TV stations subpoenaed for video footage in Powell case

WEST VALLEY CITY — Authorities have requested all video footage of the husband of missing Utahn Susan Powell from local television stations.

West Valley Police Capt. Tom McLachlan declined to elaborate what they're looking for in the footage. Most Salt Lake-area TV stations received the subpoenas Friday.

KSL received an electronic subpoena after business hours Friday and has yet to review it, said Con Psarras, vice president of KSL News. Because almost everything recorded in the case has already been published online, the station is likely to comply with the request, he said.

"We don't have much," he said. "With a person of interest, it's logical for the police to want to know."

The news and radio station will follow established policy for dealing with recordings, Psarras said.

Susan Powell was last seen Dec. 6 at her house, 6254 W. Sarah Circle. Her husband, Josh Powell, told police he went camping about midnight that night with his two sons, ages 2 and 4, in a remote part of Tooele County along the Pony Express Trail. He failed to show up to work the next day.

Police have named Josh Powell a person of interest in her disappearance.

McLachlan declined Saturday to discuss the investigation. He confirmed that prosecutors twice filed warrants to search the Powell house, one warrant to search the family's car and one search warrant to obtain DNA from Josh Powell.

Meantime, family members have scheduled a candlelight vigil for Susan Powell in her hometown in the Tacoma, Wash., area.

The vigil will begin at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Ridgecrest chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 12407 Military Road East, Puyallup, Wash.

"We invite everyone to join us and request that those in attendance bring a candle or two to light in Susan's behalf," said Shelby Gifford, spokeswoman for Susan Powell's father, Chuck Cox. "We will be meeting outdoors so we encourage you to dress warmly."

Gifford confirmed Saturday that Cox has only spoken to his son-in-law twice since his daughter, a 28-year-old broker for Wells Fargo Financial, went missing — once on the telephone and once in person when Cox flew to Utah to assist in the investigation.

Susan Powell was a devoted mother to her two young sons and would not intentionally leave the family, Gifford said.

Vigil for Powell to be held Sunday

A prayer vigil for Susan Powell will take place Sunday evening at the LDS Church building at 3665 S. 6000 West in West Valley City. The vigil will be from 8:30 to 9 p.m.

A Facebook group has also been set up by Susan Powell's friends and family. The page is located at www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=198478842187

e-mail: lhancock@desnews.com. TWITTER: laurahancock. Contributing: Rebecca Palmer