SEATTLE — Charlie and Braden Powell did not want to see their father Sunday, the boys’ grandparents Chuck and Judy Cox said Monday. But the Coxes insisted the children go on the visitation because of a court order, which the boys did accompanied by a state-provided escort.
Police say Josh Powell pulled the boys inside and locked the social worker out. She called 911, and seconds later, police say, Powell set the home on fire, killing Charlie, 7, Braden, 5, and himself.
Smoke inhalation was the primary cause of death for Josh Powell and his sons, Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office investigator Melissa Baker said Monday, according to The Associated Press. But the boys also suffered “chop injuries” on the neck and head that contributed to their deaths, Baker said.
Investigators said they found a hatchet that they believe was used on the boys.
They said they believed Josh Powell had planned the fire for some time. Detectives found evidence of 10 gallons of gasoline in the home.
Buzz Nielsen, police chief in West Valley City, Utah, whose department is investigating the 2009 disappearance of the boys’ mother, Susan Powell, confirmed Sunday night that detectives were pursuing promising new avenues in the case.
The Seattle Times
