New searches planned in disappearance of Susan Cox Powell
Apr 8, 2012, 9:12 AM | Updated: 1:00 pm
It’s been more than two years since Susan Cox Powell disappeared, but the search will continue after new information was revealed about the case.
After a search warrant was unsealed by a judge in Washington state last week, investigators are starting to look more closely at a northern Utah town located near the Idaho state border.
Susan’s best friend, Kiirsi Hellewell, said Saturday that cell phone records reveal that Josh Powell traveled to the Tremonton area two days after his wife disappeared.
“Now that we have some cell phone information from Josh and we know that he was in the Tremonton area, at least at some point on Wednesday (Dec. 9) in the rental car, we’re looking at Idaho and seeing what could have happened,” Hellewell explained to Fox 13 in Salt Lake City. “Especially because it would be a halfway point between Washington and Utah.”
West Valley City police have been criticized for the department’s handling of the case, as many have speculated they had enough information to charge Josh with murder. Hellewell was shocked by how much she didn’t know after new information was revealed in the latest search warrant.
“I didn’t know that there was any blood found at Susan’s house. I didn’t know that Josh had her cell phone, I knew the police had it but I didn’t know where they had found it…That was all new to me,” Hellewell said.
A co-worker of Steven Powell, Susan’s father-in-law, says Steven planned to travel to Utah for a camping trip shortly before Susan disappeared in 2009. Steve called in sick from his job on December 8 and 9 of that year, around the time Susan was reported to have gone missing.
“I absolutely think [Steven] was involved,” Hellewell explained to 97.3 KIRO-FM on Saturday. “I’ve thought that since the first week she disappeared because he was so completely obsessed with her and he was so close to Josh.”
Authorities have said they want to talk with Steven Powell to see what he might know. He’s currently in jail on charges of voyeurism.
Susan was last reported being seen on the evening of Dec. 6, 2009. Search warrants said that earlier in the day, Josh had called his father on his cell phone. That was the last call made before Susan disappeared, according to police.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
