More information is emerging as authorities in Washington state work to confirm that remains found this week belong to Travis Decker — the man accused of killing his three daughters earlier this summer.
Authorities have been searching for Decker since the bodies of his daughters — Paityn Decker, 9, Evelyn Decker, 8, and Olivia Decker, 5 — were recovered on June 2 after the girls went missing for a short time.
The girls were reported missing on May 30 by their mother and Travis’ ex-wife, Whitney Decker, who said he did not return them after a court-ordered visit.
On June 2, the children’s remains were found at a remote campground in Chelan County, Wash.
This discovery sparked a large manhunt, which led investigators to remains found this week in a wooded area south of Leavenworth, Wash. The location is less than a mile from where the girls’ remains were discovered, according to police.
In an interview with FOX 13, Sheriff Mike Morrison of Chelan County said they are still waiting for full DNA confirmation, but there is a strong belief the remains belong to Travis.
“We do feel pretty confident that there’s a high probability this is him,” Morrison said.
He explained that the clothing and some personal items found at the scene support this conclusion. However, they are waiting for DNA results before confirming with “100% certainty” that the remains are Travis’.
Morrison said they have rushed evidence from the scene and hope to get results back by Friday, Sept. 19.
While authorities were searching for Travis, murder and kidnapping warrants were issued against him for the deaths of his daughters, who are believed to have died from asphyxiation.
A motive for the killings has not been revealed. When asked if police have figured out a reason, Morrison emphasized the tragedy of the crime.
“It’s irrelevant,” he told FOX 13 about a possible motive. “It was a heinous act. We’re certainly continuing to keep Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia in our thoughts and prayers. That’s what has been motivating us up to this point.”
