Search ends for woman in Nevada

SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah police ended a search Saturday in the eastern Nevada mountains for a Utah mother missing since 2009, as her father argued with her husband and her father-in-law over the case at a busy intersection in Washington state.

Susan Cox Powell, 28, was last seen at her home on Dec. 6, 2009. She was reported missing the next day when she failed to show up for her stockbroker job in West Valley City.

Police have called her husband, Joshua Powell, a person of interest in the missing person case, although he's never been arrested or charged. Investigators have said he has not cooperated with their investigation, although his Salt Lake City attorney, Scott Williams, disputed that characterization.

His father, Steve Powell, got into a roadside yelling match with Susan Powell's father, Chuck Cox, before a group of TV reporters Saturday in Puyallup, Wash. Both accused each other of telling lies and not helping to find her, KOMO-TV of Seattle and the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

The argument erupted as Cox and other family members passed out fliers reminding the public of his daughter's disappearance. Steve Powell showed up and accused Cox of spreading misinformation about his son.

Both Susan and Joshua Powell are natives of Puyallup, where he moved with their sons after she vanished.

"Their group has accused me of murdering my daughter-in-law," Steve Powell said, adding he believes Susan Powell ran off with another man and that his son has nothing to do with her disappearance.

Chuck Cox accused Joshua Powell of being uncooperative with police and Steve Powell of being "unbelievable." Susan Powell's family also has said Joshua Powell was abusive and controlling.

Joshua Powell showed up later with his two sons and tearfully told reporters that Chuck Cox was intentionally stirring up hatred between the families. "He is using my sons as nothing but pawns in the media to elicit hate in our family. It's had an impact," he said.

"They're trying to push an agenda ... I don't know what happened to her. There are 1,000 different theories that people need to consider in strong and serious ways," he added.

Joshua Powell has told police he left his wife at home about 12:30 a.m. on the day she disappeared to go camping in freezing temperatures with their young sons -- then ages 4 and 2 -- on the Pony Express Trail, about 80 miles west of Salt Lake City. The 4-year-old, Charlie, confirmed the trip to police.

Authorities have recently concentrated on several Nevada mine shafts near Ely, about 235 miles southwest of Susan Powell's home in West Valley City, the Deseret News of Salt Lake City reported. Officers based the search of the Ely area on new information gleaned from evidence obtained through search warrants.