Cold

Content advisory: This episode includes discussion of rape and sexual assault. A confrontation in the carport followed by an assault from a stranger. Joyce Yost survives a terrifying attack. Then, with some reluctance, she reports what had happened to the police. Detective Bill Holthaus interviews Joyce before heading out to find the man who'd assaulted her: Douglas Lovell. Joyce Yost had never met the man who followed her home on an April night in 1985, who kidnapped and raped her. He threatened to kill her, but she went to police anyway. Then, she vanished. Joyce has never been found. Now, investigative journalist Dave Cawley delves into the decades-old case to uncover the details of a murder-for-hire plot to silence Joyce. Cold reveals flaws in the system that left Joyce unprotected, examines pitfalls of the death penalty and asks if there’s such a thing as justice for Joyce Yost. Listen to Cold on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes ad-free on Wondery+. Join

Talking Cold is honest and frank conversations about the issues brought forward in the latest episode of the Cold podcast. We begin with Cold season 2: Justice for Joyce. Join hosts Amy Donaldson, Ann Dent and Sheryl Worsley as they talk about weighty issues like sexual assault, the death penalty and failures of the criminal justice system. The goal is more conversation and more understanding. This week’s guest is Cold podcast host/researcher/creator Dave Cawley. Share your perspective. #JusticeForJoyceYost #TalkingCold Twitter Instagram Facebook Listen to Cold on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/cold/ now. If you or someone close to you has experienced rape or any other form of sexual abuse, you can go to RAINN.org to connect with free resources anywhere in the United States. Episode credits:  Hosts: Amy Donald

Our story begins with a barrage of bouquets, dozens of unsolicited yellow roses sent by a mysterious male admirer. We then meet a young Joyce Yost in Minnesota and follow her path to Utah. At the same time, a young man named Douglas Lovell finds himself on the wrong side of the law, landing in prison for armed robbery. Joyce Yost had never met the man who followed her home on an April night in 1985, who kidnapped and raped her. He threatened to kill her, but she went to police anyway. Then, she vanished. Joyce has never been found. Now, investigative journalist Dave Cawley delves into the decades-old case to uncover the details of a murder-for-hire plot to silence Joyce. Cold reveals flaws in the system that left Joyce unprotected, examines pitfalls of the death penalty and asks if there’s such a thing as justice for Joyce Yost. Listen to Cold on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Josh Powell became a murder suspect when his wife Susan Powell disappeared from their home in West Valley City, Utah on December 7, 2009. Police have never located Susan's body. Prosecutors never charged Josh with a crime, in spite of a large body of circumstantial evidence. Many Cold season 1 listeners have asked "why not?" Isn't it possible to win a murder case without a body? Part of the answer might rest with the case of Joyce Yost, another Utah woman who'd disappeared nearly a quarter of a century earlier. Joyce Yost had never met the man who followed her home on an April night in 1985, who kidnapped and raped her. He threatened to kill her, but she went to police anyway. Then, she vanished. Joyce has never been found. Now, investigative journalist Dave Cawley delves into the decades-old case to uncover the details of a murder-for-hire plot to silence Joyce. Cold reveals flaws in the system that left Joyce unprotected, examines pitfalls of the death penalty and asks if there’s such a thing as justi

Introducing Cold season 2: Justice for Joyce Yost. Joyce Yost had never met the man who followed her home on an April night in 1985, who kidnapped and raped her. He threatened to kill her, but she went to police anyway. Then, she vanished. Joyce has never been found. Now, investigative journalist Dave Cawley delves into the decades-old case to uncover the details of a murder-for-hire plot to silence Joyce. Cold reveals flaws in the system that left Joyce unprotected, examines pitfalls of the death penalty and asks if there’s such a thing as justice for Joyce Yost. Listen to Cold on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/cold/ now. Share your thoughts: #JusticeForJoyceYost #ColdPodcast Twitter Instagram Facebook Survivors of rape, sexual abuse and sexual assault and their allies in the United States can connec

Secret police wiretap records in the Susan Powell case come to light for the first time, even as Susan Powell's parents fight for change in the state of Washington. This bonus episode takes you behind closed doors, into the private communications of Josh Powell, his brother Michael Powell, sister Alina Powell and father Steve Powell during "Operation Tsunami." What police learned by listening in on their phone calls helped explain why some officers feared for the safety of Susan's sons, Charlie and Braden, in the months leading up to their deaths at the hands of their father. For years, investigative reporter Dave Cawley has been studying thousands of police documents, journals, videos and diary entries. He has tracked down new sources, followed new leads and traced Josh Powell's trail from West Valley City, Utah, through Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and on to Washington State, where Powell killed himself and his two sons. Cold is the most complete retelling of the Susan Powell story ever. Join Dave Cawley in his se

Cold returns at the 10-year anniversary of Susan Powell's disappearance with new episodes focused on previously undiscovered evidence in the case. For this episode, Dave Cawley dives into the digital evidence gathered by police during their investigation. Digital forensics experts from Eide Bailly describe the ongoing efforts to crack Josh Powell's encryption. We also share a significant discovery about ownership of images that played a key part in the sequence of events leading up to Josh's murder-suicide. For the past four years, investigative reporter Dave Cawley has been studying thousands of police documents, journals, videos and diary entries. He has tracked down new sources, followed new leads and traced Josh Powell's trail from West Valley City, Utah, through Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and on to Washington State, where Powell killed himself and his two sons. Cold is the most complete retelling of the Susan Powell story ever. Join Dave Cawley in his search for truth. Listen to Cold on the Wondery App or whe

Cold returns at the 10-year anniversary of Susan Powell's disappearance with new episodes focused on previously undiscovered evidence in the case. For this episode, we hear from three people who were involved in car crashes with Josh Powell. In each case, records show Josh made questionable claims about being injured and sought settlements from insurance companies. The history of possible fraud raises new questions about possible motives. For the past four years, investigative reporter Dave Cawley has been studying thousands of police documents, journals, videos and diary entries. He has tracked down new sources, followed new leads and traced Josh Powell's trail from West Valley City, Utah, through Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and on to Washington State, where Powell killed himself and his two sons. Cold is the most complete retelling of the Susan Powell story ever. Join Dave Cawley in his search for truth. Listen to Cold on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes ad-free on Won

Cold returns at the 10-year anniversary of Susan Powell's disappearance with new episodes focused on previously undiscovered evidence in the case. For this episode, we examine data from a GPS tracker that police hid on her husband Josh Powell's minivan the day after the disappearance. It reveals Josh visited several dumpsters in the days, weeks and months after Susan vanished. The tracking data also reveals Powell parked next to an Idaho canal late one December night. For the past four years, investigative reporter Dave Cawley has been studying thousands of police documents, journals, videos and diary entries. He has tracked down new sources, followed new leads and traced Josh Powell's trail from West Valley City, Utah, through Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and on to Washington State, where Powell killed himself and his two sons. Cold is the most complete retelling of the Susan Powell story ever. Join Dave Cawley in his search for truth. Listen to Cold on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can bin

A persistent theory surfaced in the days immediately after Susan Powell disappeared: perhaps Josh Powell had hidden her body in Nutty Putty Cave. The narrow passage on the fringe of Utah's West Desert had been the site of a high-profile caving accident. A spelunker named John Edward Jones became trapped in Nutty Putty just days before Susan Powell's disappearance. In this bonus episode of Cold, first released in 2019 on the Wondery+ subscription service, Dave Cawley puts the theory to the test in the hopes of answering the question: could Susan Powell's body be in Nutty Putty Cave? For years, investigative reporter Dave Cawley has been studying thousands of police documents, journals, videos and diary entries. He has tracked down new sources, followed new leads and traced Josh Powell's trail from West Valley City, Utah, through Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and on to Washington State, where Powell killed himself and his two sons. Cold is the most complete retelling of the Susan Powell story ever. Join Dave Cawley in

West Valley City police did not act alone in their investigation of Susan Powell's disappearance. This bonus episode of Cold, first released in 2019 on the Wondery+ subscription service, focuses on the work of U.S. Marshal Derryl Spencer. He played "good cop" to Josh Powell and his father, Steve Powell, hoping to earn their trust during a pivotal period of the investigation. Spencer even secretly recorded a meeting with Steve Powell in Puyallup in the hopes Steve might slip up and reveal Susan's whereabouts. For years, investigative reporter Dave Cawley has been studying thousands of police documents, journals, videos and diary entries. He has tracked down new sources, followed new leads and traced Josh Powell's trail from West Valley City, Utah, through Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and on to Washington State, where Powell killed himself and his two sons. Cold is the most complete retelling of the Susan Powell story ever. Join Dave Cawley in his search for truth. Listen to Cold on the Wondery App or wherever you get

Josh Powell's audio journals provide unique insight into his mindset during a formative time of his life: the period when he first met and married Susan Cox. Josh's secret audio diaries had never been heard before by anyone but police before they were uncovered in Cold. This bonus episode, first released in 2019 on the Wondery+ subscription service, is a deep dive into one of those audio journals with clinical psychologist Matt Woolley. He points out the red flag behaviors revealed by Josh Powell's words, discusses narcissistic personality disorder and delves into the unique dynamic between Josh and his father, Steve Powell. For years, investigative reporter Dave Cawley has been studying thousands of police documents, journals, videos and diary entries. He has tracked down new sources, followed new leads and traced Josh Powell's trail from West Valley City, Utah, through Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and on to Washington State, where Powell killed himself and his two sons. Cold is the most complete retelling of the S

Nearly 10 years have elapsed since Susan Powell's disappearance. Her body has still not been found. The investigation remains a cold case. In recent years, Susan's friends and family have focused their effort on sharing the story as a cautionary tale. They hope showing the warning signs of domestic abuse can help others safely escape dangerous relationships. In this season finale for Cold, Dave shares his theory on what he believes happened to Susan. For the past three years, investigative reporter Dave Cawley has been studying thousands of police documents, journals, videos and diary entries. He has tracked down new sources, followed new leads and traced Josh Powell's trail from West Valley City, Utah, through Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and on to Washington State, where Powell killed himself and his two sons. Cold is the most complete retelling of the Susan Powell story ever. Join Dave Cawley in his search for truth. Share your thoughts: #ColdPodcast #FindSusan Twitter Instagram Facebook Episode transcr

West Valley City police made one final push before declaring the Susan Powell case cold in 2013, interrogating Josh Powell's uncle Maurice Leach in Oregon. Meanwhile, Susan's family fought for change, both in the courts and at the Washington statehouse. Josh's mom, Terri Powell, went to court in Utah to argue for her share of the life insurance money. Twice-convicted sex offender Steve Powell died alone from heart failure. For the past three years, investigative reporter Dave Cawley has been studying thousands of police documents, journals, videos and diary entries. He has tracked down new sources, followed new leads and traced Josh Powell's trail from West Valley City, Utah, through Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and on to Washington State, where Powell killed himself and his two sons. Cold is the most complete retelling of the Susan Powell story ever. Join Dave Cawley in his search for truth. Share your thoughts: #ColdPodcast #FindSusan Twitter Instagram Facebook Episode transcript: https://thecoldpodcast.

A jailhouse informant calling himself "Cowboy" provided police with a promising tip early in the search for Susan Powell. He said Josh Powell had spent time with an elusive stripper named Summer. Find Summer, find Susan. Detectives launched an all-out hunt for Summer that stretched on for years, yet failed to turn up any new information. It was just one among hundreds of tips in the Powell investigation that wasted time and resources, never bringing police any closer to finding Susan. For the past three years, investigative reporter Dave Cawley has been studying thousands of police documents, journals, videos and diary entries. He has tracked down new sources, followed new leads and traced Josh Powell's trail from West Valley City, Utah, through Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and on to Washington State, where Powell killed himself and his two sons. Cold is the most complete retelling of the Susan Powell story ever. Join Dave Cawley in his search for truth. Share your thoughts: #ColdPodcast #FindSusan Twitter

After the deaths of Josh, Charlie and Braden, West Valley police refocused their investigation on Josh Powell's youngest brother. The mercurial Michael Powell made a play for Josh and Susan Powell's life insurance, ending up entangled in an interpleader lawsuit. During a civil deposition, he lied about his encrypted emails and Facebook snooping with Josh. For the past three years, investigative reporter Dave Cawley has been studying thousands of police documents, journals, videos and diary entries. He has tracked down new sources, followed new leads and traced Josh Powell's trail from West Valley City, Utah, through Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and on to Washington State, where Powell killed himself and his two sons. Cold is the most complete retelling of the Susan Powell story ever. Join Dave Cawley in his search for truth. Share your thoughts: #ColdPodcast #FindSusan Twitter Instagram Facebook Episode transcript: https://thecoldpodcast.com/season-1-transcript/fall-of-the-house-of-powell-life-insurance-fu

Josh Powell carries out his final act, killing his sons Charlie and Braden by setting fire to his rented home in Graham, Wash. during a court-authorized visit. In the wake of the fire, Susan Powell's family and friends find comfort in their community. West Valley police and Pierce County sheriff's deputies seek clues in the charred remains of the house, hoping that Josh might at last point them to Susan's final resting place. For the past three years, investigative reporter Dave Cawley has been studying thousands of police documents, journals, videos and diary entries. He has tracked down new sources, followed new leads and traced Josh Powell's trail from West Valley City, Utah, through Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and on to Washington State, where Powell killed himself and his two sons. Cold is the most complete retelling of the Susan Powell story ever. Join Dave Cawley in his search for truth. Share your thoughts: #ColdPodcast #FindSusan Twitter Instagram Facebook Episode transcript: https://thecoldpodca

Josh Powell went to court in Washington in a bid to get his sons, Charlie and Braden, returned to him. West Valley City police warned the social workers they'd found incestuous cartoon pornography on Josh's computer. After reviewing those images, forensic psychologist James Manley suggested Josh undergo a psychosexual evaluation. Meantime, detectives puzzled over why Josh's brother, Michael Powell, sold his 1997 Ford Taurus to Lindell Auto in Pendleton, Ore. just weeks after Susan Powell's disappearance. For the past three years, investigative reporter Dave Cawley has been studying thousands of police documents, journals, videos and diary entries. He has tracked down new sources, followed new leads and traced Josh Powell's trail from West Valley City, Utah, through Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and on to Washington State, where Powell killed himself and his two sons. Cold is the most complete retelling of the Susan Powell story ever. Join Dave Cawley in his search for truth. Listen to Cold on the Wondery App or

With the wiretap winding down, West Valley police returned to Utah's West Desert with cadaver dogs. They found what at first appeared to be a grave site, but soon discovered it held no sign of Susan. Meantime, digging of a different sort on Josh Powell's computers and digital devices turned up new leads. The FBI and U.S. Secret Service encountered one encrypted hard drive that resisted every effort to view its contents. For the past three years, investigative reporter Dave Cawley has been studying thousands of police documents, journals, videos and diary entries. He has tracked down new sources, followed new leads and traced Josh Powell's trail from West Valley City, Utah, through Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and on to Washington State, where Powell killed himself and his two sons. Cold is the most complete retelling of the Susan Powell story ever. Join Dave Cawley in his search for truth. Listen to Cold on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes ad-free on Wondery+. Join W

West Valley City police were running out of options. Every traditional approach to the Susan Powell case had failed. So, during the summer of 2011, detectives began brainstorming plans for a major, multi-state operation code-named Tsunami. It all hinged on the use of a court-authorized wiretap to monitor Josh Powell's phone calls, in the hopes he would let slip some important clue about the fate of his missing wife. To stimulate that conversation, police staged a bizarre public search in Ely, Nevada and they raided the Puyallup, Washington home of Josh's father, Steve Powell. For the past three years, investigative reporter Dave Cawley has been studying thousands of police documents, journals, videos and diary entries. He has tracked down new sources, followed new leads and traced Josh Powell's trail from West Valley City, Utah, through Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and on to Washington State, where Powell killed himself and his two sons. Cold is the most complete retelling of the Susan Powell story ever. Join D