December 14, 2009 10:38 AM

Susan Powell, Utah Mom Still Missing, as Police Want to Question Husband Again

By
Edecio Martinez
Topics
Missing
(Personal Photo)
(CBS)
SALT LAKE CITY (CBS/AP) It's been more than a week since Susan Powell, a 28-year-old mother of two, was reported missing Dec. 6 from a Salt Lake City suburb in a case that police call suspicious.

Photo: Susan Powell, 28, after a make-over.

PICTURES: Missing Utah Mother Susan Powell

Now police want to talk to her husband, Josh Powell, one more time, but as each day passes, the mystery deepens.

He previously told police he left his wife and took his boys, ages 2 and 4, on a camping trip around midnight Dec. 6 in subfreezing temperatures.

Photo: Missing Utah mom Susan Powell and family.

PICTURES: Missing Utah Mother Susan Powell

Police said he told them that they slept in a van and returned home Tuesday evening.

Police said that they haven't been able to verify the camping trip because snow had covered the site — Simpson Springs on the historic Pony Express Trail in Utah's west desert.



PICTURES: Missing Utah Mother Susan Powell

West Valley City Police Capt. Tom McLachlan says 30 detectives have been working on the case and several of them were on duty Sunday, fielding any tips or leads they can get from the family or friends.

Susan Powell disappeared without taking her purse or cell phone or other items "that you would normally associate with somebody leaving the house," he said.

Shelby Gifford, a spokeswoman for Powell's family, told The Associated Press Sunday that there's an overriding feeling of helplessness.

"It's really difficult not to have an idea of where she is so that we can even concentrate our search someplace."

She said that Powell's children are weathering the ordeal.

"The family is making a huge effort just to insulate them from ... the stress and trauma of all of this and they seem to be holding up all right."

Many of the family members and friends were fasting, praying and resting Sunday, said Damon Talbot, president of the nonprofit Destiny Search Project. Talbot helps maintain a Facebook page for Susan Powell that was created by her best friend, Kiirsi Hellewell in West Valley City. Hellewell had nothing new to report Sunday afternoon.

"It's still a missing-person case. We don't have any information or fact to move it from that classification," McLachlan said. "But it is very suspicious to us, given the circumstances."


PICTURES: Missing Utah Mother Susan Powell


Add a Comment See all 16 Comments
by careifucan December 16, 2009 10:49 AM EST
Another night gone and this poor lady not found and never will be unless the husband confesses where he tossed her. Why do the police let this bum get by with living his life? You don't need a lot of DNA and crap to figure this out. NO ONE without a serious reason would say they were camping in that weather. It's only going to get down to 17 tonite in my area so guess I'll go make some smores......
not!
Reply to this comment
by msjb1 December 16, 2009 10:10 AM EST
bury the husband in a box underground in the woods check on him daily and see if he wants to talk in 4 or 5 days he will proberly talk or just stop breathing. "end of story"
Reply to this comment
by puzzler125 December 15, 2009 11:28 PM EST
Who the hell takes two little kids camping, spur of the moment, on a Sunday night (which is a work night for most people) and yep, I'm betting he did it.
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by careifucan December 15, 2009 11:14 AM EST
This lady didn't dissappear like he says, he knows where she is and what he did to her. I hope the police wise up and arrest him soon,
crap they could arrest for telling really bad lies, I have never heard so much crap from anyone. Camping my butt, if your going to lie try to tell something some one will believe and this can not be believed.
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by lakota2012 December 15, 2009 10:38 AM EST
Aaaaah....it just can't be the good mormon husband, like 97% of all those in utah.

Reminds me of the Mountain Massacre in 1856, where the good mormons massacred 120 men, women and children, christians traveling through to CA, and still worship joseph smith, the polygamist that found golden plates in his back yard! These people are evil.
Reply to this comment
by bubbajill December 15, 2009 4:52 PM EST
Ahem!!!! You obviously do not know the complete history of the Latter Day Saints. Persecution and death warrants and massacre's followed these pioneers across the country before they found safety. Look up Hauns Mill Massacre. The death warrants from Gov. Boggs of Missouri. There are psychotics all over the world and of every religion. Latter Day Saints ( it is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints just in case you didn't know) believe in Jesus Christ and in God our Heavenly Father. I could easily jump to conclusions about you but I am trying to correct your inaccuracies. We are not "evil". By your sign in name I might think that you are a Lakota , Native American. What if I were to say that all Lakota are evil? I am not by the way saying that. Our beliefs honor our Native Americans but your branding all Latter Day Saints as evil would and is just as wrong.

We honor Joseph Smith as a prophet. WE WORSHIP JESUS CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR!!. Thank you!! :)
by robinsont2 December 17, 2009 12:34 AM EST
Just another anti-mormon trying to get their kicks while there is a real issue to be solved at the moment.
by sean56v December 15, 2009 7:08 AM EST
Someone might had witnessed a murder. If so, the Police offer substantial cash rewards for information that leads to an arrest. Apparent fights or loud disagreements could be an actual homicide, as it occurs.
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by underdogcity December 14, 2009 4:40 PM EST
The husband's alibi is full of extremely large holes. If he is proven innocent of any wrong doing and someone else is implicated in his wife's disappearance, then it definitely would be a very BIG surprise!
Reply to this comment
by superdem1 December 14, 2009 4:18 PM EST
First of all, you never go camping in the winter, it's just miserable. Second of all, you never go camping on a whim, or in the middle of the night, you plan for it carefully and have everything you need, because you can't just run to a store once you're at the campsite. Third of all, you don't go camping with very young children, who are too needy and hard to deal with in a rustic setting, and they don't appreciate what camping is all about. And you certainly don't take very young children camping without their mother - in the middle of the night, in winter, or any other time. This guy has obviously chosen an alibi which defies logic. Now, why he would do that or need an alibi, we can only guess. I'm guessing the mother is dead somewhere, and he probably knows where.
Reply to this comment
by MichiganMom10 December 14, 2009 6:17 PM EST
sad very sad
by dysmn December 14, 2009 10:58 PM EST
Also, he thought he was leaving on Sat night not Sun, the reason he gave for not showing up for work on Monday. Is he that stupid that he thinks anyone believes his story. Except for the cops for now, hopefully they'll wise up.
See all 4 Replies
by national1942 December 14, 2009 12:05 PM EST
My money's on the husband.
Reply to this comment
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