GRAHAM, Washington (Isabelle Zehnder reporting) -- An email sent by Josh Powell shortly before he set fire to his rental home in Graham, Washington, killing himself and his two sons, Charlie, 7, and Braden, 5, read: "I'm sorry, I can't live without my boys," KIRO News reports.
Pierce County Sheriff's office spokesman Ed Troyer has confimed Josh sent several emails to family members before ending his and his son's lives.
Josh Powell lost custody of his two sons when his father, Steve Powell, was arrested on 14 counts of voyeurism and one count of child porn on September 22, 2011. Josh and his two young sons, then ages 2 and 4, had moved into his father's home in Puyallup, Washington weeks after his wife, Susan Cox Powell's disappearance from their West Valley City, Utah home in early December 2009. Josh has remained the only named person of interest in Susan's disappearance.
When police told Steve Powell about his son's double murder-suicide he reportedly cursed at the officers and refused to talk. He was placed on suicide watch. Steve Powell on Monday has refused any media interviews.
Autopsies of Josh, Charlie, and Braden are underway Monday afternoon.
KSL reports that Troyer says they have teams searching for where Josh obtained the gasoline he used to start the fire in his rental home. The blast shook nearby homes and sent ash flying onto rooftops. The house was leveled within moments after the blast.
Click here for more on Susan's story.
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