SEATTLE — Police in Washington state who searched a storage unit rented by Josh Powell found a stained comforter that tested positive for blood in initial exams, according to documents filed in court Friday.

Pierce County detectives reported finding a gray-blue-pink comforter with a stain. The search warrant documents say the comforter tested positive for blood. Investigators planned to perform further tests.

Powell killed himself and his two young sons in a gas-fueled inferno Sunday, and Pierce County authorities consider the murder-suicide an admission that he killed his wife.

Investigators had considered Josh Powell a person of interest since his wife, Susan Powell, disappeared in Utah in 2009. At the time, Powell said he took his two sons ice camping in subfreezing temperatures.

The investigation progresses

The return on the search warrant served on Powell's storage shed showed that investigators recovered a pink comforter with a blood stain on it. Pierce County Sheriff's Sgt. Ed Troyer said preliminary tests confirm the stain is blood. But detectives don't know if it's human or animal blood.

Troyer said he was told by his detectives that "it wasn't a large amount" of blood.

Josh Powell visited the storage shed the day before the inferno at his house.

The search warrant released Friday said in addition to accelerants being poured throughout the house, accelerant "was apparently used on the bodies." Earlier it was reported that Braden and Charlie also suffered "chop" wounds on the head and neck from a hatchet.

Also recovered from the shed was a white garbage bag filled with toys, another white garbage bag with kids clothes and linens, a green and yellow box filled with blocks, framed pictures and a plastic bin of miscellaneous items, according to the warrant.

Troyer said some of the items recovered appeared to have been some of Susan Cox Powell's personal items, but he could not elaborate on what those items were.

More information about the pornographic images seized from Josh Powell's computer during the investigation to his wife's disappearance was also released Friday. Investigators said it was animation depicting an incestuous encounter.

Related:

Father-in-law dragged deeper into Powell saga

In a folder on his work computer labeled "Personal Pics," Steve Powell maintained a peculiar collection of photos: 55 depicting his daughter-in-law Susan but few if any showing his son.

Steve Downing, the attorney for the Cox family, said he had not seen the animation. But if he had, he would have asked even tighter restrictions be placed on Josh Powell's court-ordered visitation.

"My concern was at the first hearing the complete and total denying that he knew anything about the images on his computers at home," Downing said. "It’s troubling that those existed in light of the overall involvement of this family and the historical nature the extent to which pornography played in Joshua Powell’s life."

Downing said he had actually been authorized to see the images, but was never given the opportunity to do so.

"Someone dropped the ball if I was authorized to view that material and never given the courtesy to tell me about it," he said.

Troyer said efforts to determine the final days and movements of Josh Powell have turned up only a single photo, a surveillance image of Josh Powell withdrawing $6,500 from his bank.

"We can't even confirm which gas station he bought his gas from," Troyer said.

As for Sunday's planned search of a recycling facility in Puyallup, Troyer said investigators received a "very vague tip he might have been there and dropped some things off. There's a possibility we might not find anything."

Funeral plans for Charlie and Braden Powell

Meanwhile, the owner of the Curnow Funeral Home in Sumner, Wash., said the outpouring of support for Charlie and Braden Powell has been overwhelming.

"We've received condolences from South Africa, France, New Zealand; from all over the world," Brian Curnow said.

Thousands are expected to attend the funeral service Saturday morning, which will include a children's choir singing "Amazing Grace."

"We'd like to recapture some of the innocence taken — not just from the kids, but the whole community — because we really feel like this could be a healing moment," said Dean Curry, pastor at Life Center Church.

----

Written with contributions from Sandra Yi, Pat Reavy and The Associated Press.

Related topics