Authorities believe they have the key to solving the two-year-old disappearance of Utah mom SUSAN POWELL – using the threat of 70 years in prison to force her husband’s father to rat out his son for her murder!
Susan’s father-in-law Steven Powell, 61, is behind bars after cops discovered thousands of lewd “Peeping Tom” photos of young girls and nude women in his home. He’s pleaded not guilty to 14 counts of voyeurism and child pornography. Each count carries a jail sentence of five years.
“They’ve got him dead to rights,” a source close to the investigation told The ENQUIRER. “Steven Powell will die in prison, unless he can cut a deal.
“If he throws his son under the bus for Susan’s murder, he might get off with a lighter sentence.”
Susan Powell has been missing since Dec. 7, 2009, when her husband Josh claims he returned to their West Valley City, Utah, home from a midnight camping trip in the middle of a 10-degree snowstorm with their two young sons. Susan was gone, although her cell phone, purse and car were still at the home.
Josh refused to tell cops where he camped with the boys, then stopped cooperating with the investigation and abruptly moved to Puyallup, Wash., to live with his father Steven.
Now cops want Steven Powell to tell them everything he knows about his son’s involvement in Susan’s disappearance.
“Susan’s disappearance has left police stumped, but detectives believe Steven knows things that could blow the case wide open,” the source said.
“They don’t know if Josh actually confessed to his father, but they believe Steven knows a lot more than he’s told them so far.”
According to friends, Steven Powell had a sick obsession with Susan, once asking her to become a “common wife” to both him and his son, and peeping at her while she dressed.
His hidden cache of kiddie porn – which included pictures of a neighbor’s two girls, ages 8 and 10, snapped with a telephoto lens while they were in their bathroom – came to light when cops served a search warrant on his home while seeking clues about Susan.
For the full story it’s in the new ENQUIRER – on sale now!
