Chuck Cox: Steven Powell 'complicit' in Susan's disappearance

SEATTLE — Susan Powell's father told KIRO 7 Eyewitness News that he believes Susan's father-in-law, Steven Powell was complicit in her presumed death and that he may have been "the one who did it."

Chuck Cox spoke after reports revealed that Steven Powell told a co-worker he planned a camping trip around the time Susan Powell disappeared.

"From what I understand, I believe Steve is complicit, definitely complicit, in this -- if not the one who did it. I think he was there," Cox told reporter Michelle Millman in a phone interview Friday morning.

Attorney Anne Bremner said Steven Powell told a coworker he planned to travel to Utah for the camping trip shortly before she disappeared in 2009.

Steve Powell asked to take leave on Dec. 8 and 9, 2009, the Department of Corrections confirmed to KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reporter Kevin McCarty.

Jennifer Silva said in an interview with The Associated Press on Friday that Powell described having a cold camping excursion with his son, Josh, and two grandchildren.

Steve Powell said they sat around a campfire, roasted marshmallows and threw snowballs.

Silva says he never mentioned daughter-in-law Susan Powell in those conversations.

Silva says she does not recall the specific dates of her conversations but that Steve Powell talked about going on the camping trip around Thanksgiving 2009. She saw him again a week or two later.    Silva has passed along her recollections to Utah investigators, who told her in February that they were looking into it.

Susan Powell was last seen on December 6 of that year. Josh Powell had said that he took a late-night camping trip in Utah with his two boys on the night Susan Powell disappeared.

Nobody has ever been named as a suspect her disappearance. Josh Powell killed himself and the couple's two young children in a fiery home inferno earlier this year.

Bremner, who represents Susan Powell's parents Chuck and Judy Cox, said she herself has never really believed Steve Powell was involved in Susan Powell's disappearance, but is now reassessing her perceptions of the case.

"Chuck has always thought that Steve was very involved," Bremner said. "This just sort of confirmed that for him."

Cox told KIRO 7 Eyewitness News that in light of the new information, "it appears that he (Steven) was probably there all along. It appears that he probably instigated it, at the very least."

Sources close to the investigation tell KIRO 7 Steven Powell has an air tight alibi, excluding him as a suspect in Susan's disappearance.

But  Cox says he's not convinced.

“It doesn’t sound air tight to me. It sounds planned, and from what I’ve heard, he very well could have been down there Saturday if not Sunday,” said Cox.

An attorney for Steve Powell did not immediately return a call from the Associated Press seeking comment.

Steve Powell called in sick from his job on December 8 and 9 of that year. He did appear to remain engaged at work, continuing to send emails to colleagues around that time period, according to documents obtained by AP.

Authorities have said they want to talk with Steve Powell to see what he might know. He's currently in jail on charges of voyeurism.

Utah investigators described in documents released last week that Steven Powell had an apparent obsession with his daughter-in-law. A locked cabinet in Steve Powell's bedroom contained multiple images of Susan Powell, including some of her in her underwear. Other images showed nude female bodies with Susan Powell's face copied onto them.

Another image showed Steven Powell masturbating to an image of Susan Powell.

Susan Powell wrote in her personal journals that she did not want Steven Powell involved in her life and wished that Josh Powell would sever ties with him. She described Steven Powell as a pedophile.

KIRO