I’ve addressed the idea numerous times in many different blog posts that you never truly know a person. This is a devastating and often life changing fact. Often you don’t think these types of things would happen to you, of course everyone would like to think so. But, for the Powell family this was not the case.
Joshua Powell was born to two dysfunctional parents; a father who caused him much agony even from a young age. Joshua’s father would show him and his siblings disturbing pictures of women as a child, and refused to enforce boundaries for certain behaviors. By the time he was a teenager, Joshua was experiencing strange behaviors and was even known to kill small animals. Joshua attended the Latter Day Saints (LDS) Institute of Religion, a place where he eventually met his future wife Susan Cox. The two were married in 2001 and went on to have two children Charles and Braden.
After marrying, Susan and Joshua moved into his father’s, Steven, house in Washington, but this soon took a weird turn after he developed an infatuation with Susan. Steven confessed his feelings to Susan, who obviously rejected them, and the two moved out a short time after. However, Steven’s obsession was only the least of Susan and Joshua’s problems. They often argued over the fact that Joshua refused to attend church or partake in religious activities. Joshua also had the tendencies to often spend large amounts of money leading him to claim bankruptcy in 2007. Susan’s friends also made reference to the fact that Joshua was incredibly controlling over Susan. In 2008, Susan recorded a secret video stating “I want it documented that there is extreme turmoil in our marriage” and “If I die, it may not be an accident, even if it looks like one.”
On December 6, 2009 Susan and her two sons had gone to church and later that afternoon were visited at their house by a neighbor who recorded leaving around 5 P.M. Relatives of the family reported them all missing the next day after the children were not dropped off at daycare that morning and they could not reach Joshua or Susan. Susan did not show up to her job that same morning and, after checking the house, police found her purse/wallet and identification inside. Her phone was found later in the family car that Joshua had been using. Joshua and the two boys showed up at home later that day and he was immediately taken to the police station for questioning where he claimed to have left Susan sleeping at home shortly after midnight the night before. He stated to police that he had taken his two sons camping at a campsite in Utah. After investigating the campsite, police found no evidence that the three had been camping there. They also found it odd that he would decide to take this trip so late at night when he was scheduled to be at work early the next day.
Police investigated the Powell’s home more thoroughly and found traces of Susan’s blood, a life insurance policy for Susan totaling about 1.5 million dollars, and a written note from Susan claiming she was fearing for her life. They also discovered that Joshua had liquidated Susan’s retirement accounts, cancelled her regularly scheduled doctors’ appointments, and withdrew his children from school. After interviewing coworkers they also uncovered that Joshua had spoken to many of them about how to hide a body in the western Utah desert. Police also spoke to their son, Charles, who claimed that the camping trip did in fact occur, but that Susan had gone with them and had not returned. A teacher of Charles also stated that he claimed his mother was dead. Shortly after, Joshua and his two sons moved to Puyallup, Washington.
The police and Susan’s family were always suspicious of Joshua and his involvement in Susan’s disappearance. However, as time went on, his own family also became increasingly suspicious as well. People also began questioning Joshua’s parenting abilities for his two sons, and ultimately it was recommended that he was to have visits with his sons a few times a week that were supervised by a social worker. On February 5, 2012 the police received a call from social worker Elizabeth Griffin Hall after she had taken the two boys to one of their supervised visits. She claimed that Joshua had grabbed them, hurried inside the house, and refused to let her inside. She reported to the police that she smelled a strong odor of gasoline and asked them to dispatch an officer immediately. Not long after, the house exploded with the three inside killing them all. The case was determined to be a double murder-suicide as they believe the act was deliberate.
Police discovered evidence within the house leading them to believe that Joshua attacked the boys with a hatchet before spreading gasoline throughout the house and causing it to explode. Many still believe that Joshua had murdered Susan even though she still remains a missing person.
Pictured Below(Left to Right): Susan Cox Powell pictured with her two children, https://www.fox13now.com/2019/01/10/susan-cox-powells-family-wins-appeal-in-lawsuit-over-the-deaths-of-her-children; Joshua and Susan Powell with their two sons, https://www.foxnews.com/us/washington-father-attacked-sons-with-hatchet-before-setting-blaze-report; Fire at the Powell home set by Joshua, https://abcnews.go.com/US/powell-family-tragedy-timeline-events/story?id=15520239.
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