Local News

Testimony begins in Steve Powell’s voyeurism trial in Tacoma

The Associated Press

The voyeurism trial of a missing Utah woman’s father-in-law took on the tenor of a creepy slideshow Wednesday, as jurors saw images of young neighbor girls he is accused of filming — and then heard testimony from the girls themselves.

Steve Powell, 62, is the father of the late Josh Powell and  father-in-law of Susan Powell, who disappeared from her home in West Valley City, Utah, in late 2009. In February, Josh Powell, who had moved to Washington state, attacked his two sons with a hatchet and ignited an explosive fire in which he and the boys died.

Steve Powell was arrested last September, after investigators searching his home for evidence in Susan Powell’s disappearance came across computer disks with what they described as thousands of images of women and girls who seemed unaware they were being photographed.

Those filmed, prosecutors say, included the neighbor girls, who were about 8 and 10 when the images were recorded.

Among the images recovered from Steve Powell’s home were many of Susan Powell that appeared to have been filmed without her knowledge, investigators said. There were also journals in which Steve Powell detailed his obsession with Susan Powell, they said.

Much of that evidence has been barred from the trial as unduly prejudicial against the defendant. Steve Powell is not charged with acts of voyeurism involving Susan Powell because authorities can’t prove she didn’t know about the filming.

Defense attorney Mark Quigley told jurors during his opening statement Wednesday that he did not expect Steve Powell to testify.

Steve Powell faces 14 counts of voyeurism.

The first witness in the case was Pierce County sheriff’s detective Gary Sanders, who described how detectives found the photos. The images were projected on a screen turned away from courtroom spectators.

In cross-examining the detective and the mother of the girls, Quigley elicited that other adult men lived in the home at the time — Josh Powell and one of his brothers — raising the specter that someone other than Steve Powell might have recorded the images.

The trial is expected to resume next Monday.

0 comments | More in General news, The Blotter | Topics: Graham, Josh Powell, Puyallup

Steve Powell seeks to suppress voyeurism evidence

The Associated Press

An attorney for Steve Powell said this morning that investigators frustrated by their unsuccessful quest to find his missing daughter-in-law pursued an “illegal” warrant that eventually led to voyeurism charges.

Mark Quigley said that evidence gathered during a search of Powell’s home last summer should be suppressed. Powell’s daughter-in-law, Susan Powell, disappeared in 2009.

Quigley said the warrant was a fishing expedition designed to gather general evidence against Susan Powell’s husband, Josh, who eventually killed himself and the couple’s two young children earlier this year.

“This investigation was stale,” Quigley said. “The police were frustrated.”

The warrant was focused largely on collecting Susan Powell’s journals, in which she had expressed a wish for her husband to sever ties with his father. She also described Steve Powell as a pedophile.

Prosecutor Grant Blinn said the warrant was justified in part because investigators needed to pursue all aspects in their effort to find Susan Powell.

“They need to look into all the leads — look into who she had relationships with and the nature and extent of those relationships,” Blinn said.

Authorities said the warrant uncovered thousands of images of females being videotaped without their knowledge, including Susan Powell. Some of the girls were as young as 8.

Steve Powell has pleaded not guilty. His trial is scheduled to begin in two weeks.

Investigators have said they are still interested in speaking with Steve Powell about the disappearance of his daughter-in-law. They say he has been uncooperative in that investigation.

Authorities say that Steve Powell’s bedroom also contained images of nude female bodies with Susan Powell’s face copied onto them, according to court documents.

Josh Powell was a person of interest in his wife’s disappearance and had lost custody of his two sons. On Feb. 5, he grabbed them during a visit near Puyallup, slammed the door on the social worker, and killed them and himself by setting the house on fire.

0 comments | More in The Blotter | Topics: homicide, Josh Powell, missing person

Morning Memo/Thursday: Dispatcher reprimand in Josh Powell case … Canoe capsizes

Weather: More of the same, we’re afraid: Cloudy and showers, cloudy, cloudy, drizzle. (Haven’t seen that word in a while.) Temperatures in the upper 50s again, too. Monday and Tuesday the lows drop into the 30s. In April.  The National Weather Service forecast.

Traffic: The map and cams.

Yikes, woman on fire: A woman who started a fire in the backseat of a Yakima police car has pleaded guilty to reckless burning and will spend 30 days in jail, according to a piece in the Yakima Herald-Republic. Police came upon the woman while checking into a report of a woman being chased by a man with a knife. She used a lighter to set her clothes ablaze.

Josh Powell, the fire and the 911 call. There was controversy over the way the 911 dispatcher handled the call from the social worker who dropped off Powell’s sons at a home in Graham and watched helplessly as the home erupted in fire. Well, that dispatcher has been reprimanded for the more than 20-minute delay in getting emergency crews to the scene, according to a story in the Salt Lake Tribune. Powell, who was long a person of interest in the disappearance of his wife, set the fire in which he and his two young sons died.

There is not points to locate on the map

A canoe in Puget Sound can spell trouble. And it did for two men who were in one when it capsized Wednesday between Manchester and Blake Island. They were wet, of course, and  hypothermic, when they were pulled from the drink by police. Luckily, they were wearing life jackets. The Kitsap Sun has the story. (And exactly where is Manchester? It’s on the Kitsap Peninsula, across the Sound, due west of Des Moines, sorta. See the map)

Crooks and scams: We can’t stress enough how important it is for folks, especially the elderly, to be aware that there are crooks intent on scamming them out of their money. See staff writer Jennifer Sullivan’s piece: Eastside man loses $84K: Scammers steal from elderly by posing as their grandkids

Most-read stories this morning on seattletimes.com:

1. NJ bully’s paralyzing punch nets $4.2M settlement
2. He’s taking a big shot in a bid for liquor stores | Danny Westneat
3. Author faces civil suit over ‘Three Cups of Tea’
4. Forest Service may blow up frozen cows
5. Can Seattle support six pro-sports teams? |Politics Northwest

0 comments | More in Morning Memo | Topics: canoe capsizes, crooks, fire

Home razed where Josh Powell and 2 young sons died

Demolition workers remove what is left of the fire-damaged home where Josh Powell killed himself and his two sons. (Associated Press photo)

The Associated Press

GRAHAM, Pierce County — A demolition crew removed the debris Wednesday at the home where Josh Powell killed himself and his two young sons on Feb. 5 in a fiery explosion.

The contractor on the job, Greg Pelland of Pelland Enterprises, says he was told to remove every trace of the home, including the driveway.

Powell was the husband of Susan Cox Powell who went missing from their home in December 2009 in West Valley, Utah. He had moved into his father’s home in Puyallup with his two young sons but lost custody after his father, Steven Powell, was arrested for investigation of voyeurism and child pornography.

A social worker brought 5-year-old Braden and 7-year-old Charlie to Josh Powell’s home for a visit when he slammed the door in her face and set the fire.

0 comments | More in General news, The Blotter | Topics: Josh Powell, Steven Powell, Susan Cox Powell

Former co-worker: Suspicions about Steven Powell’s Utah camping trip were aroused last year

The Associated Press

A former co-worker of Steve Powell’s  says she contacted authorities about a snowy camping trip he says he took with his son and grandchildren in Utah around the time his daughter-in-law disappeared in 2009.

However Jennifer Silva, who was laid off from her job at the Department of Corrections more than a year ago, told The Associated Press on Friday she doesn’t know exactly which days Steve Powell might have taken the trip. Silva’s comments are the first suggestion that Steve Powell may have been in Utah in late 2009.

Susan Powell was last seen Dec. 6, 2009. Her husband Josh Powell had said that he took a late-night camping trip in Utah with his two boys on the night Susan Powell disappeared. Josh Powell killed himself and the couple’s two young children in a home fire earlier this year.

While authorities have never named a suspect in the case, they had consistently called Josh Powell a “person of interest.” Steve Powell has never been charged in the Susan Powell case, but is being held in Pierce County on voyeurism charges. However, the Salt Lake Tribune has said that Utah’s West Valley City police Chief Thayle “Buzz” Nielsen has said Steve Powell was “absolutely” being considered as an accomplice in Susan Powell’s disappearance.

Silva said Steve Powell told her “it was cold and snowy” when he went camping with his son, Josh, and grandsons. “He enjoyed sitting around the campfire with them, roasting marshmallows and throwing snowballs,” she said.

Silva said she initially didn’t consider that Steve Powell might have had an involvement in the case. Then, after Steve Powell claimed having a flirtatious relationship with Susan last year, she began considering her conversations with him in a different light and wondered whether the camping trip was linked to Susan Powell’s disappearance.

“I believe it is,” Silva said. “It all fits.”

0 comments | More in General news, The Blotter | Topics: Josh Powell, Steve Powell; Susan Cox Powell; Susan Powell; Anne Brenmer

Morning Memo/Saturday: Obama dines out in Seattle … federal spy-party boat … Josh Powell's porn images

Weather: Did you hear the wind last night? The National Weather Service says to expect some more blustery gusts today. Temperatures will be in the 40s, creeping into the 50s by early next week. The National Weather Service forecasts.

Traffic: Traffic cameras in the passes show plenty of fresh snow on the road. If you’re planning on driving through the mountains, be prepared for wintry driving conditions. The map and cams.

President Obama was in town yesterday. The president toured Boeing’s Everett plant and swung through two Eastside fundraisers before capping off the day with a spicy ‘Il Presidente’ pizza from a Northwest pizzeria.

NOAA’s luxury spy boat: There was very little spying and a fair amount of partying aboard a $300,000 luxury boat that was supposed to be used to monitor whale-watching tours. One agent defended the on-board barbecue parties as a way to keep up the boat’s appearance as a recreational boat and not an unmarked police craft. Sounds a bit fishy.

Josh Powell: This story never seems to let up. The latest turn? In 2009, Utah police seized more than 400 images from computers in Powell’s home that depicted computer-generated images of child pornography. That evidence, released to Pierce County investigators this winter, prompted the request for a psychosexual evaluation of Powell less than a week before he killed his two sons and himself in a gas-fueled blaze.

Most-read stories this morning on seattletimes.com:

1. Seattle NBA arena no slam dunk: Teams, money required
2. Unknown why 3 crash victims took Cessna for late-night flight
3. OK, there’s an arena plan. Now all Seattle needs are NBA, NHL teams
4. Obama touts American manufacturing in Boeing visit
5. Huskies roll to easy victory over Arizona State

0 comments | More in Morning Memo | Topics: Barack Obama, Boeing, Josh Powell

Morning Memo/Friday: Josh Powell … Whale wars … Obama

Weather: Hmmm … Rain forecast for the next six days. Temperatures, however, will be in the high 40s and even reach the low 50s on a few days. We’re used to rain, and those high temps will make things a bit bearable, right? The National Weather Service forecasts.

Traffic: The map and cams.

President Obama is coming to town today. Well, he’s coming to Everett and Bellevue. We’ll be tagging along, of course.

Josh Powell papers: The Department of Social and Health Services is expected to release records today from the Josh Powell child custody case. Powell, of course, was a person of interest in the disappearance of his wife, and killed his two young boys and himself in a fire in a home in Graham, Pierce County, earlier this month.

(Mountain goat photo courtesy of Olympic National Park)

Mountain goats aplenty: The number of mountain goats in the Olympic Mountains is on the rise, according to a survey last summer by the U.S. Geological Survey. Seattle Times staff reporter Lynda V. Mapes writes in our Field Notes blog that the goat population there has jumped 40 percent since 2004, according to the USGS survey report.

From the Field Notes post:

At the current rate of growth, the goat population could double within about 15 years, according to the report.

We can’t talk about mountain goats without noting that there have been problems with rogue male goats, including an incident in  October 2010 in which a Port Angeles man was fatally injured by a goat in Olympic National Park.

Whale wars: A Seattle federal judge has rejected a request by Japanese whalers to freeze the bank accounts of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, claiming the anti-whaling activist group, which is based in Washington, finances terrorism. Clashes between the activist group and Japanese whaling vessels are the subject of the reality TV show “Whale Wars” on cable’s Animal Planet. We thought you might want to see a snippet of one of these encounters.

Most-read stories this morning on seattletimes.com:

1. Mayor, exec: Public is protected in plan to build $490M arena
2. Unknown why 3 crash victims went for late-night flight
3. Huskies roll to easy victory over Arizona State
4. OK, there’s an arena plan. Now all Seattle needs are NBA, NHL teams
5. Mariners prospect Vinnie Catricala working on defense, but it’s his bat that will get him to the majors

0 comments | More in Morning Memo | Topics: Josh Powell, mountain goats, Obama

Morning Memo/Wednesday: Hope Solo … Ballard brews … Got milk?

Weather:  No rain expected today. Yay! Some rain tomorrow, though. Cloudy Friday, but then light rain or rain forecast Saturday through next Tuesday. Bummer. Still, the temps are going reach the upper 40s or even 50 Friday, and that means no snow. Hate snow. The National Weather Service forecast for Seattle.

Traffic:  The map and cams.

Plane crash: A small plane crashed and exploded early today at Little Si, next to Mount Si at North Bend east of Seattle. Three people aboard died.

Hope Solo, world-class soccer goalkeeper and UW and “Dancing with the Stars” alum from the Tri-Cities, will be playing soccer in Seattle this year. She has signed with the Seattle Sounders women’s soccer club for the 2012 season.

United States goalkeeper Hope Solo at a CONCACAF women's Olympic qualifying soccer match in Vancouver, B.C., late last month. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward)

Ballard brews: If you like your brews, Ballard is a place to find ‘em. See our community partner My Ballard’s story: Ballard becoming brewery district

Lights, camera, action: The state Senate has agreed to extend the tax break given to those who want to shoot movies and television shows in our state, according to The Spokesman Review. The tax break expired last year.

Pregnant woman shot to death in Eastern Washington:  A 28-year-old who was 7 1/2 months pregnant was shot to death Saturday and the shooter is still on the loose, according to the Yakima Herald-Republic. The woman has been identified as  Esperanza Vicente-Mestizo. Mattawa is in Grant County.

Got milk: The state’s Dairy Princess and a baby calf are coming to Seattle elementary schools this week to let youngin’s know how dairy products get from farm-to-table. She’s scheduled to visit the Montlake School at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow. Mooo.

Most-read stories this morning on seattletimes.com:

1. Documents bolster claim of Reardon misconduct
2. Full of surprises: The story behind Shaquille Thompson signing with Washington
3. Is Mariners pitcher James Paxton this year’s Michael Pineda?
4. Body found at Grand Coulee is missing woman
5. Hotel worker says Powells fled after boy asked about his mom

0 comments | More in Morning Memo | Topics: Hope Solo, Josh Powell, movies

Detectives: Nobody lived in house Josh Powell blew up

The News Tribune

The home Josh Powell showed to authorities was nothing but a sham.

He did not live there. He did not keep his important things there.

And when he found he could not keep his children there he decided to blow it up.

Pierce County sheriff’s detectives told that to Graham and South Hill residents Monday evening at a public meeting at the Graham Fire & Rescue.

Read the complete story here.

0 comments | More in General news, The Blotter | Topics: Graham, Josh Powell, Pierce County Sheriff's Office

Search resumes for documents in Powell case

Josh Powel

A search has resumed at a recycling center near Puyallup for papers that Josh Powell is believed to have dumped before he killed himself and his two sons in a house fire last week, according to the Pierce County sheriff’s office.

Powell was the husband of missing Utah woman Susan Powell. He attacked his 5- and 7-year-old sons with a hatchet last Sunday and then ignited the house in a gas-fueled inferno.

Some investigators have called the act an admission of guilt in his wife’s death, but they’re still looking for evidence on that front. They also located a storage locker where Powell had stashed a comforter that tested positive for the presence of blood in an initial test. Further lab tests are pending.

Detective Ed Troyer says the search is expected to last all day Sunday, accordiing to The Associated Press.

0 comments | More in The Blotter | Topics: Josh Powell, Pierce County Sheriff's Office