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SALT LAKE CITY — The arrest of Stephen Powell certainly stirs the pot in terms of legal issues. Many are wondering what affect it will have on the investigation into the disappearance of his daughter-in-law Susan Cox Powell.
Legal experts say the arrest might complicate the case or it could break it wide open.
"It certainly could affect the case of Susan Powell, and it and it will be interesting to see how it does that," said Cara Tangaro, a defense attorney with the Salt Lake firm Hutchison, Neider and Tangaro.
BYU Associate Law Professor Marguerite Driessen, who has her own law firm in Lindon, agrees. She says the arrest of Steven Powell could certainly change the dynamics of the Susan Powell case.
This evidence, in my mind, opens up a new avenue of investigation. That may or may not mean that the husband was not involved, but at least you want to follow down this other path.
–Marguerite Driessen, BYU associate law professor
"This evidence, in my mind, opens up a new avenue of investigation," Driessen said. "That may or may not mean that the husband was not involved, but at least you want to follow down this other path."
For nearly two years, investigators and legal teams have been methodically trying to solve the disappearance of Susan Powell, who was last seen in December of 2009.
On the surface, charges of voyeurism and possession of child pornography against her father-in-law may not be related to her disappearance at all. But Tangaro says the latest allegations open another door.
"I mean, it could provide some reasonable doubt for Josh Powell. If there's any connection between Susan and the father-in-law and these pictures, then maybe the father-in-law becomes a person of interest and takes the heat off Josh," Tangaro said.
Driessen offers this possible scenario: "If, for example, Susan Powell saw his stash of incriminating photographs, or if Susan was aware that he had photos of her, these things could certainly give rise to motive."
For now, there are still many unanswered questions and plenty of work to do. But both attorneys say any new nugget of information is helpful.
"Anything that comes up will give you a new avenue, a new door to open, more rocks to turn over so you can try to find out what happened to this woman," Driessen said.
And what about Steven Powell's recent comments to the media about the case involving the disappearance of his daughter-in-law? The attorneys say those comments could be damaging to voyeurism and child pornography case.
Email: kmccord@ksl.com
