Notebook contained threats against Susan Powell, sources say

WEST VALLEY CITY — A notebook that Susan Powell kept in her desk at work, possibly containing information about her relationship with her husband, was among the items seized by investigators last week, several sources have told the Deseret News.

The notebook, according to one source, detailed threats allegedly made about a year ago against the missing West Valley woman.

Powell has been missing since Dec. 6. Police have not ruled out the possibility of foul play but also do not have any evidence pointing them in any one direction. Her husband, Josh Powell, meanwhile, has remained the focus of media and public scrutiny.

Police confirmed Wednesday that they now consider him a "person of interest" in the case.

"We don't have any solid evidence at this time that a crime has been committed, but there is circumstantial evidence that foul play cannot be ruled out," West Valley Assistant Police Chief Craig Black said.

Black said Josh Powell is not the only person of interest. Black declined to discuss who the others are in the case.

"We're not focused in on one person at this point," he said.

Black is quick to point out, however, that a person of interest is not the same as a suspect. As an example, he said that a neighbor who might offer important information about the case would be considered a "person of interest." Everyone else who has been labeled as a person of interest, besides Powell, however, has been forthcoming with information, he said.

Powell was interviewed by police late Tuesday and submitted to a search warrant to collect DNA.

Despite his voluntarily showing up for an interview, police say he is still not being completely forthcoming, refusing to answer specific detailed questions such as exactly where he was camping the night of Dec. 6 and whether his wife had any close friends with whom she might have confided.

"He's not being cooperative," said Black. "He's answering very general descriptive-type questions. He would not submit to questioning about specific questions we think would be helpful to finding his wife."

Josh Powell said he went camping about midnight on Dec. 6 with the couple's two children, ages 2 and 4. They drove to an area in Tooele, where they slept in their minivan, Powell told police. The temperature that night was well below freezing.

The next day, Josh Powell returned to his home in the afternoon. Susan Powell was nowhere to be found.