SEATTLE — Bones found in a Utah mine earlier this month do not belong to Susan Powell, Powell's father Chuck Cox revealed Thursday.
“The DNA says they’re not human,” Cox said Thursday morning from his home in Puyallup.
Cox said DNA from a pair of pants found in the area belonged to a male. Some other clothing items found in the area have yet to be tested, according to Cox.
We'll see where it goes," said Cox. "But the next step would be to get the other sent items tested, and then go back up to the mine and screen the material they pulled out of the mine and get the rest of the material out of the mine and screen it."
Cox said "it's progress" and that the search inspired others.
"The pants are encouraging I'm sure to everybody," said Cox. "But the West Valley City Police has become involved. And they're interested in proceeding on now and helping and sharing with the other law enforcement in the area."
Susan Powell was reported missing in December 2009 in Utah. Her remains have not been found. Cox said earlier this month the discovery had him "cautiously optimistic."
Susan’s husband, Josh Powell, was a person of interest in the case. He told police he had taken the couple’s boys, Braden and Charlie, camping in the Utah desert the December night Susan disappeared. The story became national news, and about a month later, Josh Powell and the boys moved to Puyallup.
Josh Powell lost custody of the boys in August 2011, and he was only allowed to see his sons on visits with state supervision.
In February of 2012, Josh Powell killed himself and the two boys. The boys were in state custody at the time and a caseworker brought the children to their father's home for what was supposed to be a supervised visit.
But when they arrived, Josh Powell locked her out and attacked the boys. Investigators determined he hit the boys with axes before setting the home on fire. All three bodies were discovered in the home.
Jurors found the state was negligent in how it handled the Powell case. The Cox family was awarded $98 million in damages.
The Cox family has had false alarms in the 12 years since Susan Powell vanished every time remains have been found around Utah.
Last week, Cox said the pants found during the initial search matched the style and size Susan Powell wore at the time of her disappearance, according to former co-workers.
When Cox heard privately-funded searchers made the discovery earlier this month, he drove to the abandoned mine in Utah's West Desert to thank the crew and join their search.
Cox said the family started a foundation to help domestic violence survivors.
The West Valley Police Department, the lead agency investigating Susan Powell’s disappearance, has not returned phone calls about the case or last week’s search in Utah.
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