LEAVENWORTH, Wash. (AP) — Authorities have uncovered remains they believe to belong to Travis Decker, an ex-soldier implicated in the tragic deaths of his three daughters. The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office announced on Thursday that the remains were discovered in the mountains of Washington state and that thorough processing of the site is underway with assistance from the Washington State Patrol crime scene team. While positive identification has not yet been confirmed, initial findings strongly suggest that the remains are indeed those of Decker.
Travis Decker, aged 32, had been on the run since June 2, when law enforcement discovered his truck alongside the bodies of his three daughters—9-year-old Paityn, 8-year-old Evelyn, and 5-year-old Olivia—at a campground near Leavenworth. Decker had failed to return the girls to their mother’s home in Wenatchee following a scheduled visit just three days prior, triggering a massive search operation across hundreds of square miles of rugged terrain.
As a former U.S. Army infantryman who served from 2013 to 2021, Decker was trained in various survival skills, including navigation and wilderness living. Reports indicate that he had previously spent over two months navigating the backwoods off-grid, which understandably complicated the efforts to locate him.
In response to the search, state and federal agencies mobilized over 100 personnel, utilizing land, air, and water resources. At one point, the U.S. Marshals Service even offered a reward of up to $20,000 for leads that could facilitate his capture.
Details surrounding the girls' demise reveal a harrowing situation: an autopsy concluded that they had tragically suffocated, with zip ties binding their wrists and plastic bags placed over their heads. This shocking discovery has magnified the urgency and gravity of the situation since their horrific deaths indicate serious criminal undertakings by Decker.
During a previous legal petition submitted by Decker’s ex-wife, Whitney, she expressed concerns about his deteriorating mental health and increasing instability, leading her to request limitations on his visitation rights with their daughters.
As the investigation continues with DNA analysis pending, the case has garnered widespread attention and highlights pressing issues surrounding mental health and child welfare in familial situations.
