Autopsy: Josh Powell Used Hatchet On Sons Before Deadly Fire

Autopsy: Josh Powell Used Hatchet On Sons Before Deadly Fire

www.digtriad.com

Graham, WA -- Authorities say the sons of a missing Utah woman suffered severe chopping injuries to their heads or necks as they died in a house fire set by their father.

The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office in Washington state says smoke inhalation was the primary cause of death for Josh Powell and his two young sons. But the boys also suffered `chop injuries' that contributed to their deaths.

Authorities say that Powell planned the deadly house fire for some time, dropping toys at charities and sending final emails to multiple acquaintances.

(visit the link for the full news article)

What a sorry sick individual. Not only did Josh Powell blow his kids up but he tried to take a hatchet to them (or something similar) before hand and donated their toys before that.. (RED FLAG!!!) you would figure someone would notice..

Now, I followed the original thread here in BAT and some individuals deny the legitimacy of this event.

I will say that this is not just a suicide but also the brutal murder of his two sons.. WTF would he try to hack his boys up before hand!!?!?! Josh Powell is psychopathic serial killer and this new development managed to make me feel even more sick about the whole situation..

IMO Josh Powell does not deserve a burial.. To be honest they should have just left his body there to rot..

www.digtriad.com
USA Today
The Stir

reply to post by DaMod


That is extremely upsetting.
What is wrong with some people?

sad. so very sad.

This news made my stomach turn when I read it last night. What a sick, sick bastard this guy John was, no matter how you look at it. For someone to do such a horrible thing to their own kids, it's just so sad. I could care less that he killed himself, but for him to take 2 young innocent children from this world with him, it's just disgusting. What a troubling story, my sincerest apologies go to the family of the victim's through this extremely rough time.

This whole story makes me sick to my stomach. May Susan and those adorable boys rest in peace. Josh Powell may you burn in hell for eternity.

No disrespect intended to the OP or anyone else that posted here, but do we really need the grisly details?

The man was obviously having problems. His wife was gone. I'm assuming he killed her, but I'm not sure that has been confirmed. Now, he and the kids are dead. That's all I really need to know.

I watched the video. I couldn't help wonder how much having a reporter follow him around, shoving a microphone at him contributed to the outcome. And, of course, they had to get the grief-stricken family reactions.

I know it's their job to report news, but isn't there a point where it's TMI? The man is dead. They kids are dead. Let them rest in peace.

I don't like thinking about this--the coward who did this is dead and beyond vengeance, may he rot in Hell for all eternity.

Why do they have to do this to the children? Why can't they just kill themselves and leave the kids be?

Originally posted by HappyBunny
I don't like thinking about this--the coward who did this is dead and beyond vengeance, may he rot in Hell for all eternity.

Why do they have to do this to the children? Why can't they just kill themselves and leave the kids be?

I guess some people just aren't Happy Bunnies.

reply to post by DaMod


Yeah, the guy was messed up .. I too don't understand the hatchet business.. it's very grisly and personal. They don't actually know if he killed his wife.. he was the main suspect, but his father was also a suspect .. had pictures of his sons wife and an underage neighbor on his computer (and was sent to jail for it). Who knows, the whole family sounds fubar. I think just looking at him you can tell hes was nuts.. and the interview he had a few months ago, omg, the guy was scary nuts. But there was no evidence.. so there was nothing anyone could do.

reply to post by N3k9Ni


The media has certainly sensationalized this case since 2009. There are many missing people, and some of them have been done in by spouses or family members, but those cases get nowhere near the attention this one did. The media claims they are "only doing their job" when they blow certain cases up as big as this one. But I am not going to jump on the bandwagons of "it's the media's fault" or "it's the caseworker's fault" or "it's the judge's fault." The law allows the media to hound and harrass, the caseworker is heavily restricted by what the law requires or dictates, and the judge can only do what is within the law. Everybody "felt" that Josh was a danger to the kids, but there was no proof. So don't blame the media, the caseworkers, the judge, anyone else. This is on Josh alone.

Originally posted by trollz

Originally posted by HappyBunny
I don't like thinking about this--the coward who did this is dead and beyond vengeance, may he rot in Hell for all eternity.

Why do they have to do this to the children? Why can't they just kill themselves and leave the kids be?

I guess some people just aren't Happy Bunnies.

I guess not!

Originally posted by cwg100
reply to post by N3k9Ni

 

The media has certainly sensationalized this case since 2009. There are many missing people, and some of them have been done in by spouses or family members, but those cases get nowhere near the attention this one did. The media claims they are "only doing their job" when they blow certain cases up as big as this one. But I am not going to jump on the bandwagons of "it's the media's fault" or "it's the caseworker's fault" or "it's the judge's fault." The law allows the media to hound and harrass, the caseworker is heavily restricted by what the law requires or dictates, and the judge can only do what is within the law. Everybody "felt" that Josh was a danger to the kids, but there was no proof. So don't blame the media, the caseworkers, the judge, anyone else. This is on Josh alone.

He did it to get back at the in-laws. The hatchet thing is personal. Blowing yourself and the kids up is one thing. The hatchet means you have to look those kids in the eye while you're doing it.

And, of course, he had to keep them quiet, if they really were starting to talk about their mother being in the trunk.

reply to post by HappyBunny


That's what really gets me about this whole thing... I've seen pictures of these boys.. How the heck could he bring himself to go after them with a hatchet?!? I mean why not just blow the house to smithereens like he originally planned..

Why the hatchet?

That was not the point.

He wanted to disconnect there spine
from the brain so they did
not have to feel the pain of the burning alive
feeling which probably took 1-2 min to kill
them.... He killed them quick and swiftly before
blowing himself and the house up/

reply to post by popsmayhem


Yes, but he failed, as the autopsy indicated they died of smoke inhalation; those poor, innocent children may have been unconcious, but they were still breathing. Josh Powell was a selfish, evil psychopath.

I don't believe this for a second. The report I read even said "no weapon was found", so the fact is the hatchet has been placed in the hands of a man who has no chance of defending his memory. It is like the people saying he drugged his wife before he killed her. Really? Then why was there a wet spot on the carpet with fans on it?

This is a straight forward case of a domestic violent family where Josh was very reactive and had no resources to deal with life. I think he killed his wife and his sons sure but both incidents were in the heat of the moment when he was distressed and could see no way out. Blowing up the house was premeditated sure but it was still something he did while he was feeling desperate and trapped not angry. He probably missed his wife terribly and imagined they would all be back together.

Why does this matter? Because the phantom psychopaths the media wants us to see in these cases are demons there is no solution for. Instead if people looked at the pain and frustration and also the fragility of young dysfunctional families honestly we might begin to be able to help people deal with their distress better.

The type of dysfunction that was present in the Powell home CAN be helped - but demonizing one family member and not seeing that he was in fact a victim too (look at his father!) will never lead anywhere except to disempowerment and fear.

reply to post by DaMod


Yes exactly - it doesn't make sense because it obviously isn't true. What easier way to make sure that the system that let down this family isn't faced with any tough questions than post humously putting a hatched (that was never found) in his hands in the minds of the public.

reply to post by karismac


Basically, I agree Josh Powell didn't have any coping skills for life and that he was raised in a very dyfunctional home that no doubt contributed to the way he viewed the world. However, while some therapy early on, when he was killing hamsters and threatening his mother with a knife at the age of 13, might have helped him, you can't cure a sociopath or psychopath. They are pysiologically impaired. Their brains aren't structured like people with a conscience. This has been shown in scientific research, using MRIs. No amount of therapy or behavior modification training can change it, no amount of understanding or emotional support.

Also, it was reported that a small hatchet was found and recovered near the gasoline can in the center of the house. The medical examiner said there were chop marks. Until the ME's office retracts or denies that, I'm going to believe it. I don't think for a minute that there's a conspiracy by authorities to defame Josh Powell.

The case worker is very lucky that he didn't let her into the house and off her, too.

I in no way condone what he did, that said I think the events in his life drove him to it. People are so quick to label someone a sociopath or a psychopath, I am not so sure he fits the description but then again I am not a psychiatrist. However the intense scrutiny from the media and the system one someone that was already emotionally unstable, well, I think they should have seen it coming. Maybe not the deaths of the children but the fact that he took his own life. Honestly, I couldn't imagine a sane person handling that very well, especially if they were innocent and in this case I still think it was his father and not him but not entirely sure. How well would any of you handled the pressure, while grieving a spouse? I think it is possible in some sick way he thought he was protecting his kids by way of a mercy killing.
I am not defending him in the least, just providing a different way of looking at things.