Susan Powell | Case Timeline
Source check: November 12, 2026
Dates below identify the events, rather than the upload dates of archived documents. A police statement or a reported account is identified by its source. The Washington civil proceedings are included as related history, not as a resolution of Susan’s disappearance.
| Date | Documented event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| April 2001 | Susan Cox and Josh Powell marry. | COLD marriage history |
| Beginning of 2004 | The couple moves from Washington to Utah. | COLD work and relocation records |
| June 28, 2008 | Susan writes a statement expressing fear for her safety and concern for her sons. | COLD source account |
| December 6, 2009 | Susan is last independently reported seen at home in West Valley City. | Police chronology |
| December 7, 2009 | Susan is reported missing. Josh returns with the boys and gives police his camping account. | Official missing-person entry; Police chronology |
| December 8, 2009 | Police conduct further interviews and searches of the home and minivan. | COLD, using police records |
| January 2010 | Josh and the boys move to Washington. | Washington Senate background record |
| April 16, 2010 | FBI metallurgy examination identifies materials but not the source of the damaged fragments. | Original FBI report |
| September 2011 | The boys enter protective custody and are placed with their maternal grandparents. | Washington Senate background record |
| February 1, 2012 | A dependency hearing addresses Josh’s request for the boys’ return and further evaluation. | Washington Senate hearing history |
| February 5, 2012 | Josh kills Charlie and Braden during a supervised visit and dies himself. | Ninth Circuit factual background |
| May 20, 2013 | West Valley City announces that the active investigation has become a cold case. | Contemporaneous police-announcement coverage |
| January 10, 2019 | The Ninth Circuit restores the negligence claims against DSHS for further proceedings. | Original appellate opinion |
| July 31, 2020 | A Washington jury returns a verdict for the Coxes in the boys’ civil case. | State appellate record of the verdict |
| April 18, 2023 | Washington’s Court of Appeals affirms liability and reinstates the civil damages award. | Original state appellate opinion |
| December 6, 2024 | COLD reports its heat experiment comparing a power tool with the damaged metal evidence. | Dated report |
| February 18, 2026 | Judy Cox’s death is reported following a family interview. | KIRO Newsradio |
| November 12, 2026 | Editorial status check: Susan remains listed as missing by West Valley City Police. | Current official listing |
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