The Midnight Camping Trip - The Disappearance of Susan Powell

On December 7, 2009, Susan Powell failed to arrive at work, her two sons were not dropped off at daycare, and no one could reach the family. Police entered the Powell home in West Valley City, Utah, and found Susan’s purse, wallet, identification, and other belongings—but Susan, Josh, and the children were gone.

Josh returned that evening with the boys and claimed he had taken them camping after midnight in the freezing Utah desert while Susan remained asleep at home. Susan’s phone was found in the family minivan, no convincing evidence supported the campsite he described, and four-year-old Charlie later said his mother had gone with them. Days later, Josh rented a car, drove more than 800 unexplained miles, and returned it.

Long before she vanished, Susan had documented her fear. She recorded the family’s belongings, hid a written warning that her death might not be an accident, and told others about Josh’s controlling behaviour. Investigators also uncovered the disturbing obsession of Josh’s father, Steven, who had secretly recorded Susan and claimed that she returned his feelings.

After Josh moved the boys to Washington, the case became even darker. The children made troubling comments about the night their mother disappeared. When custody was transferred to Susan’s parents, Josh locked a social worker outside during a supervised visit, killed Charlie and Braden, and set the house on fire with himself inside. Susan has never been found, and Josh was never tried for her disappearance.

In this episode, Febriana tells John how a missing-person investigation expanded into a story of control, buried warnings, family obsession, and devastating violence. They discuss how strongly the circumstantial evidence points to Josh, what can and cannot be inferred from young children’s statements, and why Susan’s disappearance remains unresolved even when the most likely answer appears clear.

Listener discretion is advised. This episode discusses domestic abuse, a missing person, child murder, suicide, voyeurism, and disturbing family behaviour.