Tuesday night December 8th at 10:26pm, after being questioned by police, Josh Powell rented a Silver 2009 Ford Focus, and disappeared again for 22 hours. Josh activated newly purchased cell phones in Tremonton, Utah on December 9th around 4pm. When Josh returned the car on Thursday the 10th of December, 807 miles had been put on the rental car. Police searched the rental car, Cadaver dogs did not alert on the rental car, so if Josh was moving Susan’s body he had help. It is 403 miles from Salt Lake City to a location Josh had photographed along I-84 just South of Baker City Oregon. Police searched the location near I-84 where the photo had been taken, Nothing.
Was this photo a coincidence, mis-direction, or a clue? I don’t know but I believe that in some old out building, abandoned shed, culvert or other structure or ditch near a road that was accessible that Wednesday morning , we could find Susan. As her father I have to look.
As her father, I need the help of you good people living along this route, you know which roads get plowed, which gas stations may have been open, who owns which property, which buildings never get used but are accessible. Perhaps someone will remember seeing tire tracks in the Snow at a locked gate, and thinking, “that’s strange probably just someone took a wrong turn”. It would have seemed unimportant then, like a broken latch or a missing lock, or a lock that your key stopped working in that you had to replace, just an odd inconvenience at the time, but hearing this information it now pops into your mind. If needed law enforcement is ready and able to assist in searching, the case is not closed. If law enforcement does not have sufficient resources, we have many people volunteering their services including dogs and equipment. Even though the probable perpetrators have ended their own lives, Susan still needs to be found.
Michael Powell’s location has never been documented the week of December 7th, he and his younger sister did show up in Utah on the 12th of December to help their brother Josh. Michael Powell’s Silver Ford Tarus broke down near Baker City, Oregon, 400 miles from Salt Lake City as he and sister returned home on December 15th. Michael had the car towed to a Pendleton salvage yard to be destroyed, just a little odd at the time, nothing more.
Over a year later after learning more about Josh and Michael’s brotherly relationship, and hearing about a car being salvaged, the car was located it had not been destroyed and Cadaver dogs were taken to the salvage yard. The dogs went directly to the partially salvaged vehicle and alerted on the trunk and rear seat. Although nothing was found in the trunk, the dogs alerting on the trunk means they detected the scent of human decomposition present in the trunk. Meaning that decomposing human remains, were in the trunk at some time.
Michael Powell committed suicide, so he isn’t giving anyone an explanation. The logical and probable explanation is that the trunk was used to transport a decomposing human body or body parts. Who’s body? Given all the circumstances we are aware of, the probable answer is that it was Susan.
I was once told of a dog training exercise where Cadaver Dogs alerted on the site of a massive blood loss in a gravel pit, man Vs heavy equipment, the man did live due to ambulances, but the blood had just soaked into the ground decomposing. The handlers were confused that the dogs were alerting on that spot, but after learning about the accident that had happened years earlier they realized the Dogs were right. (trust your dog) If you’re a father with a missing daughter, that story still leaves you with the tiniest glimmer of hope rather than the alternative.
At last we now appear to have circumstantial evidence where Susan’s body may have gone. It feels like it is a step closer to finding her.
Myself and an investigator from Winquist Investigations will begin by traveling to Pendleton on Tuesday the 28th to make local law enforcement aware of our concerns and to pass out flyers to gas stations, and people along the route as we head South to Tremonton. I hope it jogs someone memory of seeing the two cars together, or one or both of them buying fuel, or shovels or anything. As people begin to spend more time out doors, armed with this information we might get a break. Maybe we will finally have the answers we need and be able to put our daughter to rest besides her children. As I said before, I just have to keep looking. Thank You for your help.
See Attached flyer.
