As long-time readers of this and other traditional crime blogs have no doubt heard or read, another beautiful, young mother has mysteriously disappeared (Susan Powell in Utah) and her goateed husband has already made most of the worst mistakes an amateur spousal murrrderer can make (with the exception of using his cell phone to signal his actual whereabouts the night in question).
Susan Powell, 28, was last seen Sunday at her home in West Valley City and was reported missing by relatives the next day.
Powell’s husband, Joshua Powell, and two children were also believed to be missing but returned home Monday afternoon. Joshua Powell said he decided Sunday night to take the children on a late-night camping trip.
“Lots of times I just go camping with my boys,” Powell told a local CBS News’ affiliate. “Just overnight. We do s’mores and stuff.”
But after not hearing from her for five days, Susan Powell’s family has become worried.
Naturally, it’s irresistable to compare this case to Laci Peterson’s, and there are many similarities: a young, low-risk, beautiful, young mother disappears near Christmas; her handsome, clean-cut, Boy Scout husband (with a goatee) has an incomprehensible, Petersonesque alibi and lawyers up within hours of returning from the campgrounds where he claims he took his two toddlers in the dead of a bleak winter’s night; loved ones and parents circle the wagons and claim the poor, innocent husband could *never* harm his wife; to add to the suspense, the family is religious and devout, like another spousal murrrderer from Utah, Mark Hacking.
Nonetheless, I suspect we have a story that resembles more the *other* Peterson case – Mike Peterson from Durham. Why? Because I surmise that Susan Powell was murdered in a rage over something she discovered about Josh. Unlike in Laci Peterson’s murder, this was not planned, judging by the ridiculous alibi and panicked response of the usual suspect.
So, is Josh secretly gay (like Mike Peterson), or, worse, some sort of pedophile? Was he caught cheating on his wife with cocktail waitresses he met in Nevada? Did he rack up debt like Neil Entwistle? What was it that Susan discovered or confronted him with when he erupted? According to recent reports, a computer was seized in a search (which may yield some very interesting information), and the investigation is intensifying.
Like Laci Peterson, there is no evidence to suggest that Susan Powell left her family of her own volition: she didn’t take her keys, purse or car, she’s not a likely candidate to abandon her children, and she has no history of psychotic drama like Jennifer Wilbanks.
No, I think Joshua has to be convinced by his elders to confess and lead police to the tragic burial ground somewhere in BFE Utah en route to the desolate campgrounds. Please spare these little children the agony and trauma that Michelle Young’s daughter will experience.
Jury gets Manai case:
http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_14004741
Wonder if the children have been interviewed? There’s no mention in news reports, but I have to imagine there was some gentle questioning.
I did see in one article that the older son was going to be interviewed. I believe he’s only 4? or 5? so I wonder if anything he might have seen would be useful or if Dad’s already coached him.
The oldest child is 4. Maybe since dad is not officially a suspect yet, the children have not been questioned.
If Josh did as poor a job with coaching as with his alibi…
McLachlan said police initially interviewed Josh Powell when he returned home and then again the next day. Police have also interviewed the Powells’ older son.
Ahhh, the financial plot thickens:
In April 2007 Joshua Powell filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and listed more than $200,000 in credit card, furniture, student loan, and other debts, putting a strain on the couple’s relationship.
Well there we go, along with the word that she was talking openly about divorce.
Ties it up neatly in a bow.
Hopefully, this POS will just plea and save those boys from a trial. Like he hasn’t already screwed up their life enoght.
Well there we go, along with the word that she was talking openly about divorce.
Ties it up neatly in a bow.
Hopefully, this POS will just plea and save those boys from a trial. Like he hasn’t already screwed up their life enogh.
ENOUGH!
Yes I can spell it!
Friends have said that they were living as roommates, so she probably wasn’t pregnant. I haven’t heard anything about a girlfriend yet…
I should probably repost some of the writing I did back during the surge of domestic murders and the warning signs of an abusive spouse. I think I called it ‘First Lie Say Goodbye.”
That would be lovely, for those of us who have been MIA for awhile, or others who are new to your analysis. I read some stats today albeit from Canada that the majority of husbands who kill their wives had committed no prior physical abuse towards their wives. At least reported…but that fits with your in-depth profile of N spouses. Manipulation leading up to being discovered or having their true self exposed leads to one big SNAP.
Manai convicted:
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=7179313
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/12/newlywed-convicted-of-throwing-wife-off-cliff.html
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-wife-cliff-death,0,1776548.story
Another one bites the dust. Rest in peace, Julie.
The Alibi is pretty pathetic. S’mores? Sheesh. Those poor kids. I hope they didn’t get Daddy’s brains.
Carpet cleaning machine was in the house, and Josh rented a car after the police seized his van and he went missing for 24 hours…wouldn’t they have had someone following him?
“Josh is just Josh!”
Sounds eerily familiar?
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14035282
Wonder if he drugged her so he could kill her without waking up the kids (until later, when he took them on the “camping trip”)? I’ll bet his hard drive is interesting.
Deja vue all over again?
This one sounds like a slam dunk. This dunderhead is already done for. xxoomoi
Oh, yes, Retzi, publish the “N Handbook” on facebook or where ever you can do it.
Every where you can do it.
They really think they can get away with it, huh? Idiots!
Michael & Sara are coming up tomorrow and will leave on Saturday to visit some of Sara’s family (she has a huge one) in MA.
Sara & Michael news is she’s preggers again. Still early, but we’re keep our fingers crossed that this one doesn’t end in a miscarriage. It would be her third.
Merry Christmas all. Hope all is well with everyone.
I was thinking he drugged her also, i read one article that said Susan had retired to bed early because she didn’t feel good, and that josh had cooked pancakes for dinner, maybe he drugged her pancakes…so she couldn’t fight back.