Leavenworth, Washington: Authorities in Washington state announced on Thursday that they have found human remains believed to be those of Travis Decker, the 32-year-old man wanted for the murder of his three young daughters. The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office stated that the remains were located in a remote wooded area south of Leavenworth.
Preliminary findings suggest the remains belong to Decker, who had been missing for over three months. The discovery was made during a multi-agency search, led by the U.S. Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force. A DNA analysis will be conducted to confirm the identity, with the Washington State Patrol crime scene response team processing the site.
Decker, a military veteran with survivalist skills, had been the subject of a massive manhunt since his daughters were found dead on June 2. The bodies of 9-year-old Paityn, 8-year-old Evelyn, and 5-year-old Olivia Decker were found near his white pickup truck at a remote campground. A police affidavit stated that the girls had been zip-tied with plastic bags over their heads, and an autopsy determined their cause of death to be asphyxiation.
Authorities had previously issued a statement noting the increasing likelihood of Decker’s death, as he was a longtime outdoorsman known for living off-grid. The search for Decker had been a challenging one, with officials deploying various resources including helicopters, cadaver dogs, and drones to scour the mountainous and remote terrain.
The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office has been in contact with the Decker family and is providing them with updates. They have requested privacy and respect for the family as the forensic examination and investigation continue.