Steven Powell, father-in-law of missing Utah woman, dies

In this May 9, 2012, file photo, Steve Powell sits in a chair after arriving in court on the day of opening arguments in his voyeurism trial in Tacoma, Wash. Authorities in Washington state say Powell, the father-in-law of a Utah woman who went missing in 2009, has died. | Associated Press file photo by Ted S. Warren, St. George News

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Steven Powell, the father-in-law of a long-missing Utah woman whose husband was eyed in a police investigation and later killed himself and his two young children, has died in Washington state.

Powell, 67, died Monday at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tacoma, a year after he completed a prison sentence for possession of child pornography. Pierce County sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said Powell’s death was due to heart problems.

A flier seeking information on the whereabouts of Susan Powell, who was reported missing in Utah, is shown at a press conference in Puyallup, Wash., Dec. 17, 2009 | Associated Press file photo by Ted S. Warren, St. George News

Authorities seeking evidence in Susan Powell’s 2009 disappearance searched Steven Powell’s home two years later. Journals and piles of photos found during the investigation suggested that he had a sexual and emotional draw to his daughter-in-law.

Susan Powell remains missing and she is presumed dead. Her family considered Steven Powell the last, most-likely person to know what happened to her.

“I hope maybe he left some notes behind about where Susan might be,” Chuck Cox, Susan Powell’s father, told The Salt Lake Tribune. “And it’s a sad thing that his family’s destroyed, and now he’s gone, too.”

The disappearance case remains open but all leads have been exhausted, Utah authorities said Tuesday.

The death of Steven Powell doesn’t “make the case any more or less likely to be solved,” the West Valley City Police Department said in a statement.

Authorities named Josh Powell as a person of interest as details emerged regarding his dysfunctional marriage to Susan Powell.

The young mother wrote in her journal in 2008: “If I die, it may not be an accident even if it looks like one … Take care of my boys.”

Josh Powell later moved to Puyallup, Washington.

Authorities say he intentionally killed himself and their two young sons, 7-year-old Charles and 5-year-old Braden, in an explosive house fire in 2012. The deaths occurred during a custody battle with Susan Powell’s parents.

Investigators who searched the home of Steven Powell found evidence that he used a telephoto lens to take photos of girls 8 and 9 from his bedroom window, which looked onto their bathroom. He was convicted of voyeurism, served 30 months in prison and was released a year ago.

Investigators also eyed Josh Powell’s brother, Michael, who they believe helped Josh Powell dispose of his wife’s body. Michael Powell died of suicide by jumping off a parking garage in Minneapolis in 2013.

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7 Comments

  • ladybugavenger July 24, 2018 at 5:19 pm

    Not sad about this.

  • Mean Momma July 25, 2018 at 12:47 am

    GOOD-FREAKING-RIDDANCE!!!
    Best news I’ve heard all week!

  • Badshitzoo July 25, 2018 at 8:21 am

    Come on, I know someone out there in “conspiracy theory-fake news land” thinks this guy was setup, and framed by the “Deep State” because of what his son did??? I wouldn’t think defending a Pedophile would be crossing a line for ya’ll. You certainly don’t have any problem crossing the 9/11 conspiracy line.

    • Striker4 July 25, 2018 at 9:39 am

      LOL ! oh wait till Prophet Bob ( comments ) gets here ha ha ha ha ha ha ha this is going to be good

      • comments July 25, 2018 at 9:35 pm

        No, Dump, Sweety, not gonna take that bait. Takes too much effort to care. 😉

    • ladybugavenger July 25, 2018 at 9:40 am

      My conspiracy theory is he went to the grave knowing where her body is. And he was part of it.

  • comments July 25, 2018 at 9:21 pm

    So the whole family were a bunch of dysfunctional suicidal pedophiles? hmm…

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