Authorities have released disturbing new information in the case of a Washington father accused of killing his three young daughters, as an extensive manhunt continues.
Travis Decker, a 32-year-old U.S. Army veteran, has been missing since May 30, when he disappeared with his daughters, Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5. He is wanted on charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping.
The bodies of the three girls were found on June 2 near their father’s abandoned pickup at Rock Island Campground in Chelan County. Decker, however, was not at the scene. A medical examiner determined that the girls died from asphyxiation, and their deaths were ruled homicides.
Police are searching for Travis Decker, 32, who faces three counts of first-degree kidnapping and first-degree murder (Wenatchee Police Department).
On Tuesday, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office released grim details about how the girls were found.
“Two of the victims each had two separate bags over their heads and the third victim had three separate bags over their head,” the sheriff’s office said. “In addition, several cable ties were located on the ground in the immediate area of the bodies.”
Authorities previously revealed that a bloody handprint on the tailgate of Decker’s truck matched his DNA, linking him to the crime scene.
Investigators said new DNA evidence now connects Decker to all of the plastic bags used to suffocate his daughters and to one of the zip ties recovered at the scene.
“The completion of this DNA analysis provides additional evidence that indicates Travis Decker is the only suspect involved in committing these homicides,” the sheriff’s office said.
The tragic killings happened after Decker was granted a court-approved visit with his daughters. When he did not return them to their mother, Whitney Decker, she reported them missing, triggering a massive search.
Last fall, Decker’s ex-wife had petitioned the court to change their custody plan, citing his mental health issues and that he often lived out of his truck.
The search for Decker has spanned multiple states over the past three months. Investigators say the Army veteran is trained in wilderness survival, a skill that may have helped him avoid capture.
Decker served in the Army from 2013 to 2021. He was deployed to Afghanistan for four months in 2014 and served as an automatic rifleman with the 75th Ranger Regiment at Joint Base Lewis-McChord from 2014 to 2016.
A U.S. Marshals Service affidavit revealed that Decker had searched online for “how to relocate to Canada” before the murders, raising concerns he may have crossed the border.
Video obtained by KING 5 shows Decker speaking with police three days before he and his daughters went missing.
There have been two possible sightings of Decker – first on June 10 along Highway 97 in Washington and later on July 5 in Idaho’s Sawtooth National Forest – but both were ruled out.
“At this time, we do not have any evidence to suggest Travis Decker is either alive or deceased,” the sheriff’s office said.
The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
