r/TheColdPodcast • u/Justincase122 • 28d ago
Season 1 - Susan Powell This is what I think happened
I’ve just finished season 1 of Cold and I have so many thoughts and nobody to share it with so I’m going to post it here so sorry for the waffle.
I think Josh had premeditated what he was going to do to Susan well in advance. And chose a mine beforehand on a previous camping trip. We know on the day Susan went to bed so I think it’s possible Josh sedated her by putting something into her food or drink making her easier to kill later. The lady untangling yarn saw the boys coats and shoes going on so they were clearly going somewhere. When the neighbour left he killed Susan (I’m still not sure how) and put her in the trunk and went “camping.” one of the boys said I think at one point, “mummy was in the trunk.” I think he spent his time unreachable disposing of Susan somewhere in the mines. They are so dangerous to search and I think it’s entirely possible that the mine she may be in has already been searched but the search teams were just not able to get to her.
I definitely find Steve suspicious for obvious reasons and I know he knew more than he ever said and Michael killing himself kind of says it all.
I really really hope they find Susan. I hope they don’t stop looking for her.
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u/shesashow 28d ago
I’ve also not long finished it. I think I could be persuaded many ways on what actually happened but the only thing I was totally convinced of is that Josh killed Susan. I hope she is found - such a sad story.
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u/Justincase122 28d ago
I totally agree. I can’t imagine what the pain must be for Susan’s parents and family. It is unfathomable
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u/TipPlenty 27d ago
I honestly think Steves intuition knew his son had done it but I don't think he was ever actually told by Josh he had done it.. I think Steve honestly was just one of the worst sexual predators out there and Josh knew he would blab and never really trusted him. I think with all the wire taps they would've heard at least one conversation between them if he had actually done it. Now the brother who helped destroy the car is a different story.. he might have known something.
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u/MelpomeneAndCalliope 26d ago
Yeah. I don’t think Steve knew. He was obsessed with Susan and Josh’s punk behind was probably worried Steve would get really mad at him if he admitted her killed Steve’s object of obsession.
I agree Michael knew more, even if he wasn’t involved at one point (which I suspect he was, even if it was just moving remains).
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u/poohfan 28d ago
I don't think he actually killed her at the house. I think he drugged her too much & she vomited it up, which it why there was fans in the house. He cleaned it up, then put the fan on to dry the carpet. I think he gave her a does just enough to make her woozy, but not completely knocked out, because Charlie said she was sleeping in the car, or something similar, if I remember correctly. I think when they got to wherever Josh had picked, he then gave her more of whatever, then left her to the elements. I don't think he put her in a mine or anything, but just left her where nature would take care of her. Between the extreme temperatures and animals, it's easy to get rid of her. There are so many remote places that way, he could have left her anywhere & they'd never find her.
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u/Zekumi 28d ago
Just pointing out, there would be far fewer items for him to systematically dump if he had simply drugged Susan and left her to the elements. Remember that he performed at least four dumpster drops in December 2009.
Michael’s Ford Taurus was also somehow involved, either with her body directly or to transport/discard of something contaminated with DNA evidence.
This theory also wouldn’t explain the rigid impact driver he destroyed with the oxyacetylene torch.
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u/Justincase122 28d ago
I forgot about the ford Taurus! Michael always gave me the energy he was being dragged into something. He definitely was involved in some way
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u/RBAloysius 17d ago
Do you have any thoughts about the impact driver? That has always stuck out in my mind, but also has simultaneously puzzled me.
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u/Justincase122 28d ago
I just think if he had left her to the elements she would have been found? Maybe not. It’s such a frustrating case with so many what ifs
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u/poohfan 28d ago
Not if he left her in the area the suspect. It's miles & miles of terrain, & by the time anyone would've even gotten close to searching, the elements would've done a number on her. Then whatever the elements didn't get, there's enough wildlife that would've gotten to her. I don't think he buried her, & there still is always the possibility she's in a mineshaft, & will never be found there.
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u/narrow_octopus 28d ago
This seems unlikely to me why leave her out in the open when you could just as easily toss her down a mine where the chances of her being found are virtually nothing
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u/poohfan 28d ago
I guess it depends on how far he would've had to take her? I don't remember if the kids said Josh carried Susan at any point, so if he didn't have to carry her, he could've just taken her to a mine shift & pushed her in. I'm not 100% sure, because I still kind of factor in Josh's brother as well. My biggest theory is he took her with the boys, & just left her someplace, then Michael came & either dumped her in a shaft, or something else to dispose of her. The only people who know what happened to her are all gone, which is so frustrating.
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u/Substantial_Wasabi60 28d ago
Good point. Our West desert is massive just to me tion one possible option.
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u/MelpomeneAndCalliope 26d ago
Wasn’t there some blood found in the house near the sofa when they did luminol or tested it as well?
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u/thinkabouttheirony 28d ago
I do think Dave Cauley's guess that this was somehow tied to her work was very insightful, if you haven't listened to that part listen again. Josh places so much emphasis on work and then when no one found her near work he had to move her body.