Police are indicating today that Josh Powell inflicted hatchet wounds on his two sons before killing them and himself in a house fire on Sunday.
Josh Powell tried to kill his sons with a hatchet before ultimately killing them and himself in a fire on Sunday, police have announced.
According to reports by both the police and the medical examiner on the case, the boys did die from the fire, as evidenced by the smoke found in their lungs. However, Powell, 36, also cruelly inflicted hatchet wounds on the boys—Charles, 7 and Braden, 5—before setting the fire that took their lives.
Evidence is also surfacing that is indicating that Powell was planning the boys’ deaths just days before the tragic event. Leading up to what was supposed to have been a supervised visit in Graham, WA, Powell gave away the children’s toys to Goodwill. And, only minutes before their deaths, Det. Ed Troyer of the Pierce County, WA, Sheriff’s Department announced today, Powell emailed instructions to cousins, his pastor and other friends. The reportedly long emails gave instructions on what was to be done with his money, house utilities and other details following their deaths; Powell also said that he could not live without his sons. Powell’s attorney, Jeffrey Bassett, has said that he received an email from Powell that said simply, “I’m sorry, goodbye.”
Powell had spoken with ABC News just a week prior to the apparent murder-suicide house fire, and indicated that he was looking forward to receiving custody of his children again in the future. He had spoken to ABC News after a court hearing on Wednesday, at which time he had been ordered to undergo psychosexual testing before regaining custody, after police indicated that they had found images on Powell’s computer that impacted the welfare of his children. Powell said that he had no idea why such an evaluation had been ordered, but he did not appear visibly angry or agitated by the order. Rather, he seemed optimistic about his chances to regain custody. But, less than a week later, Powell ushered his sons into his home for a supervised visit, then locked the social worker on the scene out of the house before the person could get inside. Moments later, Powell set the home ablaze using gasoline.
Powell had been under investigation since his wife, Susan Cox Powell, disappeared in 2009. Although he was a “person of interest,” Powell was never formally charged. However, he lost custody of his sons following the arrest of his father, Steven Powell, who was arrested on charges of child pornography last fall. At the time, Josh Powell and his sons had been living with Steven Powell.
The children, who were only four and two when Cox went missing, were beginning to talk more about the night their mother disappeared, Susan's parents Chuck and Judy Cox have indicated through their attorney, Steve Downing, ABC News reported. "They were beginning to verbalize more. The oldest boy talked about that they went camping and that mommy was in the trunk. Mom and dad got out of the car and mom disappeared."
Susan Cox Powell remains missing.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
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