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Susan & Joshua Powell’s Relationship

Susan Marie Cox was born in Alamogordo, New Mexico, on October 16, 1981. She grew up in a close-knit, loving family and was described as kind, outgoing, and full of life. In November 2000, Susan met Joshua Powell while attending an LDS Church course in Tacoma, Washington. At first, Josh seemed like a decent, ambitious young man. They started dating, and by April 2001, they were married at a temple in Portland, Oregon.

The couple’s life seemed to move quickly. Josh earned a bachelor’s degree in business and took various jobs, while Susan found work at Wells Fargo Investments. They eventually settled in West Valley City, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. There, they welcomed their two sons: Charles, born in 2005, and Braden, born in 2007. Outwardly, they looked like a happy family.

But things were far from perfect.

There were troubling signs in Susan and Josh’s marriage from early on. Josh had always been controlling, but his behavior became more extreme over time. Susan’s friends noted that he controlled their finances tightly and often dictated her actions.

Josh wasted money, plunging the family into bankruptcy in 2007. He also refused to attend church with Susan and the boys, straining their relationship further.

Worse yet, Josh’s father, Steven Powell, played a disturbing role in the couple’s lives. After briefly living with Steven in Washington, Susan discovered that her father-in-law had developed an unhealthy obsession with her.

He spied on her with hidden cameras, stole her underwear, and even professed his feelings to her. Horrified, Susan rejected him, and the family quickly moved to Utah to escape Steven’s influence.

Despite leaving Washington, tensions only grew between Susan and Josh. In private, Susan documented her fears. In 2008, she recorded a video showing property damage she said Josh had caused and wrote a secret will where she stated, “If I die, it may not be an accident, even if it looks like one.” She wanted her fears documented, just in case.

Susan Powell Goes Missing

On December 6, 2009, Susan and her two boys attended church services. That afternoon, a neighbor stopped by their house for a visit, leaving around 5:00 p.m. That was the last time anyone outside the family saw Susan alive.

The following day, December 7, Susan didn’t show up for work. Her daycare also reported that the boys hadn’t been dropped off. Concerned, Susan’s friends and family contacted the police. When officers entered the Powell home, they found no one inside—just two box fans blowing on a damp spot on the living room couch. Susan’s purse, wallet, and ID were still there. Her cell phone was later found in the family’s minivan.

That evening, Josh returned home with Charlie and Braden. When questioned, he claimed that he had taken the boys camping in the Utah desert—in the middle of the night—and that Susan had stayed home. The police were immediately suspicious because the weather was so cold overnight.

Over the next several days, Josh’s story continued to unravel. Police searched the desert but found no evidence of the campsite Josh described. They discovered traces of Susan’s blood on the floor of their home and life insurance policies totaling $1.5 million in Susan’s name. Investigators also found a letter Susan had written, expressing fear for her life.

Josh’s actions grew stranger by the day. He rented a car and drove hundreds of miles, only to claim later that he had been “driving around randomly.” He emptied Susan’s retirement accounts, canceled her scheduled appointments and withdrew the boys from daycare. His behavior screamed guilt, but with no body and no solid proof, the police couldn’t charge him.

Murders of Charlie and Braden Powell

By 2011, Josh had taken the kids and moved back to Washington to live with his father, Steven. The Cox family fought for custody of Charlie and Braden, arguing that Josh’s home environment was unsafe. Steven Powell was eventually arrested on child pornography and voyeurism charges, which further cemented concerns about Josh’s fitness as a parent.

The court granted custody of the boys to Susan’s parents, but Josh was allowed supervised visits. On February 5, 2012, during one of these visits, a social worker brought Charlie and Braden to Josh’s rental home. Josh grabbed the boys, slammed the door, and refused to let the social worker in. Moments later, the house exploded in flames.

Investigators later determined that Josh had planned the horrific act. He had spread gasoline throughout the home and attacked Charlie and Braden with a hatchet before the explosion. The boys died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Josh’s final emails to family members revealed he had been preparing for the murders for some time.

Aftermath

Seventeen years have passed, and Susan’s body has not been found. Police believe Josh killed her and disposed of her remains, possibly in a remote desert or mineshaft. In May 2013, the case was officially closed, although Susan’s family continues searching for answers.