Josh Powell tried to kill his two young sons with a hatchet before the flames of the fiery explosion he had ignited engulfed them all, police said today.

Powell, 36, failed to kill his sons Charles, 7, and Braden, 5, but still wounded them horribly before they died -- smoke in their lungs -- in the gas-fueled explosion Sunday, according to police and the medical examiner.

Just days before he killed himself and his two boys when they came to his Graham, Wash., home for what was supposed to be a supervised visit, Powell gave away his children's toys, police said today.

Powell also sent long emails detailing what to do with his money, house utilities, and other aspects of his life to cousins, his pastor, and friends just minutes before he ignited the explosion that killed himself and his children and left his house a charred ruin, Pierce County, Wash., Sheriff's Department Det. Ed Troyer said today.

In the emails, Powell said he could not live without his boys, Charles, 7, and Braden, 5, Troyer said.

He and the boys were found in the center of the home, next to one of two 10-gallon cans of gas in the house, Troyer said.

Autopsies were being performed today, and police expected some results by tonight, Troyer said. There were no weapons found and no evidence of gunshot wounds on the bodies, he said.

Investigators are trying to determine when Powell began planning the murder-suicide by finding out when and where he bought the materials for the explosion, Troyer said. The toys were donated to Goodwill days before the deaths occurred, he said. Continued in article

http://abcnews.go.com/US/josh-powell-kill-sons-hatchet-fatal-explosion/story?id=15520394

Very, very sad story. How the state could allow the prime suspect in a disappearance and potential homicide investigation to retain visitation (even if it was supervised) is beyond me. Investigators also said he had a very bizarre family history...

My local radio station played the 911 call made by the case worker. I hope that dispatcher lost his job. I know he could not have prevented what that man had planned on doing, but this is what the dispatcher told her. Later reports also say that boys suffered "chop" injuries to their necks and that a small axe was recovered next to their bodies.

"She returned to her car, where she called her supervisor, then called 911.

She told the dispatcher she didn't know what to do.

As she spoke to the dispatcher, she said she could hear one child crying in the background.

She then spent nearly seven minutes trying to explain supervised visits, and answering questions about the case; Powell's address; how his name was spelled; what type of car she was driving; and giving Powell's height, weight and hair color.

The caseworker asked that a deputy be sent to the Powell home immediately.

The dispatcher told her that deputies "have to respond to emergencies, life-threatening situations first."

"This could be life-threatening," the caseworker said.

"He was in court on Wednesday and he didn't get his kids back and this is really ... I begged him to let me in. ... I'm afraid for their lives."

A short time later the home erupts in flames, killing everyone inside."

Here's the link to the 911 call. It's frustrating to listen too. The dispatcher says it at about 6:20 on the first tape.

So horrible. I feel bad for the case worker. You know she likely feels responsible to an extent. Hopefully she can get past this.

Hard to believe that the dispatcher didn't listen to her. Police work with case workers all the time.

Wow that is terrible...