Susan Powell

On December 6, 2009, twenty-eight-year-old Susan Powell disappeared from her home in West Valley City, Utah. Her husband Josh told police he had taken their two young sons on a midnight camping trip in freezing weather, and when he returned, Susan was gone.

Investigators focused on Josh as the primary suspect. Evidence included Susan's blood on the floor, Josh's rental of a car with the back seats removed, and cell phone records placing him in the desert that night. However, no body was found and Josh was never charged.

Josh moved with his sons to Washington state, where he fought for custody against Susan's parents. On February 5, 2012, during a supervised visit, Josh locked the caseworker out, attacked his sons Charlie (7) and Braden (5) with a hatchet, then set the house on fire, killing all three.

Susan's body has never been found. West Valley City police have named Josh Powell as the sole person of interest but closed the active investigation since both the suspect and the only potential witnesses are dead.