TOPAZ MOUNTAIN, Utah (ABC 4 News) - West Valley City Police investigators followed up on information regarding Susan Cox Powell at Topaz Mountain near Delta on Tuesday.
West Valley City Police Department investigators and other law enforcement agencies were using ground crews and cadaver dogs to search the desert for evidence in the Powell investigation.
"We have some information that this could be of special interest," said Lt. Bill Merritt who is heading the investigative unit. "We needed to come out and take a look."
Susan Cox Powell has been missing since December of 2009 from her WVC home.
Police say the search is a continuing effort to further the investigation into the disappearance of Powell.
"We know that Josh (Powell) liked to go camping," Lt. Merritt said. "And this area isn't too far from Simpson Springs where he said he went camping (on the night Susan disappeared)."
The search included the use of cadaver dogs. Carbon County sheriff's department brought their team of dogs to help with the search for any sign of human remains.
"If she is dead then these dogs will be able to find her," Lt. Merritt said.
The specially trained dogs target a human scent and give signals when they do find something.
"Dogs have been known to uncover human remains that date back 100-years," said Wally Hendricks with the Carbon County sheriff's office.
Police began searching the area on Monday and at the end of Tuesday had found very little evidence that would lead them to solve the disappearnce of Susan Powell.
Police said that it was anticipated that the current search efforts would continue for more than one day.
The new search comes on the heels of two other searches conducted by WVC police in the past month.
"This is an independent search," said Lt. Merritt. "It has nothing to do with those other searches."
On August 19, WVC Police invited members of the media to accompany investigators on a search near Ely, Nevada.
The next week, WVC investigators served a warrant at the home of Steve Powell, the father of Susan's husband Josh, who lives with his dad in Puyallup, Washington.
Police seized evidence from Steve and Josh, including journals belonging to the two men and Susan herself.
Steve Powell also claimed that he had a "sexually-charged" relationship with his daughter-in-law.
Susan was last seen on Sunday December 6, 2009 after attending church services with her two young sons.
Josh Powell claims that he took the two boys camping in Utah's West Desert later that night, even though the weather forecast called for a snowstorm and low temperatures were expected.
Less than a month later, Josh Powell sold the couple's WVC home and left Utah to live with his father in Puyallup.
The relationship between the Powell family and Susan's family has been contentious ever since the investigation began.
Susan's father Chuck Cox has been vocal in his criticism of Josh and Steve, claiming that they could be more helpful to investigators.
