Just days after killing his sons in a vicious hellfire explosion, Josh Powell’s sister is still denying that he had anything to do with his wife’s disappearance, and said he was trying to “protect” the little boys.

In a shocking interview, Alina Powell defends her brother’s murderous actions, during which he took a hatchet and chopped at both Charles, 7, and Braden, 5, before setting the house on fire and killing them all.

Authorities will continue the process Thursday of trying to identify if human remains found in the Utah desert are those of Susan (Cox) Powell, a wife and mother who mysteriously vanished in December, 2009.

Investigators with cadaver dogs found the remains near Topaz mountain, some 130 miles southwest of Provo late Wednesday.

"It's a game of patience at this point," said Sgt. Mike Powell of West Valley City, Utah.