Susan Powell's Husband May Be Arrested Soon

Family members say they wouldn't be surprised if Joshua Powell gets arrested in the disappearance of his wife, missing Utah mom Susan Powell.

Relatives of Joshua Powell spoke out as police in West Valley City said they now believe foul play is a "likely possibility" in her disappearance. Police say they now consider Powell a person of interest in the case.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he gets arrested in the next seven days," Joshua Powell's brother-in-law Kirk Graves told ABC News. "Even if he's innocent, there's more than he's telling us."

West Valley City Assistant Chief Craig Black told "Good Morning America" today that it was a "likely possibility" that Susan Powell's disappearance involved foul play.

"Josh's reasons for not wanting to approach the police department or come and work with us in a little more forthcoming manner have kind of generated some controversy among the officers," Black said. '"And it's something that's been questioned by the community members who have been following the case."

Powell has refused to answer direct questions and, police said, he would not take investigators to the remote camp site where he told police he tooks his two young sons in the middle of the night of Dec. 7, the last day Susan Powell was seen alive.

During the interview Tuesday with his lawyer present, Powell responded to basic questions about the clothes his wife was wearing and what her jewelry looked like, Black said, but even after being reminded that this was in the best interest of his wife, Joshua Powell refued to answer "hard, direct questions."

He declined to elaborate on exactly what questions Powell would not answer.

Black said the case is still considered a search for a missing person, but are preparing for a criminal investigation.

"All the leads at this point indicate that this is where it will end up going," he said.

Graves told ABC News that he has known Powell for 15 years and that while he's never seen him get violent with his wife, he can be controlling. The family's commitment lays more with Susan than Joshua right now, he said, but they will continue to support him and hold out hope for Susan's safety.

"For Susan's sake he needs to really open up and talk to everybody," Graves said. "People will listen to him."

Powell's attorney, noted Salt Lake City criminal defense lawyer Scott C. Williams, has denied that his client has been uncooperative and that the only reason Powell is the focus is because of intense pressure on police to solve the case.

Powell failed to show up for a scheduled interview with investigators on Monday, and on Tuesday answered only a handful of detectives' questions, West Valley City Police Capt. Tom McLachlan said.

The captain said that Powell's attorney has made statements that would lead the public to think he's served up his client to police "on a silver platter," but McLachlan said Powell would only answer a few of the investigators' questions.

Powell, he said, "is not fully cooperating, and while he's cooperating at some level it is certainly not the level we would like."

Black noted that at this point, the Powells' neighbors have been more helpful in answering questions than Joshua Powell has.
source