Susan Powell -- Missing 12/7/09

Justice4all wrote:
Volunteers are frustrated after the fliers they posted about Susan in her husband's neighborhood were torn down.

Now the president of the Country Hollow Homeowners' Association has made them take down the rest of the fliers, which are designed to raise awareness about Susan's disappearance.

"The regulations of the community do not allow any posting of signs on community property," he told the volunteers. "As the president of the association, I have to tell you."

How pathetically STUPID!!!!
It's not like they were hanging Yard Sale signs!
You would think that they would make an exception for missing people!
Do you think by now they amended their "Regulations"?
Sadly, probably not!

I agree dis - we know he had only x amount of hrs that HE was gone, so you divide that by 2 - for a round trip time and that's your search radius...
However, I still think they can further narrow it down by getting his cell records and mapping the pings... assuming that he had it with him... I hope LE is one step ahead of me though...

tish wrote:I agree dis - we know he had only x amount of hrs that HE was gone, so you divide that by 2 - for a round trip time and that's your search radius...
However, I still think they can further narrow it down by getting his cell records and mapping the pings... assuming that he had it with him... I hope LE is one step ahead of me though...

I really hope they mapped out the pings to figure out where he went that night. That should be standard operating procedure with any POI in a missing person case.

As much as I would love to see this lovely young mother be found alive, I just don't think it's going to happen. His story and actions, and the moving speaks volumes to me.

With the temps warming up and the snow melting away, it is perfect timing for these searches. I believe many volunteers will come forward to help search for Susan.

Dis, that is so thoughtful of you to forward the information on to contacts in Utah.

In less than 24 hours dozens offer to help in ground search for Susan Cox Powell

March 17, 12:12 AM

March 17, 2010 - It's been over three months since Susan Cox Powell disappeared. People say it's time to give her family closure. So, they are coordinating a ground search April 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (click here for details).

Susan's friends and family issued a press release Tuesday about the ground search being conducted by a group of concerned citizens. They started a discussion tab where people can sign up to help.

Within hours of posting the press release dozens of people stepped up to offer their time, equipment, and services. This is another example of how people are coming together to help in the search for Susan.

Susan Himelright suggested horses can cover a greater area in less time, and that the Weber County Sheriff's Mounted Posse could be of great help. She even provided contact information for the captain of the department.

Allyson Holmgren suggested cell phone GPS's work great even in areas with no cell phone service.

Chris Willden said his company, Strategic Tactical Group, LLC, will be there with their training trailer and a pop-up tent for shelter, communications, first aid, and recovery if people need it. They will have ten two-way radios, two 4-wheelers, and will possibly get more people to volunteer in the search.

Dale Sterrett and his wife, WyVonne, plan to be there and say they are well equipped with a Polaris Razor off-road vehicle and other items that would help in the search, including a Rhino GPS.

Eric Slaughter said he'll be there on foot with knowledge of how to use a GPS.

Colleen Clawson says she knows the desert very well and would like to help in the search for Susan.

Melissa Rose Georgi said she'd love to help search for Susan. She plans to contact people she knows and believes "the more, the merrier."

Tami Allen says her family will be there.

Andy Johnston has offered to help with communications and says he has a 50 watt GMRS in his 4x4 that can be located to extend radio coverage.

Joshua D. Moody says he has a group of about ten friends with BMW Off-Road bikes, GPS, and COMM who want to help in the search for Susan.

Morgan Bronson would like to assist in the search for Susan and says she'll get as many people together as possible to help.

Kate Olsen, too, said she'll be there and round up more people to help. Her grandfather ran a store in the area to feed the miners in the early 1900's. She understands the dangers of the mines out there and hopes information will be provided to searchers of where not to search.

Jessica Clark said she and her friends will help in the search and that they have a GPS.

Allyson Fiedel said she and others will be there, some on foot, others on 4-wheelers.

Michelle Dahle says she'll be there to help.

Melina Rodriguez and her husband, too, said they'll be there to help in the search.

Joseph Kelley says his military experience, strength, and skills are at the service of search organizers.

Dolores Del Rio Purrington said to count on two more people searching for Susan.

Patrick Simpson said he has a 4-wheeler and friends from a Sportsman's Patrol group that will be there to lend a hand.

Tyson Dixon says he's part of a larger group that would be willing to assist in the search.

Elizabeth Baker said she and her co-workers will be there.

Bill Greenhalgh from Bill's ATV Service & Repair will be there! Bill says he has a friend with a ranch, has ridden ATV's and knows a lot of the mine areas. They will bring GPS units, two-way radios, and willb e prepared. "It's about time we find her," he said.

Velma Medina Gober said she'd like to help search for Susan.

John and Marcee Boyer said they'll be there!

Crystal Erin Oldham-Yengich says she knows the area very well and has wanted to help in some way. She'll be there with as many friends as she can gather together, she said.

Mack Glover says, "God willing I should be able to make it."

Emily Armstrong says, "I will be there as well . . ."

Ted and Kristina Hedgcock said they want to be there to help find Susan.

Sgt. Jerry Joe Romrell said he'd be honored to help in the search, and that he's familiar with the area.

Tracy Dugger says she lives in Eagle Mountain and would like to help. She said she can start at the mouth of the Pony Express Trail since she is close by and her husband, she says, knows the Simpson Springs area like the back of his hand. She said the snow is gone in the area.

Debbie Gonzales Davis says she was born and raised in Tooele County and would like to help in the search.

Susan Powell, 28, went missing from her West Valley City home Dec. 6. Her husband, Josh Powell, was the last person to see her.

Josh claims Susan went to bed around midnight and about 30 minutes later he took their two young sons, ages 2 and 4 at the time, on an impromptu overnight camping trip in the West Utah Desert.

It has been confirmed the temperatures were sub-freezing and Utah was experiencing a snow storm with strong, freezing winds. Josh claims he and the boys slept in the family mini-van.

Josh remains the only person of interest in Susan's disappearance. Police call her disappearance a missing person's case with suspicious criminal overtones.

Her husband, Josh, moved from the home in West Valley to the couple's hometown of Puyallup, Wash., to live with his father, Steven Powell.

http://www.examiner.com/x-34328-Seattle-Headlines-Examiner~y2010m3d17-In-less-than-24-hours-dozens-offer-to-help-in-ground-search-for-Susan-Cox-Powell?cid=channel-rss-News

I think it's wonderful all these people are so willing and eager to help look for Susan - and it was great to read each of these names - it makes it more personal. I'm sure Josh is about to poo himself right lol.
It also brings to light the danger that these searchers put theirselves in each time a person is missing - old mine shafts - that's pretty scary - esp on atv, etc - you wouldn't see it til you were right there on it... not to mention whatever wildlife might be out there.

I'm not hoping they find her - I wish that she would be found alive, but I doubt that is the case - One thing that might be of value is that considering she was most likely left in sub zero temps, and the snow has just now melted, decomp would slow down significantly, so if they find her soon, there might be a chance they can still determine cause of death...

It is great that all these people are willing to search for Susan. I hope they can still determine a cause of death if her body is found. In far too many of these cases the body has become skeltonized by the time they find it.

J4A~Hopefully the snow preserved some of the evidence.

My heart swells thinking of all the people who have volunteered so far. I did forward the link. I know it will bring out some people. I am praying that they find her no matter what shape she is in, at least the family can have her back and bury her properly. Would the fact that she was married keep her parents from recovering her body. Her husband would be next of kin right? I hope not.

Susan Powell search has sheriff concerned

by Scott Spjut
Mar 18, 2010

Park worries horde of volunteers in west desert could pose safety risks, destroy evidence

Tooele County Sheriff Frank Park has concerns about a mass search scheduled next month for a missing West Valley City woman, but he intends to aid searchers nonetheless.

On April 10, volunteers will gather in Utah’s West Desert to search for Susan Powell, who has been missing since early December. Powell’s husband, Joshua, claimed to have been camping with the couple’s two sons at Simpson Springs at the time of her disappearance.

A press release was sent out Tuesday morning through the Friends and Family of Susan Powell Facebook page, asking for volunteers in a coordinated effort to look for the 28-year-old mother of two. The search will be headquartered at the Simpson Springs campground and will go from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

But Park has some reservations about possibly hundreds of volunteers descending upon the remote west desert location.

“It’s tough to say anything against volunteers because they’re well-intentioned and we wouldn’t want to put a damper on that,” said Park, who also heads up Tooele County Search and Rescue. “But when you start a search of this magnitude, it’s your responsibility to make sure everyone who goes out gets back safely.”

Wildlife, cold weather and abandoned mine shafts pose potential threats to the volunteers in what is an inhospitable area. There’s also a real possibility of searchers becoming lost, injured or dehydrated.

“The other area of major concern is, we are painstakingly trained as to what is and isn’t evidence, and what might be evidence,” Park said. “With a bunch of volunteers walking around, they may not be aware and they may destroy evidence.”

When citizen searches for kidnapping victim Elizabeth Smart were being conducted in Tooele County in 2002 and 2003, Park was kept well informed and very few problems arose, he said. But he worries this search for Powell could potentially bring a lot more people.

“I just can’t have that many people out in this desert without having some support,” he said.

Park has spoken with several Tooele County Search and Rescue personnel who have said they’ll help, although he added the organization will not be officially aiding in the search.

“We will have people in the area, just in case something does happen,” Park said.

The group estimates about 200 people have volunteered to help so far, according to Joanne Bentley, one of the individuals who is helping to coordinate the search. But some Facebook posts or e-mails have had volunteers saying they’re trying to get friends together or may be bringing 20 people.

“We want to have some indication of the number of people who are coming,” Bentley said. “We’re hoping that by the end of next week we’ll know how many people are intending to come and search.”

The Facebook group is aware of the potential hazards in the area, and wants to work with local law enforcement. The group intends to send its search plan to the Sheriff’s Office and is hoping to be able to meet with Park soon.

“I totally understand the sheriff’s concerns. They’re 100 percent valid,” Bentley said. “We’re not the professionals. But we’re trying to organize this and be proactive in this situation.”

The press release sent out by the group mentioned that all volunteers will be required to sign a waiver and present ID. It also includes a list of items to bring. All volunteers will also receive a briefing that morning discussing what to do if they come across possible evidence, what to be careful of, and how to conduct a proper search.

“We want to have a medical plan in place,” Bentley said. “People need to bring their own food and water, but we are trying to have some supplies donated.”

Bentley said members of the public should visit the Facebook page to keep up to date on the search.

http://www.tooeletranscript.com/view/full_story/6776896/article-Susan-Powell-search-has-sheriff-concerned?instance=home_news_1st_right

Susan Powell: Odd discovery in West Utah Desert; What is worthy of police investigation? (Slideshow)

March 18, 2010 - (Updated) Linda Osborne, who has been out in the desert for months trying to find clues into the disappearance of Susan Cox Powell, came across a cement strip last month the size of a body that she reported to police.

On February 16 Osborne was out searching in Utah's West Desert. She stumbled upon a concrete strip about 7' long and about 2.5' to 3' wide. One area of the strip was wider than the other, appearing it could be covering a body, the wider area possibly the size of a person's shoulders.

Read more: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-34328-Seattle-Headlines-Examiner~y2010m3d18-Susan-Powell-Odd-discovery-in-West-Utah-Desert-What-is-worthy-of-police-investigation-Slideshow

It's still unclear whether police have checked into this. Here is a slideshow of some of the pictures from Linda's photobucket.

Looks suspicious....If not Susan, maybe someone else!!! They need some of that high tech sonar that can see through just about anything rather than digging it up...Wonder if they can validate that Mr. Powell had purchased cement???

Missing Utah mom's dad: Visit to campsite 'confirms it'

By KOMO Staff
Story Updated: Mar 20, 2010 at 7:27 PM PDT



SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Susan Powell's father no longer believes his son-in-law's story has any credibility.

This week, Chuck Cox went to Simpson Springs in remote Tooele County in Utah. For the first time, he saw for himself the campground where Josh Powell claims he went the night his wife disappeared.

It has been more than three months since Susan Powell was last seen.

Josh Powell claims he left her at home on the night of Dec. 6 and drove his two boys the two hours to Simpson Springs, where they camped out and cooked s'mores.

Cox always had his doubts about his son-in-law's claims, but he had to see for himself.

He hit the road toward Simpson Springs, turning off the pavement and down the hard-packed dirt road in his car. And for the next hour, he wound his way through hills and down increasingly narrow roads.

"My daughter never would have let him out of the house with the kids that night to go camping," he said.

Josh Powell claims he made the journey down an unlit road with his kids in the dark of night as a major winter storm approached.

Cox believes on that December morning, the pass to the campsite would have been impassible, especially considering Josh Powell was driving a minivan with front-wheel drive and little clearance.

"You get pulled into there, get stuck real easily in a car like this," he said, seeing potentially problematic areas.

At the campground, Cox ran into a scout troop from Riverton. It just so happened the troop was also camping at Simpson Springs on the weekend of Dec. 6, and left just as the flurries were starting.

"I have never been in a camp that cold," one scout said.

To walk among the campsites of Simpson Springs was a revelation for the grieving father. His speculation hardened into belief. He now firmly believes that whatever happened that night did not happen at Simpson Springs.

"It confirms it," Cox said. "The only hard thing is thinking she could be out somewhere ... a place like this."

- KTVX-TV in Salt Lake City contributed to this report.

http://www.katu.com/news/88744357.html

Changes to the Simpson Springs search for Susan Cox Powell

Last Update: 12:29 am 4/03/10

The original organizers of the April 10th planned search for Susan Powell in the Simpson Springs area have made a difficult decision: they have decided to step aside. Late Friday night they sent out notice that they will “cede command of the search to qualified professionals.”

What’s more the search has been closed to the general public. Only groups and people who have equipment and expertise in search and rescue are now being invited to join in.

Again, it was a difficult decision, but a necessary one given the remoteness of the search location and the lack of facilities.

One of the original organizers wrote me: “We’ve always tried to do what is best for Susan.” There are no egos here, just determination to see the job done right. And if that means letting others take the reigns, then so be it.

Many people will no doubt be frustrated by these decisions. They looked forward to the search as a way to finally expend some of the pent up energy and even frustration from the last four months. It was finally a chance to get out and look for clues to the fate of a young mother who has become the focus of the hopes and prayers of thousands of good people.

To those people I can only say this: Please realize that the decisions were made after consultation with police and with Susan Cox Powell’s own family. I know many of the people who had a part in this decision and I am confident they made it with your safety foremost in their thoughts.

Over and over again, I heard Chuck Cox and others say that they could not bear the thought of someone getting hurt – or worse – while they searched for Susan. I believe these difficult decisions will go a long way in allaying those concerns.

As a simple reporter who has watched from the wings, I applaud the folks of the Cache Valley – Shawn Sorensen and Joanne Bentley chief among them -- who first called for and began to organize this search for Susan. A lot of people talked about a search, but they started the ball rolling. They did not know Susan, but were still drawn to the drama of her disappearance by a noble human desire – the desire to help.

I also applaud the good men and women of Bridgerland Fire and Strategic Tactical and other organizations who will do a lot of the heavy lifting to make this search happen on April 10th.

I am so humbled to witness so many people struggle to do the right thing.

God bless and prosper your efforts.


http://www.abc4.com/content/news/blogs/story/Brent-Hunsaker-Changes-to-the-Simpson-Springs/tHOIFmK4vkugiZxE6QWJIw.cspx

Day-long search for Susan Powell turns up nothing

Scouring the desert » Family and friends full of praise for volunteers, but search ends in frustration.

By Christopher Smart
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 04/10/2010 06:01:44 PM MDT

Simpson Springs, Tooele County » They came with ultralight aircraft, dogs, ATVs and old-fashioned shoe leather, but after a day-long search Saturday along the old Pony Express Trail near the Simpson Mountains, 28-year-old Susan Cox Powell remains missing.

Dozens of volunteers combed through an area between the Davis Mountains and the Slow Elk Hills southeast of the Dugway Proving Ground's artillery and bombing range for the mother of two who was reported missing Dec. 7. Her husband, Josh Powell, said he took the couple's two young sons camping Dec. 6 at the Simpson Spring's Campground about 25 miles west of Vernon in remote Tooele County.

Joshua Powell told authorities he left his wife at their West Valley City home. She has not been seen since. Powell is the only "person of interest" in the case, according to the West Valley Police Department, which already had searched the Simpson Spring's area.

Kiirsi Hellewell, a close friend of Susan Powell's, acknowledged the hard work of the West Valley City police Saturday.

"But this is something we can see," she said of Saturday's effort. "Today, it's so heartwarming to see so many people come out here and help us."

Shelby Gifford, a spokeswoman for the Cox family,also praised the volunteers.

"It's gratifying to see so many give their time in our quest to find Susan and what happened to her."

Among volunteers scouring the
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area for the missing woman was Owen Ose, who divides his time between Utah and Arizona.

"This is like a needle in a haystack because they have so little idea where she might be," he said. "But this [search] will alleviate some concerns for those who think she could be here. And you never know."

The tranquil campground looks out across the vastness of Utah's West Desert as it stretches westward to the Dugway Mountains and beyond to the Deep Creek Mountains that straddle the Utah-Nevada line.

The search, however, was restricted to an area less than 10 square miles.

Kent Price of Eagle Mountain was among a group of pilots who fly "power parachutes," ultralight aircraft that can skim just feet off the ground at about 25 mph.

His group, unofficially called the Cedar Pass Air Force, has volunteered on several search-and-rescue missions.

"We can fly very low and very slow and plop down just about anywhere," he said.

Don Despain, Fountain Green, was among the Cedar Pass group of seven pilots who were flying grids along the Simpson Mountains.

"We don't scar up the land," he said. "And we can cover a lot of area."

But the expanse in question is huge and after four months in the wild, any human remains would be difficult to identify, even up close.

That is why folks like Kurt Hadfield and his 3-year-old German shepherd, Kaiser, volunteered. The pair, affiliated with Ogden's Great Basin Search & Rescue, are trained to identify human remains, among other things.

"A dog's nose is 1,000 times more sensitive than a human nose," Hadfield said.

Among the 60-or-so volunteers were a dozen who accompanied Fire Chief Jon Watkins from the Bridgerland Fire Company in Logan.

They walked search grids along the old Pony Express trail, looking under brush and behind rocks.

"If it was my family, I would like to see this kind of support," Watkins said of the volunteer search. "It's nice to see this many people come out on their day off and look out for someone they don't know."

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14859885

One of Josh Powell's friends said Josh was obsessed with crime shows and at a 2008 Christmas party, Josh told him that a mine shaft would be the best way to dispose of a body. Watch the video on the right at the following link.

http://www.abc4.com/content/news/top%20stories/story/New-concerns-about-planned-search-for-Susan-Powell/4bqHjEihG0K1aYZpBxo0iQ.cspx

Susan Powell investigators contact Idaho Falls police about body found

FOX 13 News
2:17 PM MDT, April 26, 2010

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho - A badly decomposed body of a woman was found about 12 miles east of Idaho Falls last week. West Valley City police confirm they have been in contact with Idaho police there as part of their investigation into the disappearance of Susan Powell. A local newspaper reported that the body was found by a driver who pulled over and was searching for a better cell phone signal.

West Valley Police say there are two missing woman cases in Idaho Falls. Authorities did not say whether they will be sending a detective to Idaho and are awaiting the results of an autopsy.

Susan Powell, a 28-year-old mother of two, was reported missing on Dec. 7, 2009 from her West Valley City home. Her husband, Josh Powell, who is the only person of interest in the case, told police he took his two young sons camping at around midnight on Dec. 7 on the same day his wife went missing.

Stay with FOX 13 News and fox13now.com for the latest developments on this story.

http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-powell-investigators-contact-idaho-body,0,1614789.story?track=rss

I'm anxious to find out if it's Susan. I can't imagine how her family is feeling right now. Either way, someone's loved one was dumped there like a piece of garbage.

West Valley police doubtful body found in Idaho is that of Susan Powell

By Pat Reavy
Deseret News
Published: Monday, April 26, 2010 2:03 p.m. MDT

WEST VALLEY CITY — West Valley police are keeping an eye on the discovery of a body in Idaho Falls, but detectives say it's unlikely that it's that of missing West Valley mother Susan Powell.

"(Idaho authorities) are pretty sure it's one of their missing-person cases from three years ago," West Valley Police Capt. Tom McLachlan said. "They're pretty positive it's going in that direction."

KPVI News, the NBC affiliate in Idaho Falls, reported the badly decomposed body was found Friday off a road by a man whose truck got stuck.

As of Monday, McLachlan said his department was not going to send any officers to Idaho but rather would let detectives there handle the investigation.

Powell was last seen Dec. 7. Early that morning, her husband, Josh Powell, took their two children on a camping trip in a remote area of Tooele County at 12:30 a.m., he told police. Temperatures that night were below freezing. Josh Powell said his wife was gone when he returned home.

He has since moved back to his hometown of Puyallup, Wash. He remains the only person of interest by police and has refused to cooperate with investigators.

Test results on the body found in Idaho Falls could take anywhere from several weeks to a few months. McLachlan noted that the police department there had two missing-women cases of their own that were still unsolved.

Stephanie Eldredge, a mother of three, has been missing since 2007. Amber Hoopes, 20, has been missing since September 2001.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700027600/Cops-doubtful-body-is-Susan-Powell.html

wasnt this body found close to where the hubby said he was camping??

i am really hoping they nail that Bastard (sorry), there is NO WAY he is telling the truth...

In cases I follow the authorities are usually right about whose remains they think they've found, but it would make sense that Powell dumped Susan out of state where people wouldn't think to look for her.

Idaho Falls is 305 miles from Simpson Springs Campground. It's a six hour trip according to Google Maps. They might not have gone to Simpson Springs at all. If you take a four-year-old and a two-year-old camping, they aren't going to know the difference between Simpson Springs and Idaho Falls. They were definitely gone long enough to make a six hour trip both ways.