Susan Cox Powell: Candlelight vigils to be held simultaneously in West Valley City and Puyallup

March 3, 2010 - Susan Cox Powell, 28, mysteriously disappeared three months ago Saturday. Her friends and family issued a press release Wednesday that they will host two candlelight vigils simultaneously on Saturday in honor of Susan.

One will be held in Puyallup, Wash., her hometown and the town where her parents reside; the other will be held in West Valley City, Utah, where she lived when she went missing.

Susan's family and friends invite everyone to attend.

Details for the Puyallup, Wash. vigil:

Saturday, March 6 at 7 p.m.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Ridgecrest Building
12407 Military Rd East
Puyallup, WA 98374

Details for the West Valley City, Utah vigil:

Saturday, March 6 at 7 p.m.
Centennial Park
3100 South 5600 West
West Valley, Utah

Everyone is invited to attend and are requested to bring a candle or two to light on Susan's behalf.

The vigil will be held outdoors so you are encouraged to dress warmly.

Shelby Gifford, spokesperson for Susan's family, wrote, "On behalf of the Cox Family, thank you for all your good wishes, prayers and notes of hope and support."

A little background info about the case

Susan Cox Powell, 28, the mother of two beautiful young boys, was reported missing Dec. 7, 2009. Her husband, Joshua "Josh" Powell, was the last person to see Susan on Dec. 6 and is the only person of interest in the case police call a missing person's case with suspicious criminal overtones.

Her husband's story that he took their kids camping the night Susan went missing, in the middle of the night during subfreezing temperatures and during a Utah snowstorm, has been largely disbelieved.

Dr. Phil sent a camera crew out to the place where Josh said he took their two young boys, then ages 2 and 4. He said on his blog, "Personally, I’m baffled by Josh’s story. Our producers checked the weather and even visited the campsite, and it was 15 degrees there with snow. And then, he forgot what day it was? It just seems totally inexplicable."

What's ironic about Josh's statement that he forgot what day it was is that the evening before Susan disappeared JoVonna Owings, Susan's friend and neighbor, visited the Powell family on Sunday afternoon.

Josh prepared a late brunch. While he was cooking, which took from about noon until they ate around 4:30 p.m., JoVonna and Susan were working on untangling yarn and visiting. Josh brought everyone their plates of food rather than serving buffet-style.

Shortly after they ate Susan said she was tired and went to take a nap. JoVonna gathered the rest of the yarn and told Josh she would take it home and finish untangling it.

She called Josh later that evening and offered to bring the yarn back, but Josh said no, not to worry about it because Susan wouldn't get a chance to work on it until her next days off.

JoVonna told Examiner.com she believes Josh knew the following day was Monday.

Jennifer Graves, Josh's sister, said she is disappointed in the lack of cooperation her brother, Josh, has given to police in the search for Susan. She said, "Josh ran away and went on vacation two weeks after Susan disappeared. Then, two weeks later he packed up and moved back to Puyallup, Washington to live with our father."

Contact information for Cox Family spokesperson:

Shelby Gifford
Tel: (253) 255-1624 S
Email: shelby@theshelbynetwork.com