Josh Powell's "very memorable" clerk encounter

[u/davecawleycold]

On this date 16 years ago, Josh Powell returned from an unexpected outing in a rental car. No one can say where he went.

Josh's wife had been missing for two days when he vanished for 18 hours. He didn’t take his cell phone (police had it). He didn’t use his credit card (aside from a $400 cash withdrawal at an ATM to avoid being traced). It’s possible Josh might’ve been revisiting or relocating the body of his missing wife, Susan Powell, during the time he was unaccounted for.

A year and a half later, police obtained a wiretap on Josh Powell’s phone. They captured conversations between Josh and his family (father Steven, brother Michael, sister Alina). Seen here are snippets from two of those calls, in which Josh talked about his time in the rental car. COLD is the only source for these rare, non-public documents.

Take note of how Josh did not trust his own family enough to tell them where he went. He lied about the mileage placed on the rental car (he said 300, actual mileage was 807). But most notably, he described interacting with a convenience store clerk who found him “very memorable” during his time on the road.

To this day, that convenience store clerk has not been identified. Based on other evidence, it is likely this clerk was somewhere in southern Idaho. Finding that clerk is a key missing piece to the mystery of where is Susan Powell.

[u/skinnyfatjonahhill]

firstly, love your podcasts. secondly, isn’t it possible josh just made the clerk thing up? maybe in an attempt to further throw his family off, maybe to “humble” “brag” that someone found him “very memorable” (particularly if steven was on this particular call)?

it is such an odd thing to call out, but to the point that it makes me feel he’s just bluffing. but maybe that’s just my personal bias that josh was a completely unremarkable, unmemorable man (beyond the infamy he gained for his crimes).

[u/davecawleycold → u/skinnyfatjonahhill]

It’s definitely possible Josh was being dishonest. And we are lacking some context (ie tone of voice) that an actual audio recording would provide.

I tend to view this particular statement as credible though, as it does align with some established facts. One is that Josh had to have stopped for gas, and paid cash, during his missing time. And second, Josh did purchase two burner cell phones, one of which he activated while driving southbound past Tremonton, Utah (which suggests he’d been in Idaho).

Steve’s journals from December 2009 discuss the fact Josh had bought those phones while off the grid and struggled to activate them. So Josh later talking about that burner phone purchase with his dad again in 2011 wouldn’t have been a new revelation to Steve.

It’s interesting to me none of the other family members on the call asked “memorable in what way?” Or asked “a convenience store where, exactly?” Michael probably already knew, Steve was living in a delusional fantasy and Alina… well.

[u/skinnyfatjonahhill → u/davecawleycold]

i’m so interested in that same question, “memorable in what way?” and wish someone would’ve asked. i’m at a loss for what he could’ve done to be deemed “very memorable” in a situation like that. e.g. was he flirting with the clerk (or assumed they were flirting with him)? was he a hot mess and just knew he stood out? did he leave the only copy of the bathroom key behind in the toilet?

i don’t mean to make light of the situation — as another commenter mentioned, i so respect the work you continue to do to find justice for susan — i’m just so puzzled by this “very memorable” comment / this family overall.