan, the West Valley mom who disappeared from her home some 20-months ago, claim Susan confided in them that her father-in-law "creeped her out."

The charge that he wrote love songs about her comes from an Seattle area woman who spoke anonymously with examiner.com.

She told reporter Isabelle Zehnder, "Susan was the the focal point of the songs he wrote and that are posted (online). Those are but a few of the many more songs written about Susan."

She also said, "Steve was 'madly obsessed' with Susan through the time of her disappearance."

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=16923731&nid=960
Allegations of unwanted advances from father-in-law surface in Susan Powell case
By Pat Reavy
WEST VALLEY CITY — The bad blood between friends of Susan Cox Powell and the father of the missing woman's husband — and between members of husband Josh Powell's own family — continued to boil Monday.

Jennifer Graves, Josh Powell's sister who has been estranged from the family since January of 2010, and at least two of Susan Powell's Utah neighbors, say Susan had told them about unwanted advances she had allegedly received from Steve Powell, Josh's father.

Susan Powell was last seen Dec. 6, 2009. Since the West Valley mother of two has disappeared, a cloud of suspicion has surrounded the activities of Josh Powell, her husband, whom police call a person of interest because he refuses to cooperate with them.

Over the weekend, West Valley police searched abandoned mine shafts outside of Ely, Nev., for clues into her disappearance. While that was happening, Chuck Cox, Susan Powell's father, held a honk-and-wave campaign in their hometown of Puyallup, Wash., to remind people that his daughter was still missing.
"It's not true. I never made any advances toward her. I know Susan has said a few things like that. But you'd have to understand Susan, and you'd have to understand that Susan and I had a very close relationship right up until the last time I saw her, which was February 2009." -Steve Powell

As Cox was standing on a street corner holding a sign with Susan's picture, Steve Powell showed up while reporters were present and got into a tense argument with Cox.

The incident came on the heels of Josh Powell filing a restraining order against Cox and Steve Powell wanting to publish his daughter-in-law's diaries from her teen years because he says they show that she was "sexually open."

Monday, Debbie Caldwell, who cared for the Powell children for 19 months leading up to Susan's disappearance, said the confrontation in Washington over the weekend was the last straw.

"Now is a time to say, 'enough is enough,'" she said.

Even though they said they had known the information for awhile and had already given it to police, Caldwell and others are now going public with allegations that Steve Powell made advances on Susan Cox Powell.

Caldwell said Susan told her before she disappeared that she refused to sleep in the same home as her father-in-law and she did not want her children staying in his house.

Steve Powell has denied the allegations.

"It's not true. I never made any advances toward her," he told KUTV. "I know Susan has said a few things like that. But you'd have to understand Susan, and you'd have to understand that Susan and I had a very close relationship right up until the last time I saw her, which was February 2009."

"She really, really despised (Steve Powell). She did not like him at all, did not want to be around him. She called him 'evil' many times." -Michele Oreno, Susan's friend

Josh Powell said Monday his missing wife had a "flirtatious" personality and she was "very open about her sexuality."

But Graves defended Susan Powell Monday, saying it was her father who made advances on Susan.

Before Susan and Josh Powell moved to Utah, Susan was riding in a car with Steve one day. According to Graves, Susan told her that Steve Powell "said something along the lines of, 'Why don't we just share? Josh and I can just share you.' It totally freaked her out."

It was because of that incident, and other small incidents, that Susan and Josh moved to Utah, Graves said. She said her brother was initially angry at his father when he learned of the alleged incident, but later smoothed things over with Steve Powell.

But Susan Powell never trusted her father-in-law, Graves said. "She was totally freaked out about my dad."

Michele Oreno, a friend and neighbor of Susan Powell, recalled a time when Susan and Josh came over for dinner and ended up getting into a heated argument. During the argument she mentioned advances Steve Powell allegedly made on her, she said.

"She really, really despised him. She did not like him at all, did not want to be around him," Oreno said. "She called him 'evil' many times."

Oreno claimed Susan Powell told her that Steven Powell tried to kiss her in a romantic way and tried other inappropriate actions.

"She said if he ever came to Utah he was not to set foot in their home. She would not have her home destroyed by him," Oreno recalled.

Alina Powell, who is Josh's sister and Steve's daughter, also disputed the claims of the advances and harshly scolded her estranged sister.

"Susan has been incredibly flirtatious with my father, but he has never made any advance on her. He has always been very welcoming of her in the family," Alina Powell said. "She was like a daughter to him. She was the daughter that Jennifer Graves never was."

Any hugging or kissing that happened was the type of hugs that Alina's father would give her, she said, adding that Steve Powell never "crossed the boundary."

Susan Powell's Husband Breaks Silence
Josh Powell gives his first interview since his wife disappeared in 2009.
05:10 | 08/25/2011
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/susan-powell-missing-womans-husband-speaks-time-14377803

"I was a good husband"

notice the past tense in the interview he gave?