Oregon property searched in connection with missing Utah mom

PORTLAND, Ore. - The search for Susan Powell led detectives to Scotts Mills on Tuesday in Marion County, Ore., according to a law enforcement source. The Marion County Sheriff's Office is assisting the West Valley Police department from Utah. Utah police have been on the property on Butte Creek Road in Scotts Mills for the

PORTLAND, Ore. - The search for Susan Powell led detectives to Scotts Mills on Tuesday in Marion County, Ore., according to a law enforcement source.

The Marion County Sheriff's Office is assisting the West Valley Police department from Utah. Utah police have been on the property on Butte Creek Road in Scotts Mills for the past two days.

The father of Susan Powell, Chuck Cox, spoke to The Associated Press Wednesday night. He said the search didn't turn up any sign of his daughter. He said the property east of Salem, Ore., was in a remote area but had ties to the Powell family. Cox says he was disappointed that the search didn't find anything but he will continue searching for his daughter.

"I'm disappointed," said Cox, who accompanied some of the search dogs on the hunt. "I just don't know where she is, but we'll keep looking for her."

Susan Powell was reported missing in December 2009 after she didn't show up for work. Her husband, Josh, had maintained his innocence and said he took the couple's young boys on a midnight camping trip in freezing temperatures the night his wife disappeared.

Her husband, Josh, was a prime suspect in her disappearance but was never charged. But unsealed documents say authorities found Susan Powell's blood on a floor next to a sofa that appeared to have been recently cleaned, with two fans set up to blow on it. Investigators also found life insurance policies on Susan Powell and determined that Josh Powell had filed paperwork to withdraw her retirement account money about 10 days after her disappearance.

He burned his house down and killed his two children in 2012 when a social worker dropped them off for a visit. Josh Powell also died in the blaze.

Detectives decided to search that property after finding something in a storage locker connected to Josh Powell in Puyllup, Wash.

Anne Bremner, an attorney for the Cox family, said the brother of Josh Powell had said in a deposition that he had driven to Oregon and abandoned a vehicle there. The brother, Michael Powell, committed suicide earlier this year.

Bremner said she's still interested in seeing more work at the property, including the possibility of having volunteers go to the site to help search.

A spokesman for the West Valley City police in Utah, which is handling the Powell investigation, did not immediately return a call seeking comment. Cox said he appreciated that investigators spent time on the Oregon search, saying it showed a dedication and determination to find his daughter.

KATU News will have the latest on this story at 11.

This is a developing story and will be updated when more information becomes available...

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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