Friends, family, law enforcement dedicated to solving Susan Powell Case - KUTV 2News
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — In the nearly 13-years since Susan Powell disappeared the Salt Lake Valley has grown rapidly, but one thing hasn’t changed – intrigue in the case.
It’s a case that shocked the conscience – a missing mom yet to be found, and presumed dead.
The Powell case is still an open cold case under investigation by the West Valley City Police Department.
2News talked to Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera about why the case has captivated so many people.
Sheriff Rivera has advocated for victims for the majority of her decades-long career. She talked about why, after all these years, the Powell case commands attention, and why finding closure is so hard.
Before her sudden disappearance, Susan Powell seemingly had a premonition.
She documented her valuables and gave a window into her world in a home video before her disappearance.
The day after Susan suddenly disappeared, her husband, Josh Powell, insisted she wasn’t with them on their middle-of-the-winter-night camping trip.
Three years later in Washington State, Josh – as a person of interest – killed himself and the couple’s two sons.
“The dynamics of how her children died, that brought more attention,” Sheriff Rivera said.
Josh and his two young sons died in a house explosion during a supervised visit after he locked the social worker out.
“That was the most tragic story you’ve ever seen, when it involves children, and I think that’s why it’s still in people’s minds,” Rivera said.
If Josh had any answers as to where his wife was, he took it with him.
“Until they, you know, find her it’s going to be tragic for our communities,” Rivera said.
Most recently a group operating the YouTube Channel “HeavyDSparks” filmed their excavation down a mine shaft in the area where Josh told investigators they went camping the night his wife suddenly disappeared.
They found bones and a pair of pants.
Susan’s father, Chuck Cox, was there – even going down the mine shaft hoping his daughter’s remains had been discovered. While DNA testing revealed the bones were not Susan’s – and not even human - the clothing was still undergoing forensic analysis.
Closure, with no body recovered and the person of interest Josh Powell deceased, can be haunting for the family.
“It would be very difficult to find closure if you have a loved one who is still missing,” Sheriff Rivera said. “It just takes such a toll on the family. It changes their whole life.”
Susan’s daycare provider, Debbie Caldwell, told 2News she made a promise.
“I was the first person to go looking for her. I made a commitment that I would not stop looking for her until I found her. I’m going to figure this out, it may not be in this life though,” she said.
Rivera said advances in technology have helped crack some of her office’s cold cases.
Sherry Black Case
She pointed to an aging murder case that was recently solved by her detectives – that of Sherry Black, the owner of B&W Billiards and Books, who was stabbed, beaten to death and evidence was found that she was sexually assaulted after she died in 2010.
DNA evidence linked Adam Antonio Spencer Durborow to the decade-old crime. Durborow was recently sentenced to life in prison without parole for her murder.
Akosita Kaufusi Case
She was also hopeful that one day they will be able to solve the murder of 42-year-old Akosita Kaufusi, a Native American woman found on the rocks outside the Great Saltair in August of 2020. Kaufusi had been shot to death.
“I would just tell the public to always keep up on these kind of stories don’t lose interest in these missing, endangered individuals because they do matter. They matter to law enforcement. They matter to the families and as long as our public and our media are willing to talk about it. We need to keep their stories in the media,” said Rivera.
The sheriff said there’s always a glimmer of hope.
“It’s hard for us to see the other side. Will that person ever come back, will we ever find that person and I think people just hold onto it that there’s that little, tiny hope and I think that’s what keeps people going,” she said.
2News reached out to the West Valley City Police Department to ask about the status of the Susan Powell case. Public Safety Media Director Roxeanne Vainuku sent the following email statement:
“The Susan Powell disappearance case remains assigned to a detective in the West Valley City Police Department. Although all leads in the case have been exhausted and the case has gone cold, we stand ready to act on any new information that might provide resolution in this challenging case.”
Anyone who has credible information regarding the disappearance of Susan Powell should call 801-840-4000.
source: https://kutv.com/news/local/friends-family-law-enforcement-dedicated-to-solving-susan-powell-case
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