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Al Hartmann / The Salt Lake Tribune file
Michael Powell, facing camera, locks a gate after becoming concerned about Michael Peterson, a former friend of Joshua and Susan Powell who showed up at the West Valley City home on Jan. 6, 2010, to collect a playgound set he gave the Powell children to use.
The brother of Josh Powell, the Utah man who killed his two young sons and himself in an intentionally set house fire about a year ago, has committed suicide, according to police.
Michael Powell, 30, jumped from a seven-story parking ramp near his home in downtown Minneapolis around 2:25 p.m. on Monday, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. He died on impact.
Four people apparently witnessed the fall, a police report said, and the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Powell’s death.
Michael Powell was a doctoral degree candidate in cognitive science at the University of Minnesota, the Tribune reported.
He was a fervent defender of his brother, Josh, who murdered his sons, Charlie, 7, and Braden, 5, with a hatchet and then lit a match to a can of gasoline in a rented house near Puyallup, Wash., on Feb. 5, 2012. The house exploded within moments, killing all three.
Days before the explosion, Powell had been denied custody of the children and ordered to undergo a psychosexual evaluation after police discovered hundreds of images of disturbing cartoon sex and graphic depictions of incest on his home computer.
At the time, he was the only person of interest in his wife’s disappearance. In December 2009, Susan Powell, 28, went missing in Utah, where the family lived. Powell had told police that she had run away from their family during a midnight camping trip.
Powell had also been in a legal battle in U.S. District Court for Western Washington with Susan’s parents Chuck and Judy Cox over $1.5 million in insurance policies issued to the family.
Several months before his death, Powell changed his insurance policy to list Michael as the primary beneficiary rather than Susan. Michael was to receive a 93 percent share, and if Michael died, the insurance payout would be split evenly between his sister and father. Powell also made Michael the second beneficiary on his sons' insurance policies.
Michael Powell also fiercely defended their father, Steve Powell, who was convicted in May 2012 of 14 counts of voyeurism for surreptitious photographs he took of two girls who lived near his home in Puyallup. Powell said he believed the charges against his father, is scheduled to be released in May, had been fabricated.
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Sounds like the whole dam family was nuts!! The dad stalked and took photos of the josh's wife (without knowledge) and professed his constant love...then Josh kills the wife, when she asked for divorce and then murders the sons/kills self ....now the brother jumps off a 7 story building! WOW!! Probably best for society.
It doesn't say if this guy had kids, but if not, sounds like some good was done to the gene pool.
Devil's sperm, the apples don't fall far from the tree! Sick!
He was probably just as sick and twisted as his brother and his dear ol' dad!!! That whole family is from the twilight zone!!! Glad their sister was smart and pulled away from them..
WOW! I wonder if he killed himself because of the truth or shame?
Maybe this man killed himself because he was normal (just depressed) and he couldn't live with what the rest of his family had done. Maybe he was just sad about his nephews and his sister-in-law.
so are we really so stupid we have to ask the details of the event? he jumped, he fell, it was witnessed, and he died. not really hard to discern. prayers for the family.
Can you say defective gene pool?
I can only hope they will some day find the body of the wife...just to give her family some sort of peace...I doubt there is ever "closure" I am also wondering what went on between the dad and these two sons...abuse?, but I will bet he is the one who ultimately is why this all happened...the worst was the horrible last moments of those two kids.
At least he didn't take anyone else with him...clean the gene pool
So sad, makes you wonder how many more families like this one are out there.
That is one messed up family...
Dad must be so proud of what he raised. They all deserve to die. The younger one either was in denial
or knew about both and couldnt handle the guilt. Those poor babies and their mother.
Old Man Powell passed his sick genes down to his two boys. Too bad Susan had to marry Josh and be murdered by him, and then he murdered his innocent children in a horroric way. Don't tell me that Powell family is sane!!!!!!!!!
Thanks to Steven, the father - this whole family has been ruined. I'm not sure whatever happened to Josh & Michael's mother, but one their daughters is an odd duck too.
I wonder what secrets he took to his grave. I still think about the young boys and what they went through.
Did he leave a note? Would love to know why he jumped and why would he defend a brother who killed his own children. Crazy
Helluva family right there. Sad, but a plus for the gene pool that they won't perpetuate their defects.
stonepipe2 wrote: Ummm.... it is the Minneapolis Star Tribune if it happened in my beloved state. It makes MSNBC look like Fox. Ummmm, pay attention to the details. The brother committed suicide in Minneapolis. The referenced reporting IS from the Salt Lake City Tribune (did you even open the link?).
Stop Funding Illegals wrote: Seriously MSN you really are reaching, just look at the headline of this story. This is what the media has resorted to today, report on Murder, suicide, rape, Obama and guns. Pound out the same drama trying to whip people into their impression of what they should be and glamorize every story for a reaction. Sickening... Anything for a buck Then WHY are you reading it?
My condolences to his family and may he rest in peace.
Peace.
I guess we'll have to limit sales of hatchets, gas cans, and the construction of parking ramps.
This story exhibits the power of sin: hopelessness and the deception there is nothing worth living for other than success and vanity.
Men are the last to admit depression and get help. They either kill themselves, their families, shoot up a movie theatre or an elementary school.
If you are depressed - get help. Talk with your doctor, your pastor, a trusted friend. Someone who will listen and accompany you to the doc if necessary.
You will feel better and the world will be a better place. Too many guys do not get help, stuff the pain and end up like Dorner or Michael.
The better alternative...get help! Now!
no humor intended here whatsoever, but the word dysfunctional comes to mind...very sad indeed
Borderline personalities. Probably genetic.