Susan Powell -- Missing 12/7/09

I sincerely doubt Steven Powell will talk. I believe he was an accessory before and/or after the fact. He knows perfectly well if he gives up the location of the body, it will likely come back on him. If he was guaranteed immunity he might, but I doubt it. It serves his sick, twisted mind to leave everyone hanging. Perhaps prison justice might mete out appropriate punishment.

I totally agree, Wisteria. He will never talk and I believe he does know.

After listening to the social worker tell the 911 operator that Josh Powell had just been to court and he didn't get his kids back, I would say she didn't think home visits were in the best interest of the boys. It's too late for those precious children now but as the POI in his wife's disappearance, that should never have been allowed to begin with. Parental rights only go so far, children are not property. The court was well aware that Josh had done everything to keep those boys to himself and the walls were closing in on him.

I saw many other sites where they were trash talking the lady who was meant to be supervising the visits. Saying that she must have been in the car and let the kids go well ahead of her and how she only called 911 to cover her butt. With the release of these 911 calls, I hope they all have it within them to swallow their pride and admit that she did what she could.

That first 911 operator had me more riled up than anything. Like he wasn't paying attention to anything she said or taking it seriously at all.

~Snipped~ from 911 call:


Griffin-Hall: OK, it is... I still can’t find it. He’s on a very short leash with DHSH, he looked right at me and closed the door.

Hi Linden, I saw some of those as well. She did everything she could. I was waiting for the 911 operator to ask her what she was wearing and then explain how would she know what gas really smelled like. I mean come on!

And then JP's loving and supportive sister, Alina. Whining about the abuse that her brother has suffered.




Call from Alina Powell, who is sobbing throughout the call, sometimes becoming too garbled to understand


Alina Powell: I think my brother might be in trouble or something.


Dispatcher: what’s going on with your borther


Alina Powell: I don’t know. He’s sending weird emails and stuff.


Dispatcher: What’s his address?


Alina Powell: I don’t know his address offhand. I just know how to get there.


Dispatcher: I’ve got to know something. Is he’s in Puyallup?


Alina Powell: I don’t know, I can drive there and I can tell you.


Dispatcher: What’s his last name?


Alina Powell: Powell


Dispatcher: And his first name?


Alina Powell: Josh


Dispatcher: What makes you think there’s a problem with Josh?


Alina Powell: (crying) There’s been a lot of abuse against him and he’s really upset.


Dispatcher: What’s your name?


Alina Powell: My name is Alina, and I’m his sister.


Dispatcher: And what’s your last name?


Alina Powell: Powell.


Dispatcher: Howell with an H?


Alina Powell: No with a P. There are emails and stuff and he left me a voicemail thing that got forwarded. He said something like he can’t live without his sons and (high-pitched moan) and goodbye and (crying)


Dispatcher: What’s Josh’s number?


Alina Powell: Gives number.


Dispatcher: How long ago did you receive this message?


Alina Powell: I don’t think it came in at 11 after [doesn’t give the hour, just the minutes] I just saw it a few minutes ago.


Dispatcher: Does he live at 189th Street Court East?


Alina Powell: I think that’s our house, I don’t know.


Dispatcher: Does he live on 189th street Court East?


Alina Powell: I don’t know it’s so close.


Dispatcher asks for physical description.


Dispatcher: Was he going to have supervised visits today?


Alina Powell: I think so. He normally does.


Dispatcher: This is the Josh that has been in the media?


Alina Powell: Yes, the one who has been abused by everyone. (crying).


The boys are 5 and 7.


Dispatcher: What’s the inside phone number there?


Alina Powell: At my house?


Dispatcher: The house at 189th.


Alina Powell: I don’t know. He only has a cell phone.


Dispatcher: Did he say he’d harm himself?


Alina Powell: No, he was just saying goodbye. (crying)


Dispatcher: (Attempts to calm her down). The more you’re getting worked up the less helpful it is for me. 189th street Court East is what I’m seeing.


Alina Powell: That could be it, that sounds about right.


Dispatcher: How long has he lived there for?


Alina Powell: A few months, four or five months, like October or something. I know it’s been hard on him, the abuse has been extremely difficult.


Dispatcher: What else did the email say?


Alina Powell: He sent several emails about how to handle his property and his utilities. They started a while ago, I didn’t think anything of it. They started early this morning. They were just weird emails. There was some kind of forward or something. I just missed it.


Dispatcher: I think I have a valid address, if there’s a way to get it confirmed...


Alina Powell: I’d have to drive there.


Dispatcher: Is he home by himself ?


Alina Powell: I don’t know. He might be.


Dispatch: I’m going to start a welfare check. What does he drive?


Alina Powell: A light blue minivan, but it won’t be in the driveway. It will be in the garage.


Dispatcher: I need to know if you can get a confirmed address.


Alina Powell: The only way I can do it is to drive over there, but I’m terrified to drive over there.


Dispatcher: You don’t have to make contact. An officer will do that.


Alina Powell: I’m not afraid of him, he’d never hurt me, I’m afraid [of what I’ll find] (garbled crying)


Dispatcher: I need you to take a deep breath and calm down, I need you to calm down, it’s not helpful for you to cry and not help us with our information.

[Continues to try to calm her down] Is there any way for you to get confirmation of his address?


Alina Powell: Only driving over there.


Dispatcher: If you don’t want to drive over there, I understand . If you get a different address call us right back .


Alina Powell: OK


Dispatcher: Bye bye.


Alina Powell: Bye. (crying)


END OF CALL

And the call from JP's attorney, Jeff Bassett. He had more important things to do that day! Don't bother calling me back, I'll be busy on stage all afternoon. How ironic.......





» Call from Jeff Bassett, Josh Powell’s attorney


Bassett: This is attorney Jeff Bassett calling. I’m not sure who I need to call, but I’m Josh Powell’s attorney and I understand he had an explosion and I have some information.


Dispatcher: What kind of information?


Bassett: If it was an accident or if it was more than that.


Dispatcher: What do you have?


Bassett: I have an email from my client, and that email gives me every indication this was intentional.


Dispatcher: And your client was Josh Powell?


Bassett: I just found out about all this.


Dispatcher: Can you give me a synopsis of what it says?


Bassett: Basically it says "I’m sorry. Goodbye." I haven’t seen it myself but I just called home and was told it was in my inbox.


Dispatcher: Was there any other information in the email?


Bassett: Not to my knowledge. I just found out about the explosion and called home and told it was timed at 12:05.


Dispatcher: I appreciate your patience.


Bassett: If you want I can look for it while you’re on the phone. It will be on my cell phone.


Dispatcher: Go ahead, sir.


Bassett: Just a second. That is all it says, I just checked it. It’s 12:05. It says I’m sorry period goodbye period.


Dispatcher asks for phone number and asks if Bassett needs to be called back.


Bassett: It’s not necessary, I’m, unfortunately, I’m in the middle of a closing day performance of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest" and I’ll be on stage between 3 and 5:30.


Dispatcher: I’ll give them your information. If you receive any other emails, let us know.


END OF CALL

Updated 42 minutes ago.

Funeral for Powell boys moved to Tacoma church

Source: AP State News
Originally published: Feb 8, 2012 - 11:30 am

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) - The funeral for the two sons of missing Utah woman Susan Powell has been moved to a larger church.

The Curnow Funeral Home in Sumner says the funeral for 7-year-old Charlie and 5-year-old Braden was moved "due to overwhelming response from the community."

Read more:
http://mynorthwest.com/174/624380/Funeral-for-Powell-boys-moved-to-Tacoma-church

I am so sad for these two little boys. I just can not understand how a parent can kill their own children! And to think he chopped at them with an ax is horrifying.

Excerpt from an article on the socia worker's call to 911:

Jupiterimages/Thinkstock(GRAHAM, Wash.) -- Moments before Josh Powell ignited a gas-fueled explosion at his home, killing himself and his two children, a locked-out child services worker pleaded with a 911 operator to get police to the home because she feared for the two boys' lives.

Elizabeth Griffin-Hall, who had brought the boys to Powell's home for a supervised visit, called 911 after she said the man let the two boys into the house but slammed the door in her face.

"Nothing like this has ever happened before -- one of these supervised visits. I'm really shocked," she said in the 911 call, one of seven released Tuesday evening. "I can hear the kids crying but he still wouldn't let me in."

She told the 911 operator she wanted to move her car out of the driveway because she smelled gas coming from the house, and then asked for police to be sent to the home. But the 911 operator said officers only get sent to life-threatening situations.

"This could be life-threatening," she said. "He went to court on Wednesday and he didn't get his kids back. I'm afraid for their lives."

Moments later, with Powell's house engulfed in flames, she called back and told a 911 operator she believed he intentionally blew up the house, killing himself and his children.


I had hoped that maybe JP managed to knock them out before they were aware of what was happening, but they were crying.

How can the sister claim Josh would never hurt her? It seems he's not afraid of hurting anyone. Her whining about poor Joshy Boy being abused. The public has a right to censure people who transgress societal mores, even if there isn't enough evidence to bring charges.

I read that WVPD were aware of the boys' statements about Mommy in the trunk and had told the family that they thought they would be able to file charges soon. I know the comment boards in Salt Lake are blasting WVPD for claiming that an arrest was forth coming in the foreseeable future after the fact, but this shows that an arrest was already anticipated. Perhaps Josh had caught wind of it, or perhaps he expected it because he knew the boys were remembering more than was convenient.

Steve Powell Not Talking, Prosecutors Say No Deal Planned
(KUTV) WASHINGTON – The chief prosecutor handling the Josh Powell case says no deals are in the works or on the table with Josh's dad.

Steven Powell remains behind bars in a Washington jail on charges of voyeurism and child pornography.

Dan Rascon is in Washington and sat down with the county attorney about the Powell case.

This is a case that even top prosecutors who have dealt with all kinds of awful crimes can't believe.

With the death of Josh and his two sons, the one man left who may know something is Josh Powell’s father Steven.

But he's not talking.

Mark Lindquist is the Pierce County Chief prosecutor – the man who is overseeing the investigation into the horrific murder here at the home of Josh Powell.

Lindquist is also handling the disturbing case against Josh Powell’s father Steven.

Steven's is behind bars here at the Pierce County Jail on charges of voyeurism and child pornography.

Steven is the one man Utah investigators want to talk to.

But sheriff’s deputies say he's on suicide watch and saying nothing.

Lindquist says he wants to make one thing very clear about Steven Powell.

"No deal has been proposed to us by Steven Powell or his attorney. Absolutely no deals have been offered by us. If Steven Powell wants to start talking we’ll listen,” he said.

Steve Powell’s arrest last year is the reason Josh Powell lost custody of his children.

Josh is the only person of interest in his wife Susan Cox Powell’s disappearance back in December 2009 in West Valley City, Utah.

(Copyright 2012 Sinclair Broadcasting Group)

KSL television just reported that police say Josh took out a $1,000,000 life insurance policy on Susan. They informed the Coxes that they anticipated filing charges last September, but nothing ever came of it.

Sheriff unhappy with 911 dispatcher in Josh Powell case

In 911 call, worker fears for Powell's sons

POSTED: Wednesday, Feb. 08, 2012


By MIKE BAKER and GENE JOHNSON - Associated Press

SEATTLE - A 911 recording reveals a social worker's urgent attempts over more than six minutes to get a dispatcher to send deputies after Josh Powell locked himself and his two sons in his home.

The social worker tried repeatedly to relay the gravity of what was going on. Josh Powell was scheduled for a supervised visit with his sons Sunday, but he slammed the door in her face - then used a hatchet on his sons and torched the building in a gas-fueled inferno. All three were killed.

In the first minutes of the 911 call, the woman laid out the situation.




Read more here: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/02/08/2385084/in-911-call-worker-fears-for-josh.html#storylink=cpy

Warrant shows Josh Powell took $7,000 out of bank

POSTED: Wednesday, Feb. 08, 2012



Editor’s note: An item below contains a description of an explicit image.

A search warrant affidavit filed in Pierce County Superior Court on Tuesday showed Josh Powell withdrew $7,000 from a South Hill bank branch Saturday.


A teller at the Bank of America branch at 176th Street and Meridian contacted Pierce County sheriff’s detectives Sunday to notify them of the withdrawal, the affidavit states.

The teller did not ask Powell why he was making the withdrawal.


Detectives seized transaction records and photographs of Powell taken by bank security cameras, the affidavit states.


Powell killed his young sons, Charlie, 7, and Braden, 5, about 24 hours later.

Read more here: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/02/08/2385035/warrant-shows-josh-powell-took.html#storylink=cpy

I had wondered when the $7,000 withdrawal had been reported. Apparently, after the murders and explosion. That's a huge red flag to withdraw that kind of cash at one time for a POI in a missing persons case when the walls are caving in on him.

Was he going to flee with the boys and changed his mind, did he leave the cash in a secret location for his sister and brother that support him to help their perv father. Maybe they all had a plan to leave the country if that million dollar policy on Susan ever panned out for them. I'd go as far to bet that cash didn't go up in his inferno, I'm sure money meant more to him than his wife and innocent children.

Wisteria, thanks for the info on that life insurance policy. I had never heard that. It sheds another light on this evilness.

The last paragraph of the article I posted above:

~Snipped~

EXPLICIT DRAWING



An attorney representing Susan Powell’s parents, Chuck and Judy Cox, has described the explicit image referred to in Josh Powell’s last custody hearing.


The drawing depicted a sword inserted through a woman’s vagina and coming out the woman’s throat.


Powell learned at the Feb. 1 custody hearing that he would not get his boys back until at least July and that he had to submit to a psychosexual evaluation and polygraph test. The judge’s ruling came after West Valley City police found sexually explicit images on a computer in Powell’s Utah home during a 2009 search.


Read more here: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/02/08/2385035/warrant-shows-josh-powell-took.html#storylink=cpy

What is a psychosexual evaluation?

Updated: 2/07 6:16 pm | Published: 2/07 5:09 pm




SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) – Last Wednesday Josh Powell was ordered to undergo a psychosexual evaluation during a custody hearing in Washington. Experts say it’s an invasive test reserved for extreme cases.

Jeff Bassett, Josh Powell’s attorney strongly refuted the latest evidence presented against him February 1, 2012. "He denies ever looking at any kiddie porn, he denies any knowledge of any of these images that have purportedly been take off of his computer."

Those images were unlocked by West Valley Police, and when presented, were enough for a doctor to order a psychosexual evaluation. Salt Lake City legal expert Greg Skordas says it's an unusual order in a custody battle. "It means that judge was concerned about something that he had done, something that he had said, or something they found at his house that led them to think he was a sexual predator."

Donald Strassberg, PhD, is a University of Utah Professor of Clinical Psychology. He says the psychosexual evaluation includes personality tests, and very specific questioning. “You are looking at their sexual histories, asking them basically about their sexual behavior growing up and their family as adolescents, and as adults."

He says psychosexual evaluations are typically restricted to those known to have committed a crime. “It’s pretty much restricted to the evaluation of men who are known, or suspected, to have committed some kind of sexual violence, child molestation, rape or some kind of sexual offense.”

The evaluation includes physical testing. “The unique aspect of the psychosexual evaluation involves trying to find what kind of stimuli, what kind of circumstances are they most sexually interested in- so while the person is being exposed to the sexual stimuli, their arousal level is being accessed."


Read more:
http://www.abc4.com/content/news/top_stories/story/What-is-a-psychosexual-evaluation/QTZ0Fy86mUeeR4Am7y9ipg.cspx

~Snipped~

The PPG test ordered for Josh Powell is also accompanied by a lie detector test. Josh had refused to take polygraph tests in the past. Dr. Strassberg says it’s another tool used l to get information from someone who may not want to be forthcoming. "That too is unusual in custody cases, but it's yet one other way to try to get at the truth."

Dr. Strassberg says neither of the tests is infallible but do help create a portrait of the person being evaluated. “The psychosexual evaluation is designed to try to understand someone's sexual personality what they are like as a sexual being."


Josh Powell was in line for an up close and very personal look into the depths of his darkness.

EXPLICIT DRAWING

An attorney representing Susan Powell’s parents, Chuck and Judy Cox, has described the explicit image referred to in Josh Powell’s last custody hearing.

The drawing depicted a sword inserted through a woman’s vagina and coming out the woman’s throat.

Powell learned at the Feb. 1 custody hearing that he would not get his boys back until at least July and that he had to submit to a psychosexual evaluation and polygraph test. The judge’s ruling came after West Valley City police found sexually explicit images on a computer in Powell’s Utah home during a 2009 search.

Read more here: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/02/08/2385035/warrant-shows-josh-powell-took.html#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy

I have yet to find any links regarding the million dollar insurance policy. KSL is covering the 10nth anniversary of the opening ceremonies of the the 2002 Olympic Games and think someone is asleep on the job, metaphorically speaking. I'm a little surprised not to have found the story picked up on other sources yet. Apparently JP took out the policy nearly a year before his wife disappeared. It begs the question of how he thought he'd collect if he insisted that his wife had run off with another man, but then logic and rational thought seem to have little in common with JP.

Wisteria-I only found 2 links that mention the life insurance policy.

"But Steve Downing, who represents the Coxes, revealed that Josh Powell bought a $1 million life insurance policy on his wife a year before she disappeared. Downing said Josh Powell also was telling friends about how to dispose of a body without being caught."
http://m.sltrib.com/sltrib/mobile/53470987-78/powell-josh-nielsen-case.html.csp

"I think the Cox family is concerned about the million dollar life insurance policy that Josh allegedly took out on his wife a year before she disappeared," Downing said.
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=960&sid=19162751

APNewsBreak: 8 minutes to send cops to Powell home

MIKE BAKER and GENE JOHNSON
Associated Press

TACOMA, Wash. — Emergency call logs show that nearly eight minutes elapsed between when a social worker called 911 to report that Josh Powell's children were in danger and when sheriff's deputies were dispatched, and it took another 14 minutes for a deputy to get to the home.

Read more:
http://ap.savannahnow.com/pstories/us/20120208/952966608.shtml

How odd, I read the article hours ago and even left a comment, yet I missed the part about the insurance policy. I guess my brain is over-saturated with print media and it wasn't until I heard it that it registered.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/02/07/1062711/-DISGUSTING-Westboro-Haters-to-Picket-Funerals-of-Boys-Killed-by-Father

[snipped] The Westboro Baptist Church just announced they will picket the funeral of Charlie and Braden Powell, who were killed earlier this week by their father. From the Twitter feed of Margie Phelps, daughter of the haters' founder Fred Phelps:

"Westboro will picket the funerals of the Powell boys Sat 02/11 @ 12:15p to remind GOvernor Gregoire they died because of her rebellion." [snipped]

DISGUSTING! KH

Oh my god! Not the Westboro wackos!! This is insane!

Caseworker who dropped Powell kids off struggling, husband says

Posted: 4:58 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012


Larry Benson


SEATTLE —


The husband of the caseworker who called 911 shortly before Josh Powell set off an explosion at his home Sunday that killed him and his two sons said the woman is still too shaken up to speak about the experience and is suffering from post-traumatic stress.



That man, Larry Benson, said his wife, Elizabeth Hall, called him right after she called 911 as she stood in horror watching the house with Powell and his two boys inside burn.

Read more:


http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/caseworker-who-dropped-powell-kids-struggling-husb/nHX93/

Grandfather of slain boys responds to Powell family’s statement

Posted: 12:40 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012


~Snipped~
PUYALLUP, Wash —


Chuck Cox, the grandfather of the two boys slain by Josh Powell, reacted to a statement put out by Powell’s aunt and uncle.


Powell family statement:

"...We feel that this family tragedy was set into motion from the beginning, due in part to the various questionable government agencies' practices, religious bias, the Internet kangaroo courts, and sensationalized news media,” the statement said.



Mr. Cox response:

"What about his actions? They're talking about the media and the system and all that, and that's the whole thing. But what about your own actions? What about being a loving father? About being a loving husband?" said Cox.

Concerning the media coverage, Cox said he had little sympathy for Powell.

Read more:
http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/grandfather-slain-boys-responds-powell-familys-sta/nHXxd/

khintx wrote:http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/02/07/1062711/-DISGUSTING-Westboro-Haters-to-Picket-Funerals-of-Boys-Killed-by-Father

[snipped] The Westboro Baptist Church just announced they will picket the funeral of Charlie and Braden Powell, who were killed earlier this week by their father. From the Twitter feed of Margie Phelps, daughter of the haters' founder Fred Phelps:

"Westboro will picket the funerals of the Powell boys Sat 02/11 @ 12:15p to remind GOvernor Gregoire they died because of her rebellion." [snipped]

DISGUSTING! KH

Seriously? Get a life people, go picket somewhere else!
Not these little boys funeral!

Who are these Westboro people and what did the boys ever do to them?

Wisteria wrote:Who are these Westboro people and what did the boys ever do to them?

They are a sick bunch of church members (Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church) who like to picket soldiers' funerals and shouting that God is judging America and they bless the weapons that killed the soldiers...they are vile creatures.

Very well said, Sherry!!

Mother said Josh Powell threatened her

According to statements made in divorce papers by Josh Powell's mother, Powell once threatened his mother with a butcher knife, exhibiting violent behaviors that culminated with him killing himself and his sons.

Published: Feb. 9, 2012 at 1:38 PM


TACOMA, Wash., Feb. 9 (UPI) -- The mother of Josh Powell, who killed himself and his sons in a fire in Washington state, said in divorce papers he exhibited disturbing behavior as a teenager.

Terrica Powell said her son once threatened her with a butcher knife when she asked him to do the dishes, ABC News reported. In court documents from the 1992 proceeding obtained by ABC, Terrica Powell said her son also attempted suicide.





Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2012/02/09/Mother-said-Josh-Powell-threatened-her/UPI-59251328812737/#ixzz1lvGsZe2A

Too bad he didn't do it back then. Susan would still be alive, and perhap married to a good christian man with whom she could have had children.

www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=19176835&title=worker-josh-powell-told-son-he-had-surprise-&s_cid=featured-1

What a sadistic bastard! No doubt he was "giving" the surprise to Charlie while Braden cried. I'm sure Susan was surprised by him as well.

What I want to know is why didn't Mrs. Powell fight for custody if she though SP was a bad influence or petition that they be placed in foster care if she couldn't have them herself? Perhaps none of this would have happened if someone had intervened during childhood.

That Josh was killing hamsters doesn't surprise any of us, it is a classic behavior in truly disturbed criminals.

I wonder what they expect to find in a landfill in Washington state. I would have expected Josh to dispose of anything to do with Susan's disappearance long ago and (if it were me) somewhere between Utah and Washington on one of his two trips between states when he relocated.

www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53480923-78/powell-police-roach-washington.html.csp

Puyallup, Wash. • Police here are searching a landfill after receiving a tip that Josh Powell may have taken papers there shortly before he murdered his children and committed suicide in the fire he set at his home.

Investigators from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office searched a cordoned off area of a waste disposal site and recycling center near Powell’s Graham area home on Thurday, but the effort had so far failed to yield anything relevant to the case, said office spokesman Ed Troyer.

Search efforts will resume Sunday, Troyer said. Investigators had received a tip that Powell may have taken office paper to the recycling center on Saturday, according to Don Taylor, assistant district manager for LRI Hidden Valley, which owns the landfill.

Taylor said there are no security cameras on site, and Saturday was one of the site’s busiest days on record as people disposed of debris from a recent storm.

As investigators continue their search for clues that could complete a timeline of Powell’s activities leading up to the Sunday blaze or solve the case of his wife’s 2009 disappearance, one lawmaker was calling for a review of the custody case involving the Powell children.

Saying it was "outrageous" to grant Powell visitation with his sons, a state senator said Thursday she wants to see what West Valley City police shared with the Washington agency in charge of child welfare here.

"This material should be made public," said Sen. Pam Roach, a Republican whose district includes part of the county where Powell murdered his children. "I want to see it all."
Roach this week sent a public records request to the Department of Social and Health Services asking for the materials West Valley City police sent the agency before the supervised Sunday visit. A social worker told dispatchers that Charlie, 7, and Braden, 5, were a single step ahead of her when they entered Powell’s home and he locked her out.

West Valley City police, who have been investigating the disappearance of Susan Powell, last week confirmed they sent information related to the welfare of the Powell children to Washington authorities. A department spokesman on Thursday declined to elaborate on what that information was.

An attorney representing the state at a Feb. 1 custody hearing in Pierce County Superior Court characterized the information as explicit images gleaned from a computer during a 2009 police search of the Powell home in Utah.

DSHS spokesperson Sherry Hill said Thursday a child welfare worker was allowed to review the images, and Pierce County also shared them with a psychologist who then recommended Powell undergo a psychosexual examination and polygraph test. A judge overseeing the custody case ordered the examinations following the Feb. 1 hearing.

Without the psychologist’s recommendation, the department "likely" would have started on a plan to transition the children home to Josh Powell, Hill said. Thomas Shapley, another department spokesperson, added that the images were the only materials West Valley City police shared from the Powell home they thought were concerning.

"At no time did our department get any bulletins, briefings, red flags, warnings — anything like that — warning of the boys’ safety," he said.

The agency is already planning its own internal review of how the deaths occurred.

While she waits for the agency to process her request, Roach is convinced mistakes were made in Washington. DSHS and the judge overseeing the custody case were working toward returning the children to Powell, Roach said, despite concerns the boys had been exposed to pornography.

The children were removed from Powell’s custody and placed in the care of their maternal grandparents after Powell’s father, Steve Powell, was arrested in September on charges of voyeurism and child pornography. Prosecutors allege Steve Powell photographed two girls who were his neighbors at the time through the windows of their homes. Powell and his sons had been living in his father’s home before the arrest, but Powell had denied knowing anything about his father’s alleged activities.Roach doesn’t believe the denial.

"Just the judgment of Josh Powell allowing his children to be in a home where he knew his father was engaged in pornographic behavior was enough" to deny visitation, Roach said Thursday.

The suspicions that Powell murdered his wife, or at least the judgment he showed with his claim that he took his then 4- and 2-year-old sons camping in a snowstorm the night she disappeared, should have been factors for denying visits, too, Roach said.

"Whether this points to the judge [making mistakes], whether this points to DHS, we need to find out," Roach said.

While DSHS is obligated to process her records request, it’s unclear how much weight Roach’s criticisms will carry in Washington. Her colleagues in the state legislature have censured her twice.

Washington authorities have already pledged to examine the role of emergency dispatchers who handled the social worker’s 911 call. Recordings of 911 calls and logs obtained by the Associated Press show it took 22 minutes from when the call was made to when sheriff’s deputies arrived at Powell’s home.

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant on a storage shed owned by Powell earlier this week, but the results of that search have not yet been made public.

Both of Powell’s children suffered chop injuries believed to have been caused by a hatchet before they died in the fire set by their father. Powell sent goodbye emails and voice mails to family members prior to the murders, but not in enough time to stop them, police have said.

In one voice mail aired by ABC’s Good Morning America, Powell provided his only explanation for the crimes: "I am not able to live without my sons and I’m not able to go on anymore." Police have said he made no mention of his missing wife in any of the messages.

Powell’s sister, Alina Powell, has said she believes her brother was the victim of harassment and abuse following the disappearance. In a story aired on Good Morning America Thursday Alina Powell said she still believes her brother is innocent in his wife’s disappearance.

Alina Powell told the network she felt "this was the act of somebody who had been so damaged by the lack of due process, so harassed and abused and lied about" that he felt there was no other way to spare himself and his children emotional and physical pain.

West Valley Police have said they are still investigating the disappearance of Susan Powell and are working with Washington authorities.

— Brooke Adams contributed to this report.

ncarlisle@sltrib.com

From Wisteria's link upthread.

Worker: Josh Powell told son he had 'surprise'

By Sam Penrod and The Associated Press

February 9th, 2012 @ 6:10pm


WARNING: The article below contains disturbing details about the Powell case.

SEATTLE — The Washington state social worker who was supposed to supervise a visit between Josh Powell and his young sons says Powell told his oldest boy he had a "surprise" for him moments before attacking and killing the children.

Social worker describes Sunday's event

Elizabeth Griffin-Hall said in an interview to air on ABC's "20/20" on Friday that Powell slammed the door on her after he had the children inside the house on Sunday. Hall said she banged on the door to try to get inside and heard Powell tell 7-year-old Charlie: "I've got a big surprise for you." She also heard 5-year-old Braden crying.

Authorities said Powell used a hatchet on his children, then set a house fire that killed them all.

Read more:
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=19176835&title=worker-josh-powell-told-son-he-had-surprise-&s_cid=featured-1

Phelps also suggests that blame for the boys' deaths lies with Gov. Christine Gregoire, who is poised to sign a bill approving same-sex marriage: "This is why God's cursed you w Josh Powells blowing up kids," she tweeted, and then pointed to a headline about the pending legal action.

News of the church plans were immediately followed by Occupy Seattle's plans to counterprotest: "Westboro Baptist Church will B picketing a tragic funeral #OccupySeattle will B gathering 2 shield mourners from them," the movement tweeted.

latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2012/02/westboro-baptist-church-funeral-josh-powell-children-.html

Bravo, Occupyseattle!

Detective: Josh Powell computer depicted parent-child sex

Nightly News

Josh Powell and his sons.
By NBC News, msnbc.com staff and news services

SEATTLE -- A computer in Josh Powell's former home in Utah had animated images that depicted "incestuous" sex between parent and child, Pierce County authorities said, and a state official said the material prompted a judge to order Powell to undergo a psycho-sexual evaluation just days before he killed his children and himself.

Pierce County Sheriff's Detective Ed Troyer told The Associated Press on Thursday night that the images collected by investigators in Utah two years ago were realistic computer-generated depictions of "incestuous" parent-child relations.

The documents and images were recovered by police in West Valley, Utah, and sent to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department under a restrictive court order on Feb. 1, NBC station KING 5 reported. According to Washington's Department of Social and Health Services Public Affairs Senior Director Thomas Shapley, the material prompted the court to stop a process that likely would have returned Charlie, 7, and Braden, 5, to their father's custody.
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Shapley said the material found on the computer was so disturbing that it prompted the state psychologist consulting in the custody case to change his opinion and recommend that the court prevent the return of the children.

An attorney for Powell's in-laws wasn't invited to see the materials before a custody hearing last week, the AP said. Lawyer Steve Downing told the AP that he might have asked the court to change the terms of Powell's supervised visitation with the boys -- if he had seen the images.

Meanwhile, the state social worker who brought Powell's two boys to his house said she heard the father tell one son he had a "surprise” for him, according to ABC News.

(for the rest of the article click on link)
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/09/10366586-detective-josh-powell-computer-depicted-parent-child-sex

An excerpt of an interesting piece going into JP's childhood and early years of marriage.

Josh Powell's troubled past

The troubling questions and search for understanding has put the focus on Josh Powell and his father, Steven. Trouble appeared long before Josh ever met Susan Cox.

It was in Nov. 1992, when Powell was 16, that his mother expressed concerns about her sons and what she felt they were learning from her Steven Powell, her husband.

"To see them becoming so hardened toward others and scornful of law and order is very frightening to me," Terrica Powell wrote in a court declaration. "I feel that they are being victimized by Steve's distorted teachings. I am hoping that they will be able to receive the kind of help they need in time to prevent them from destroying their lives, or others' lives around them."

"With the kind of disrespect the kids have learned to have regarding laws, I worry about what they will do. It seems like there is a sickness pervading my family and I have been powerless to stop it."
–Terrica Powell, in divorce documents

The disturbing details of Josh Powell's adolescence can be found in close to 200 pages of court documents filed as part of a divorce proceeding. They include threats he allegedly made to his mother with a butcher knife, and his killing of a pet hamster. Terrica Powell wrote numerous times about Josh Powell, who apparently followed his father's lead in harassing and abusing their mother, according to the documents.

"With the kind of disrespect the kids have learned to have regarding laws, I worry about what they will do," Terrica Powell wrote. "It seems like there is a sickness pervading my family and I have been powerless to stop it."

Still, the woman wrote that Josh "has shown moments of thoughtfulness and cooperation" and "sometimes shows a very sweet side." In one declaration, an aunt said Josh Powell, then 14, attempted suicide by hanging.

Terrica Powell said many of her son's issues at the time might have stemmed from a turbulent relationship with his father. Steven Powell would "pointedly attack" Josh Powell, she stated in the documents.

"I think that much of Josh's difficulties through the years has stemmed from not knowing where the boundaries are — what are the limits of acceptable behavior," she said .

Time and time again, the documents and affidavits characterize Steven Powell as controlling, manipulative and verbally abusive. All of these traits have also been used to describe his son. Steven Powell remains in a Washington jail awaiting trial on children pornography and voyeurism charges.

Former friends speak out

Rachel Marini, who knew Josh Powell before he married Susan Cox, said she and her husband, Tim, became good friends with the couple in Washington. But she eventually started to take issue with the way Josh Powell treated his wife.

Enlarge image
Josh Powell, the husband of missing Utah woman Susan Powell, listens during a court hearing regarding the custody of his two sons, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011, in Tacoma, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

"Every restaurant we ate at, Susan could have one thing from the dollar menu, but he could have whatever he wanted," Marini said, recalling a road trip the group took. "He just had to be in control of every situation and the one who called all of the shots."

Marini said she was also concerned about the callousness with which he treated his children. He wouldn't extend his hand to keep a young Charlie from falling down the stairs, instead calling Susan Cox Powell in from another room to help the child. At one point, the boy appeared malnourished because Josh Powell said he wasn't "wasting his table food" on the child.

"Josh has always scared me as a parent," Marini said. "He's never been an attentive or responsible parent."

"We will never forget Susan," Marini said this week. "She was such a wonderful girl. She was so happy and friendly and a friend to everyone we met."

She said Josh Powell's final act was evidence of his guilt.

"If he was capable of doing that to these two children he claimed he loved … of course he could do something similar to Susan," Marini said. "I'm ashamed to have once called him my friend. He and Susan were once one of our best friends. I don't know how I could have known him for 12 years and not known what a maniac he was."

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=19176835&title=social-worker-describes-last-moments-with-powells-joshs-troubled-past-revealed&s_cid=featured-1

Reminder:

Today/tonight the Josh Powell tragedy will be featured on the following TV programs:

Dr. Phil Show ( the Cox's will be guests)

20/20

Dateline

Please check you local listing for the times.

20/20 and Dateline are on at 9 p.m. in my area: CST

The Houston media market dropped the Dr. Phil Show a few years ago due to low ratings. However, I can get it at 4 p.m. via satellite from another media market.

Powell family tragedy on ‘20/20,’ ‘Dateline,’ ‘Dr. Phil’ on Friday

February, 9 2012 6:23 PM

By Hal Boedeker
Orlando Sentinel - Orlando, FL


The Powell family tragedy that stunned the nation will be explored on “Dr. Phil,” “Dateline NBC” and ABC’s “20/20,” all airing Friday.

In an interview with Dr. Phil McGraw, Susan Powell’s parents talk about the loss of their grandsons.

Read more:

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2012/02/powell-family-tragedy-on-2020-dr-phil-on-friday.html

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53490500-78/powell-storage-report-unit.html.csp

Excerpt:

Puyallup, Wash. • A search warrant report released to the news media Friday by Washington authorities reveals West Valley City law enforcement is testing a small bloodstain on a comforter found last week at Josh Powell’s storage unit.

I believe it was on this site that I read about the missing bedspread and fact that when JP returned with the boys from the "camping" trip, that he had a brand new one in hand. This struck me as particularly significant, because in the all the hours I spent reading up on the case in December it was the only reference to the bedspread, making me believe it was one of those details that were being withheld to test the validity of people confessing or providing information.

The fact that it is described as a small amount of blood will soon have the followers of Saint Joshua of Powell claiming that it was probably due to a nosebleed on menses. When will they accept the truth? If a video turned up of JP doing the deed, they would claim it was a fake.

There will be a Live Stream of the 11 a.m. PST funeral service for Charlie and Branden Powell on Saturday, 2-11-12, starting at 11 a.m. PST.

KING5 - Seattle, WA will Live Stream. Here's a Link to the article indicating a Live Stream. You may have to click on the Homepage of KING5 tomorrow for the Live Stream if it is not on the Link below:

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Leave-condolence-message-for-family-of-Charlie-and-Braden-Powell-138870414.html
KING5 Seattle, WA Updated: 2-10-12

Service for Powell boys set for Saturday; public invited
~~~~~~~

Here is the time zone conversion of 11 a.m. PST:

Funeral service is at 11 a.m. PST:

12 p.m. MST

1 p.m. CST

2 p.m. EST

The Westboro protest is off!

http://www.standard.net/stories/2012/02/10/anti-gay-church-cancels-plan-protest-powell-boys-funeral

I appreciate all of the updates! I recall the new bedspread. He stored the "dirty" bedspread and framed photos in that storage unit. LE turned the framed photos over to Susan's family it says. He thought he completely erased her. I feel they hated Susan, jealous of her. She had seen and lived enough of the Powell torment and was making her way out and they wouldn't have that. It was a very dark day when Josh Powell entered Susan Cox's life.

Tomorrow will be about the precious boys, Charlie and Braden. Putting them to final rest and reflecting on their smiles and the joy of life they brought to their mother and others that loved them unconditionally. One day soon, I hope that Susan will be found and she can be laid to rest peacefully at their side.

Ann, thank you for the information on the live stream funeral service for Charlie and Braden.

Wisteria wrote:The Westboro protest is off!

http://www.standard.net/stories/2012/02/10/anti-gay-church-cancels-plan-protest-powell-boys-funeral

Freaks!!!!!! I guess the evil vile snakes operating under the name of the "church" got another few days of publicity. I still find it hard to believe someone hasn't taken these hate-filled creatures off the planet.

They also turned over toys and other possessions of the real victims to their next of kin. I'm sure the Powells will claim foul, but they can go worship at the shrine to their hero.

I don't know if this article has been posted yet, it's lengthy but it's a small window into the world of Steve and Terrica Powell at the time of their divorce in 2002. It talks about Josh threatening his mother with a knife and killing the gerbils, but it also gives more information into their beyond dysfunctional and abusive home life. Their divorce involved allegations of mental unfitness, pornography, polygamy and even witchcraft. There were serious conflicts over religion and parenting, and a tug-of-war ensued over the children. It seems Josh followed right into his father's footsteps, they hated women and children were there to be abused. But at the end of the day, Josh CHOSE to hack his sons with a hatchet and then set the inferno. He also CHOSE to make his wife disappear.

Divorce documents shed light on Josh Powell’s troubles


By Brooke adams

The Salt Lake Tribune
First published Feb 09 2012 08:06PM
Updated 2 hours ago

Puyallup, Wash. • If there are any clues to the terrible events that culminated in the disappearance of a Utah mom, a dead father and two murdered children, they may lie in documents filed two decades ago.

Long before Josh Powell killed himself and his 7 and 5-year-old sons in a fire on Sunday, the pages of his parents’ divorce file portrayed him as a seriously troubled teen who attempted suicide, killed pet gerbils, once threatened his mother with a butcher knife and early on adopted his father’s allegedly disparaging view of women.


Read more:
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53483190-78/josh-terrica-steve-powell.html.csp

Correction, their divorce in 1992 not 2002 in my above post.