TOOELE COUNTY, Utah, Feb. 5, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — Law enforcement officials investigating the disappearance of teens Riley Powell and his girlfriend Brelynne “Breezy” Otteson searched the residence of Powell’s mother with cadaver dogs last month, it was revealed Monday.
The house searched is home to Powell’s mother, her boyfriend, Powell’s grandmother and one other person.
An announcement from Juab County Sheriff’s officials on Monday did not comment on the investigation, except to say the following:
“On January 16, 2018, a search warrant was served at a residence and adjoining real estate in Lofgreen, Tooele County, Utah. Three individuals were interviewed and remain to be considered investigative leads; however, no arrests were made. Several items were seized and are still in the process of being weighed for their evidentiary value.
“Since the warrant service on January 16, 2018, the investigation significantly advanced beyond the discoveries during the warrant service. In order to maintain the integrity of the investigation, current discoveries outside this warrant service cannot be released at this time.”
Background
Powell, 18, and Otteson, 17, were reported missing on Dec. 30 after a planned visit to see Powell’s family in Lofgreen, in rural Tooele County. The teens were expected to return to Juab County’s Eureka, where they resided, so searches for the couple and their blue Jeep were conducted in both counties and on the roads between.
The Jeep was found Jan. 11 near Cherry Creek Reservoir, in Juab County. It had been hidden in a stand of trees. Investigators determined two tires with punctures to the sidewalls had been flattened where the Jeep was found, and that a piece of camouflage strap attached to the front of the vehicle could have been used to tow it.
Officials announced at that time that foul play was “strongly suspected” in the case.
Search warrant
A witness in Tooele County reported seeing a pickup truck used by the boyfriend of Powell’s mother using a strap to tow the teen’s blue Jeep from the area.
The search warrant issued by Tooele County’s 3rd District Court last month and served on Jan. 16 listed among items sought “any and all camouflage tie down straps.”
In addition to the tie-down straps, the search warrant included:
- Anything signaled on by cadaver dogs
- Bags and containers suspected of holding or transporting human bodies
- Weapons including firearms, knives and tools
- Any items with blood, DNA or biological material
- Any clothing believed to have been owned by the couple
- Items with fingerprints or hair
- Mud and dirt on vehicles
- Papers, notes, photos, cell phones
According to the affidavit: “Affiant believes the property and evidence described above is evidence of the crime or crimes of Obstruction of Justice Desecration of a dead human body homicide.”
Among the items collected during the search were drug paraphernalia, camouflage strapping and a receipt dated 12/28/17 from a store in Eureka, the affidavit said.
The affidavit also stated that witnesses gave different accounts of where the residents had been on the final days of the year, and stated that the boyfriend of Powell’s mother had been the only one to decline law enforcement’s request for an interview.
