Murder in America – EP. 212: UTAH – The Susan Powell Story (Pt. 2)

Release Date: August 15, 2025
Hosts: Courtney Shannon & Colin Browen

Episode Overview

This harrowing second installment in the Susan Powell case continues the examination of one of the most infamous and devastating family tragedies in recent American history. Hosts Courtney Shannon and Colin Browen meticulously recount the timeline from Susan's disappearance in December 2009, through the deeply disturbing investigation, to the ultimate, tragic deaths of her two sons, Charlie and Brayden, and her husband, Josh Powell. The episode explores the failures of various institutions, chilling behavior by Josh and his father Steve, the heartbreaking aftermath for Susan’s family, and the lingering hope that someday Susan’s remains may be found.

Key Topics & Timeline

1. Recap & Setup: The Calm Before the Storm

[01:52 – 05:35]

• The episode opens with a concise recap: Part one covered Susan and Josh’s troubled marriage, his controlling behavior, financial struggles, and warning signs—including a letter Susan hid at work warning, “If I die, it may not be an accident, even if it looks like one.”
• December 5–6, 2009: Neighbors and friends observe seemingly normal activities—a Christmas party, family church, and a friend (Jovana) dropping by to help Susan untangle yarn. Jovana recalls Susan being unusually tired after pancakes Josh had made, possibly hinting toward poisoning.

2. The Disappearance

[09:39 – 18:03]

• Monday, December 7, 2009: The family fails to show up for work or daycare; friends and family grow concerned when calls go unanswered.
• Debbie Caldwell, the daycare provider, checks their home, finds it locked and deserted. The police, upon entry, find fans drying out the sofa/carpet, wet spots, Susan’s boots and purse still inside, but no evidence of forced entry or struggle.
• Early suspicions escalate as friends and family acknowledge Susan’s premonitions and marital woes.

3. Josh’s Alibi Unravels

[18:44 – 26:10]

• Jovana is the last known adult to see Susan, contradicting Josh’s later claims.
• Josh is located after a day, claiming he went on a spontaneous camping trip with the boys in a snowstorm—leaving after midnight, returning late.
• His sister, Jennifer:
  “How much do you know?” — chilling response on being questioned about Susan ([20:23]).

4. Police Interviews: Suspicion Deepens

[21:53 – 32:25]

• Police interviews reveal Josh’s story keeps shifting, especially about the timing of the trip, activities, and Susan’s whereabouts.
• Police note suspicious items in his minivan (tarp, tools, cleaning supplies, Susan’s phone), and observe fresh cuts on his hands.
• Investigators question his marital bliss claims, raising questions about Susan’s mental health and the possibility of suicide—which family and friends firmly reject.

5. Charlie’s Heartbreaking Testimony

[50:44 – 56:46]

• Charlie, age 4, tells the Children’s Justice Center:
  “My mom stayed at the national natural park... where the flowers and crystals grow.”
  This statement eerily matches areas Josh had visited and triggers fruitless searches.

6. Forensic & Circumstantial Evidence

[57:18 – 61:54]

• Signs of clean-up (fans/carpet), and forensic tests find Susan’s blood on sofa/carpet.
• Phone records undercut Josh’s alibi; calls show he was not at the claimed camping site when he said he was.
• Josh leaves suspicious voicemails for Susan, attempting to create an alibi he cannot support.

7. The Powell Family’s Behavior

[63:08 – 79:01]

• Josh rents a car, is unaccounted for 18 hours, possibly traveling over 800 miles.
• After moving in with his father Steve in Washington, the family’s behavior gets stranger—Josh creates a website to smear Susan, withdraws her retirement, cancels her appointments, and claims victimization.
• Steve’s obsession with Susan is revealed in his journals and later via evidence seized in a police raid.

8. Community and Family Fallout

[69:15 – 77:55]

• Susan’s friends mobilize online support and charity work in her name.
• Vigils are organized; Josh, now the main suspect, faces public hostility.
• Family is fractured—Josh’s sister Jennifer wears a wire to confront him; Steve remains in denial, and beliefs in Susan’s runaway status are publicly shared.

9. Police Raid & Shocking Discoveries

[105:37 – 111:53]

• August 2011: A raid on Steve Powell’s home uncovers a trove of voyeuristic, fetishistic, and child abuse materials—including secretly-filmed images and stolen personal items from Susan, and 1600 images of neighbor children. Steve is arrested for child pornography and voyeurism.

10. Custody Battle for the Boys

[114:16 – 118:12]

• The Cox family gains custody of Charlie and Brayden; boys display troubled behaviors (possibly coached by their father).
• Josh fights for custody, berates the Coxes, and his supporters launch smear campaigns online.
• Court-ordered evaluations discover disturbing cartoon child porn on Josh’s computers; he is denied unsupervised custody and must complete more assessments and a polygraph.

11. The Triple Murder-Suicide

[121:12 – 135:47]

• February 5, 2012: During a supervised visit, Josh traps his sons inside his home, attacks them with a hatchet, and sets the house, doused in gasoline, aflame—killing himself and both boys.
• The supervising social worker escapes but is unable to save the children; her frantic, dismissed 911 call plays in the episode ([125:32], [129:19]).
• Investigation confirms the boys were alive during the fire; Susan’s family is devastated, but a massive outpouring of community grief follows.
• Josh’s sister Alina and his family, shockingly, defend his actions and try to bury the boys beside their father.

12. Aftermath, Steve’s Further Crimes, and Continuing Searches

[137:52 – 142:31]

• Steve Powell never reveals Susan’s fate, even when shown photos of his dead son and grandsons.
• Mike Powell (Josh's brother) displays suspicious behavior, possibly aided in the crime, and dies by suicide in 2013.
• Steve serves minimal prison time for his crimes before dying of heart issues in 2018.
• In 2020, the Cox family wins a $98 million wrongful death judgment against child protective services.

13. Legacy & Unanswered Questions

[142:31 – 143:23]

• Susan's remains are still missing; her parents continue to hope for closure.
• The episode concludes with calls to support the Susan Cox Powell Foundation and recommendations for further in-depth resources like the “Cold” podcast and Greg Olsen’s book If I Can’t Have You.

Notable Quotes and Chilling Moments

Susan’s Last Words & Fears

• “If I die, it may not be an accident, even if it looks like one.”
  — Susan Powell (quoted by Courtney at [04:14])

Siblings’ Confrontation

• “How much do you know?”
  — Josh to Jennifer ([20:23])
• “I can't believe you'd say that.”
  — Josh to Jennifer during the wired conversation ([82:33])

Charlie’s Testimony

• “My mommy stayed where the flowers and crystals glow... Charlie, when you guys came home from camping, who came home with you? My dad, and my mom stayed up in a national natural park.”
  — Charlie (Child Forensic Interview, [50:44])

Josh’s On-Air Defense

• “I didn’t do anything. I mean, I—I don’t know where she’s at. I don’t even know where to start looking.”
  — Josh Powell (interviewed by KUTV’s Chris Jones, [65:09])

Social Worker’s 911 Call

• “I’d like to pull out of the driveway because I smell gasoline and he won’t let me in… This could be life threatening. He went to court on Wednesday and couldn’t get his kids back and… I’m afraid for their lives.”
  — Elizabeth Griffin Hall ([125:32], [129:19])

Josh’s Final Voicemail

• “I am not able to live without my son and I'm not able to go on anymore. I'm sorry to everyone I've hurt. Goodbye.”
  — Josh Powell to Alina ([123:24])

Steve Powell’s Obsession

• “josh hates her so much, Even wishes she were dead. He even talked about it occasionally, fantasizing that she might have an accident.”
  — Steve’s journals ([109:55])

Reflection: Systemic Failures & Ongoing Impact

• The episode stresses repeated failures by authorities and child protective agencies—missed red flags, supervised visits not taken seriously, lack of action on mounting circumstantial evidence.
• The legacy: Josh’s actions cause the loss of five family members in eight years, devastate two generations, and leave a community reeling, yet Susan’s parents continue advocacy in her name.

Timeline of Key Events

| Time | Event | |----------------|--------------------------------------------| | [03:08] | Susan’s last weekend alive | | [13:23] | Family/friends/caregivers discover family missing | | [21:17] | Josh questioned by police | | [50:44] | Charlie’s first forensic interview | | [57:18] | Police begin forensic analysis of home and car | | [65:09] | Josh’s TV interview after days missing | | [76:29] | Josh attends Susan’s vigil—community confrontations | | [105:37] | Police raid Steve Powell’s house | | [121:12] | Josh begins preparations for murder-suicide| | [123:24] | Josh’s final voicemail | | [125:32] | Social worker’s desperate 911 call | | [134:39] | Details of the boys’ murder revealed |

Resources & Further Information

• Podcast: Listen to the “Cold” podcast for further investigation.
• Book: If I Can’t Have You by Greg Olson & Rebecca Morris.
• Charity: Susan Cox Powell Foundation — Supporting missing persons cases and domestic violence prevention.

Tone & Final Takeaways

Courtney and Colin deliver the episode with a mix of compassion, horror, and outrage, focusing on systemic failures and the resilience of Susan’s family. Their detailed, chronological narrative is accessible for listeners new to the case, yet rich for those familiar.

“You can see this pattern that authorities or CPS or whoever, they failed to recognize how serious some of these issues are and they allow these things to happen, which to me is incredibly disturbing. There needs to be change in the system to prevent stuff like this from continuing to happen.”
— Colin ([closing remarks])

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