Travis Decker Confirmed Dead After 3-Month Search for Father Accused of Killing His 3 Daughters

The remains of Travis Decker, the Washington state father accused of killing his three daughters, have been located.

Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison announced at a press conference on Thursday, Sept. 25, that the remains found “come back as a positive match for Travis Decker.”

“It’s a big day for the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office and all our federal partners, as we can finally bring a close to this dark chapter and honor the lives of Peyton, Evelyn, and Olivia,” Morrison said.

“We wanted to show respect for them and make sure their family knows we never forgot them,” he continued.

Morrison also addressed Whitney Decker, the mother of the victims.

“To Whitney, we apologize that it has taken this long to reach the closure we’ve all sought, but I hope you can rest easier knowing that Travis is accounted for,” Morrison said. “He is deceased. Our DNA results confirm that, and this will bring closure to our case.”

The coroner’s office is currently investigating the timing and cause of Decker’s death, a process Morrison said could take “months.” He also confirmed there are no other suspects.

Human remains believed to belong to the 32-year-old U.S. Army veteran were discovered in a remote wooded area south of Leavenworth, Wash., on Sept. 18, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office previously stated to PEOPLE.

Morrison told PEOPLE that authorities were led to the “well-decomposed” remains after a drone spotted a T-shirt less than a mile from where Decker’s daughters were found dead. Prior to this discovery, officials were uncertain whether Decker was alive or deceased.

Chelan County Coroner Wayne Harris initially refrained from declaring Decker dead, despite the U.S. Marshals Service doing so on Wednesday, Sept. 24.

“Other agencies can discuss their investigations into Mr. Decker and the location of human remains, and state that based on circumstantial evidence the remains are his,” Harris said in a statement to PEOPLE. “The Chelan County Coroner’s Office must rely on scientific methods to establish positive identification.”

Harris explained that such methods include DNA, fingerprints, dental or skeletal radiographs, or visual identification.

The three sisters—Olivia Decker, 5, Paityn Decker, 9, and Evelyn Decker, 8—had not been seen since leaving home for a scheduled visitation with their father, according to the Wenatchee Police Department.

Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia were found slain in a remote area of the Rock Island Campground in Chelan County on June 2, three days after they failed to return to their mother, Whitney, following a court-approved visit with their father.

Federal authorities involved in the search noted that Decker had looked online for “how to relocate to Canada” days before disappearing. Officials described him as experienced in wilderness survival and reported two possible sightings, neither of which were confirmed.

Whitney’s attorney, Arianna Cozart, previously told PEOPLE that Decker “was a present and active father up until the end,” though he struggled with mental health issues that “led to the crumbling of their marriage in 2022.”

In a September 2024 court filing obtained by PEOPLE, Whitney alleged that Decker “neglected his parental duties towards a child” and “has a long-term emotional or physical problem that affects his ability to parent.”

The couple’s custody agreement was later revised, limiting Decker to weekly visitation without overnight stays. However, Cozart said Whitney never suspected he would cause harm.