Man embroiled in Wash. family drama falls to his death in Minneapolis

A man who was mired in a family drama over his late brother's estate in Washington state is believed to have committed suicide by jumping from a downtown Minneapolis building on Monday, the Salt Lake Tribune reports.

The newspaper reports that Michael C. Powell, 30, died after he jumped at about 2:25 p.m. from the multi-story Centre Village, a few blocks from the Metrodome. Four people witnessed the fatal fall, the newspaper reports.

Powell, who moved to Minnesota in 2010 and was a doctoral degree candidate in cognitive science at the University of Minnesota, lived on the block, the newspaper reports.

Michael Powell was the brother of Josh Powell, who killed himself and his two sons in an intentionally set house fire in a high-profile case in Washington state last year, the Salt Lake City newspaper reports. Josh Powell was also the only person of interest in the disappearance of his wife, Susan Powell, who was last seen Dec. 6, 2009, at the couple’s home in Utah.

At the time of his death, Michael Powell was at the center of a legal battle in Washington state with Susan’s parents over $1.5 million in insurance policies issued to Josh Powell and sons Charlie, 7, and Braden, 5.

Michael Powell in 2008 ran unsuccessfully for a state representative seat in Washington state, and that year he was a delegate for Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention, the newspaper reports.