AP: 5937f560-900f-4d9a-9620-a59ee62214b4
Pierce County detectives say the rental home that Josh Powell used to murder his two boys was nothing more than an empty shell that he used to fool state social workers. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

Josh Powell never lived in Graham house

BY Chris Sullivan  on February 15, 2012 @ 4:11 am (Updated: 8:26 am - 2/15/12 )

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Josh Powell did not live in the rental house at the end of the cul-de-sac where he murdered his boys and then killed himself.

Neighbors never saw him. They never saw the kids. Everyone in the neighborhood thought the house was abandoned. Powell was still living at his father's home, though he rented the home he eventually blew up three months ago.

Ed Troyer with the Pierce County Sheriff's Office says the house appeared to be set up only as a place where Powell could see his kids on supervised visits.

"There was no furniture," Troyer said. "There were some kids toys, a little bit of clothing, some pictures of Susan [Powell] on the wall, and that was about it. It was very, very sparse, not like it was set up for anybody to actually live in."

Troyer said it's not likely the court would have allowed Powell to have the kids at his father Steven's house considering the child pornography and other things police found there, but he says visits at Steven Powell's house never came up.

"He wasn't going to be able to bring them to Steve's house," Troyer said. "That house was too high-profile. We'd served so many search warrants there. Neighbors watched that place and knew everybody who came and went out of there. We believe he set this place up for a spot just to have the kids over where nobody would know what was going on."

But Troyer says it's also reasonable to think Powell rented this house with the thought they would all move in there once he won custody of his boys in court.

"Taking a look at this in hindsight," Troyer said, "you want to know why he rented that place three months ago. Was it just a place to take the kids where nobody else knew what was going on, or did he have this ultimate end in mind if things didn't go his way? The only person who is going to know that is Josh, and he's no longer with us. So that answer may have died with him."

Chris Sullivan, KIRO Radio Reporter
Chris loves the rush of covering breaking news and works hard to try to make sense of it all while telling stories about real people in extraordinary circumstances.
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Comments (7)


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  • PixiePal wrote...
    So...
    February 15, 2012 6:35 am
    where was he actually living and why have two houses??
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • JMJ wrote...
    Josh Powell
    February 15, 2012 7:54 am
    So how did this so called man get his money, was he working? Yes as the earlier comment said he fooled the state and it seems alot of CROOKS are fooling this sate
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    Most people
    February 15, 2012 8:36 am
    Don't spend the day looking out the front window spying on the comings and goings of a neighbor.Ever thought of that? So how does this turn into Powell attempting to fool anyone?And why are the police spending all this time investigating now? Why is it important everyone is DEAD.Of course this is probably old information which this media site held on to in order to continue this non story. Get some REAL news, people!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • flipper wrote...
    Agreed.
    February 15, 2012 9:47 am
    This story is over. A whacko killed his 2 kids by blowing up a house. Other than dude was crazy, why else do we need to continue to dredge this stuff up?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • bora wrote...
    Good idea
    February 15, 2012 11:05 am
    Thanks Josh
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • bora wrote...
    I think we should find Josh's wife
    February 15, 2012 11:07 am
    the bury wife with kids and take Josh and bury in his wife desert place.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • TTTCOTTH wrote...
    Really Flipper?
    February 15, 2012 11:29 am
    The last I heard there is still a missing, and presumed murdered individual, Josh Powell's wife. So you think this should go away? Moron.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }