Missing mom's husband attends vigil in Puyallup
PUYALLUP, Wash. -- A Utah man considered a person of interest in the disappearance of his wife was among more than 60 people who attended a vigil for her Sunday night in her parents' hometown of Puyallup.
Besides Josh Powell, the vigil for Susan Powell outside a church was attended by Susan's grandparents, parents and siblings.
Josh Powell, 34, of the Salt Lake City suburb West Valley City, did not speak to a hoard of cameras and media gathered at the event.
He stood in a downpour surrounded by a tight group of supporters who shielded him from the media with umbrellas. His 4-year-old son, Charlie, accompanied him at the vigil and held a candle as many of Susan's friends and families stared at Josh in surprise, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.
He spoke to his wife's sister, Denise, briefly and gave the woman a hug. After the encounter, she told the Tribune that she asked how he and the children were doing and if she could speak to him later about recent events.
She said he agreed to talk to her.
Susan's parents, Chuck and Judy Cox walked by Josh and did not stop to talk to him.
"Where is she? Where is my daughter? Where could she be?," Chuck said after the vigil. "We've had no contact with Josh at all. We don't know what his plans are. I didn't even know he was coming up here."
Josh brought one of their two boys to the vigil, but he didn't let Chuck Cox speak with the boy. A group tried to shield Josh and the child from view.
"Through the legs there, I got a peek of Charley," Chuck said of his grandson. "He's looking pretty good. Looks like he doesn't have a clue of what's going on."
Josh Powell's attorney, Scott Williams, said earlier in the day that his client went with his children to his father's house in Washington state for the holidays.
There are no restrictions on Powell's movements, said Tom McLachlan, a police captain in West Valley City, a suburb of Salt Lake City.
"He can come and go as he pleases," McLachlan said Sunday, adding that police would still like to speak with him again.
Vigil attendees stood under tents and umbrellas while holding candles, singing and signing a poster of Susan.
"It is the wish of (Susan's family) that tonight be a night of hope, a night of faith and a night of love," family spokeswoman Shelby Gifford said.
Susan Powell, 28, moved from New Mexico to Puyallup when she was 10 years old and graduated from high school there in 2000.
She was reported missing since Dec. 7, when she failed to show up for her stockbroker job in West Valley City, Utah. Josh Powell told police he last saw her at 12:30 a.m. that day when he took their two boys, ages 2 and 4, on a camping trip and left her at home.
Police have called Josh Powell a person of interest and said he was not forthcoming in interviews with detectives.
Susan Powell's parents and siblings have said they were saddened that Josh Powell had been named a person of interest, but not surprised.
Salt Lake City resident Wayne Hamberg, one of Josh Powell's friends, has said Josh and Susan Powell had problems like any other couple, but he never saw any signs of domestic violence or other serious issues.
Confronted by a KOMO reporter as he tried to get into a van to leave, Josh Powell did not respond to questions.
Chuck Cox, meanwhile, said he remains hopeful his daugter will be found.
"We're doing everything I can possible do to get people looking for my daughter and get leads," he said.
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Besides Josh Powell, the vigil for Susan Powell outside a church was attended by Susan's grandparents, parents and siblings.
Josh Powell, 34, of the Salt Lake City suburb West Valley City, did not speak to a hoard of cameras and media gathered at the event.
He stood in a downpour surrounded by a tight group of supporters who shielded him from the media with umbrellas. His 4-year-old son, Charlie, accompanied him at the vigil and held a candle as many of Susan's friends and families stared at Josh in surprise, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.
He spoke to his wife's sister, Denise, briefly and gave the woman a hug. After the encounter, she told the Tribune that she asked how he and the children were doing and if she could speak to him later about recent events.
She said he agreed to talk to her.
Susan's parents, Chuck and Judy Cox walked by Josh and did not stop to talk to him.
"Where is she? Where is my daughter? Where could she be?," Chuck said after the vigil. "We've had no contact with Josh at all. We don't know what his plans are. I didn't even know he was coming up here."
Josh brought one of their two boys to the vigil, but he didn't let Chuck Cox speak with the boy. A group tried to shield Josh and the child from view.
"Through the legs there, I got a peek of Charley," Chuck said of his grandson. "He's looking pretty good. Looks like he doesn't have a clue of what's going on."
Josh Powell's attorney, Scott Williams, said earlier in the day that his client went with his children to his father's house in Washington state for the holidays.
There are no restrictions on Powell's movements, said Tom McLachlan, a police captain in West Valley City, a suburb of Salt Lake City.
"He can come and go as he pleases," McLachlan said Sunday, adding that police would still like to speak with him again.
Vigil attendees stood under tents and umbrellas while holding candles, singing and signing a poster of Susan.
"It is the wish of (Susan's family) that tonight be a night of hope, a night of faith and a night of love," family spokeswoman Shelby Gifford said.
Susan Powell, 28, moved from New Mexico to Puyallup when she was 10 years old and graduated from high school there in 2000.
She was reported missing since Dec. 7, when she failed to show up for her stockbroker job in West Valley City, Utah. Josh Powell told police he last saw her at 12:30 a.m. that day when he took their two boys, ages 2 and 4, on a camping trip and left her at home.
Police have called Josh Powell a person of interest and said he was not forthcoming in interviews with detectives.
Susan Powell's parents and siblings have said they were saddened that Josh Powell had been named a person of interest, but not surprised.
Salt Lake City resident Wayne Hamberg, one of Josh Powell's friends, has said Josh and Susan Powell had problems like any other couple, but he never saw any signs of domestic violence or other serious issues.
Confronted by a KOMO reporter as he tried to get into a van to leave, Josh Powell did not respond to questions.
Chuck Cox, meanwhile, said he remains hopeful his daugter will be found.
"We're doing everything I can possible do to get people looking for my daughter and get leads," he said.
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More news from Puyallup
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