20/20 Podcast: "If Something Happens to Me (Revisited)" – Summary

Podcast: 20/20
Host: ABC News
Episode: If Something Happens to Me (Revisited)
Date: November 29, 2025

Overview

This episode delivers an in-depth revisit of the infamous disappearance of Susan Powell, a 28-year-old mother from Utah, whose 2009 case became one of the most disturbing and convoluted true crime stories in recent American memory. It follows the events leading to her disappearance, the troubled Powell family dynamics, the notorious actions of her husband, Josh Powell, the failures by social and legal systems, the murder-suicide of Powell and their two children, and the long pursuit of justice by Susan’s family.

The episode deeply explores the emotional impact on those left behind and examines systemic issues that failed to prevent further tragedy, using extensive interviews, first-hand accounts, and chilling archival audio.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Disappearance of Susan Powell

• Background: Susan, a young mother of two, vanishes in December 2009 under highly suspicious circumstances. (03:10–09:30)
• Initial Alarm: Daycare provider Debbie Caldwell notices the family’s absence, and attempts to contact them fail, leading to a police welfare check. (15:10)
• Odd Evidence: Police find two box fans drying the carpet, Susan’s purse and keys left behind, no family member in the house, and missing children’s blankets—all suspicious. (18:20)

2. The Night Before: Suspicious Activities

• Susan’s friend Jovanna describes the last evening with the Powells, including Josh making an uncharacteristic dinner and Susan falling ill. (23:00)
• Josh tells police he took the boys on a spontaneous, midnight desert camping trip in freezing temperatures—a claim unanimously doubted by those who knew them. (29:40)
  • Memorable Quote:
    "Josh had taken the children on a middle of the night camping trip. It was freezing cold. None of this makes any sense except to him." (30:12)

3. Police Interviews and Increasing Suspicion

• Josh’s interview with detectives is evasive; he shows little concern or initiative to help find Susan. (35:00)
  • Detective Maxwell asks:
    "How am I going to find your wife without your help?" (42:40)
• Forensic interviews with four-year-old Charlie reveal unsettling statements like, "Mommy was in the van but didn’t come back with us." (44:30)
  • Charlie says:
    "Mommy is with the crystals." (47:50)

4. The Family Background and Marital Problems

• The couple’s relationship, initially happy, deteriorates due to Josh’s controlling and emotionally distant behavior. (54:00)
• Susan documents her assets and marital troubles via video and a written will, stating:
  "This is me covering all my bases, making sure that if something happens to me or my family or all of us..." (58:30)
• Susan specifically warns:
  "If I die, it may not be an accident." (1:03:00)

5. Investigation & Lack of Arrest

• Despite suspicions, police and DA lack sufficient evidence to arrest Josh; he promptly empties the house and relocates with his sons. (1:07:00)
• Jennifer Graves (Josh’s sister) wears a wire to confront Josh, but he denies involvement. (1:15:05)

6. “Creepy” Father-in-law & Further Revelations

• Stephen Powell admits to having “sexual” interactions with Susan, later proved to be obsessed, voyeuring, and accumulating disturbing material. (1:30:50; Steve Powell: "Susan was very, very sexual with me... We interacted in a lot of sexual ways because Susan enjoys doing that, I enjoy doing that." 1:35:10)
• Police discover thousands of voyeur photos of young girls and Susan, leading to Steve’s imprisonment for child pornography. (1:41:00)

7. The Boys’ Custody and Alarming Red Flags

• After the discovery at Steve Powell’s house, the boys are placed temporarily with Susan’s parents, Chuck and Judy Cox. (1:45:30)
• During visitations, both boys mention, “Mommy went with us on the trip but didn’t come back,” and Braden draws a picture of "Mommy in the trunk." (1:47:10)
• Josh rents a house for supervised visits, but soon faces a psychosexual evaluation order after illicit images are tied to his computer. (1:53:00)

8. The Murder-Suicide – February 5, 2012

• On a supervised visit, social worker Elizabeth Griffin Hall witnesses Josh pulling his sons inside, slamming the door, and barricading her out. She detects gasoline and calls 911, but too late. (2:02:15)
  • Hall recalls:
    "His eyes caught mine and he had a look in his eyes... I knocked and I knocked and I rang the doorbell and I started yelling..." (2:03:25)
• Josh murders Charlie and Braden with a hatchet and carbon monoxide poisoning before setting the house ablaze, killing himself in the process. (2:05:30)
  • Investigative conclusion:
    "There was also gas, gasoline in their lungs. Police say there's clear evidence Josh planned out this house explosion and meant to kill himself and his children." (2:08:10)

9. Aftermath & Systemic Failure

• The Cox family sues the state of Washington for negligence, leading to a $98 million civil award after evidence the state failed to protect the boys. (2:14:40)
  • Plaintiff’s lawyer in closing:
    "It is out of the state's failure to live up to their own primary directive of assuring the safety of the children that this tragedy was born." (2:19:00)
  • Jury verdict announced:
    "Was the State of Washington negligent? Answer. Yes. What do you find Plaintiff Charles Powell's total amount of damages, $57,500,000." (2:21:25)

10. Legacy and Continuing Search for Susan

• Volunteer teams continue searching abandoned mine shafts for Susan’s body; animal bones are found, but her remains have never been recovered. (2:30:30)
  • Chuck Cox:
    "He went from a father who was looking for the body of his daughter to part of the search team." (2:32:50)
• The Coxes plan to use some of the legal award to help domestic violence survivors. (2:39:15)

Notable Quotes & Stunning Moments

• On Josh Powell’s behavior after Susan disappeared:
  "There was no point at which Josh ever seemed to even be concerned that Susan was missing." – Friend (1:12:40)

• On the Powell family dynamic:
  "Susan had often referred to her father in law as creepy. But she, I don't think had any idea how creepy the man truly was." (1:36:25)

• On police evidence:
  "She even goes as far as to say, if I die, it may not be an accident. That is our biggest piece of evidence. It's her last words." (1:04:10)

• On the murder-suicide:
  "Any little bit of doubt that anyone could have possibly had that Josh killed Susan had to have gone out the window. The fact that he could have done that to his kids, this wasn't tragic. This was deeply wrong. This was evil." (2:10:30)

• On systemic shortcomings:
  "You cannot have reunification, you know, as your goal at the expense of child safety." (2:22:40)

Important Timestamps / Segments

| Time (MM:SS) | Segment | |--------------|--------------------------------------------------------| | 03:10 | Introduction to Susan’s disappearance | | 18:20 | Discovery of suspicious scene at Powell home | | 23:00 | Jovanna’s account of the last dinner | | 29:40 | Josh’s bizarre camping alibi | | 35:00 | Police interviews Josh | | 42:40 | Detective: “How am I going to find your wife…” | | 47:50 | Charlie: “Mommy is with the crystals” | | 58:30 | Susan’s video documentation | | 1:03:00 | Susan’s ominous “it may not be an accident” statement | | 1:15:05 | Jennifer Graves wears a wire | | 1:30:50 | Stephen Powell’s on-air “bombshell” | | 1:41:00 | Police raid on Steve Powell’s house | | 1:47:10 | Braden’s drawing; “Mommy’s in the trunk” | | 1:53:00 | Josh faces psychosexual evaluation | | 2:02:15 | The day of the murder-suicide begins | | 2:05:30 | Josh’s final, devastating act | | 2:14:40 | The wrongful death lawsuit | | 2:21:25 | Jury’s verdict | | 2:30:30 | Current search efforts for Susan’s body | | 2:39:15 | Coxes’ commitment to DV advocacy moving forward |

Final Notes

The episode leaves a chilling, emotional impact, spotlighting not only the cruelty and complexity of the Powell family tragedy but also the far-reaching consequences of institutional failures. The passionate voices of Susan’s loved ones echo a need for justice and systemic change, while the heartbreaking loss of Susan, Charlie, and Braden serves as a somber warning for families and authorities everywhere.