5 chilling details about Susan Powell's disappearance

Susan Powell was a 28-year-old mother of two from West Valley City, Utah. Born in 1981, she was a loving wife and devoted parent who worked at Wells Fargo Investments.

She lived with her husband, Joshua Powell, and their two young sons, Charlie and Braden. From the outside, their family seemed normal, but hidden beneath was a troubling marriage marked by control, manipulation, and fear.

Susan Powell vanished in December 2009 under mysterious circumstances. Her husband claimed she stayed home while he took the kids camping in the Utah desert, after midnight, in freezing weather.

Investigators quickly grew suspicious. Her belongings were left behind, strange signs were found in the home, and Joshua’s behavior raised alarms. Despite years of investigation, her body was never found.

Here are five chilling details about Susan Powell's disappearance: disturbing clues, ignored warnings, and a tragedy that deepened with time. These facts still haunt her family and investigators alike.

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Some chilling facts about Susan Powell's disappearance

1) The camping trip that made no sense

The camping trip that made no sense (Image via Unsplash)

Joshua Powell told police he took his two young sons camping on the night of December 6, 2009. He said Susan Powell stayed behind, tired and resting at home.

The camping site was on the Pony Express Trail, remote and snow-covered that night. Police found no trace of the family ever being there. He left just after midnight with toddlers and didn’t notify his employer the next morning.

This trip made no sense. The boys had daycare the next day, and the weather was bad. Even more suspicious, when police checked the odometer on a rental car Joshua got the next day, they discovered he’d driven over 800 unexplained miles. He could not explain where he went. Investigators believe this trip was used to dispose of Susan Powell's body.

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2) Fans, blood, and a missing wife

Fans, blood, and a missing wife (Image via Unsplash)

When police entered the Powell home after the family was first reported missing, Susan Powell was gone. What they found was eerie. Two box fans were blowing air toward a wet spot on the couch.

Police discovered traces of Susan’s blood on the tile floor. A later DNA test confirmed it was hers. Another sample came from an unknown male.

Her purse, keys, wallet, and phone were all still in the house. It was clear she hadn’t left voluntarily. Even more disturbing, investigators later found a secret handwritten will from Susan Powell where she wrote: “If I die, it may not be an accident.” This document, kept in a deposit box, became a key piece of evidence.

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3) Signs of abuse and disturbing family secrets

Signs of abuse and disturbing family secrets (Image via Unsplash)

Joshua came from a deeply troubled family. His father, Steven Powell, was obsessed with Susan Powell. He spied on her, filmed her secretly, and even kept her used underwear.

According to ABC News, published on July 26, 2024, Susan Powell once told a friend that Steven was “the most filthy, foul, sick, disgusting pervert the world has ever seen.” In 2003, Steven confessed his love to Susan and was rejected. The family moved away shortly after.

Despite these facts, Joshua kept in contact with his father and later moved back into his home with the kids. In 2011, police found over 4,000 voyeuristic images of Susan Powell on Steven’s computer. He was later arrested for voyeurism and child pornography. Investigators believe Steven knew what happened to Susan.

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4) The murder-suicide that shocked the nation

The murder-suicide that shocked the nation (Image via Unsplash)

On February 5, 2012, during a supervised visit, Joshua Powell locked the caseworker out of the house. Inside, he killed his sons, Charlie and Braden, with a hatchet, then set the house on fire. All three died from carbon monoxide poisoning. He had planned the murder, spreading gasoline around the home and emailing farewell messages minutes before the explosion.

The boys were in the care of their grandparents, Susan’s parents, Chuck and Judy Cox. They had fought to keep the children safe, but the state allowed Joshua supervised visits.

After his father’s arrest, Joshua had lost custody, but he had tricked the court into thinking he lived alone when he still lived at Steven’s house. That failure cost the lives of two innocent children.

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5) The last words and ongoing search

The last words and ongoing search (Image via Unsplash)

Perhaps the most chilling detail is Susan Powell’s handwritten will. She warned of “extreme turmoil” in her marriage and said if she died, it might not be an accident. Those words were later echoed by her children.

According to a report by MyNorthwest.com published on February 7, 2012, her son Charlie told teachers: “My mommy is in the trunk.” Braden once drew a picture of a van and said, “Mommy was in there, but she didn’t come back.”

Despite national attention, search efforts, and multiple leads, including a mine shaft search in 2022, Susan's body has never been found. In 2013, the case was officially closed by the police.

Her husband and his brother are both dead. The last hope for answers rests with the evidence already known and the voices of those who tried to speak up, Susan herself and her two sons.

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