By DAVE CAWLEY

Detective Ellis Maxwell was getting tired of waiting.

When Josh Powell returned home with his two sons on the afternoon of Monday, Dec. 7, 2009, he found the West Valley City police department awaiting him.

“He clearly can’t get into his driveway with all the cop cars and everything,” Ellis said. “I approach the passenger side of the vehicle and he rolls down the window and I ask him, ‘where the hell have you been?’”

Josh told Ellis he’d gone for an impromptu camping trip in Utah’s West Desert with the boys, ages 2 and 4, even as a significant winter storm swept across the region.

He expressed surprise over hearing his wife, Susan was nowhere to be found.