Powell took his time getting home, neighbor says

WEST VALLEY CITY — When Josh Powell was first told his wife was missing, it took him two hours to get home, even though he said he had been driving around West Valley City, according to a neighbor and friend of Susan Powell.

The same neighbor said Josh Powell didn't wanted to talk about his wife's disappearance in the early days of the investigation, despite repeated questions from friends.

These and other details of Josh Powell's unusual behavior in the days following his wife's disappearance were revealed Wednesday. She has not been seen since Dec. 6. Police say her husband is a person of interest in the case but not a suspect.

His strange behavior since his wife went missing has resulted in numerous questions being asked by friends and family members.

Tim Petersen is a neighbor of the Powells and a member of their LDS Church ward. He and his wife are good friends with Susan Powell, and Petersen has helped her with her marriage counseling.

On Dec. 7, police were called to the Powell house after the couple failed to show up for work and their children were not dropped off at day care. The day-care providers contacted Josh Powell's mother, who went to the house and found it locked. Fearing a carbon monoxide incident, she called police.

Josh Powell later told police he had decided to go camping about midnight on Dec. 6 in rural Tooele County and took his two sons, ages 2 and 4, with him.

Petersen said friends and family members tried several times to call Josh Powell on his cell phone Dec. 7. When Powell finally answered, Petersen said, he didn't seem very panicked when they told him his wife was missing and no one had any idea where she was.

"They told him, 'The police are here at your house. You might want to come home.' It took him two hours. When we asked him where he had been, he just said, 'I've been driving around West Valley City.' It took him two hours to get home. He wasn't in a big hurry to get home and find his wife, he just … I don't know. It's a really crappy situation," Petersen said.

The odd behavior continued over the next two days as police started combing the Powell house for evidence. Investigators seized the Powells' lone vehicle, a minivan, to look for possible clues. They also took Josh Powell's cell phone and many items from inside his house, including his bedding and a carpet cleaner, Petersen said.

"They started completely tearing his house apart," he said.