Federal authorities have taken command of the manhunt for a former soldier charged with killing his three young daughters at a remote campsite in Washington state. The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, which had been leading the search for Travis Caleb Decker, turned over control of the search to federal partners on Monday, June 9, to allow local personnel time to rest.
The manhunt has spanned hundreds of square miles of mountainous terrain since Decker failed to return his daughters from a scheduled visit on May 30.
How did the three sisters die?
An autopsy determined that Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia Decker, 5, died by suffocation. A sheriff’s deputy discovered their bodies on June 2 down an embankment at a campsite in the Cascade Mountains. According to court documents, the girls had been bound with zip ties and had plastic bags placed over their heads.
What evidence did investigators find at the scene?
Investigators located Decker’s truck at the campsite with two bloody handprints on the tailgate. The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Monday, June 9, that testing revealed one blood sample belonged to a male and another was non-human. Further DNA and fingerprint analyses are still pending.
Authorities also collected many of Decker’s personal items from his vehicle. His dog was found alive at the scene and turned over to a humane society.
Why is the manhunt so challenging?
Decker is a former U.S. Army infantryman with extensive survival training, and he is known to live “off the grid” for extended periods. He served from 2013 to 2021, including a stint with the 75th Ranger Regiment, and has received training in navigation and other survival skills.
An affidavit states he once spent two and a half months in the backwoods. Authorities describe him as a “very avid and well-versed outdoorsman” and have warned residents in the area to secure their homes and vehicles while the search covers hundreds of square miles of rugged terrain.
What led to the girls’ disappearance?
Decker never returned his daughters home to their mother, Whitney Decker, following a scheduled visitation. His ex-wife had previously petitioned a court to modify their parenting plan, citing his worsening mental health and instability.
A court plan required Decker to seek mental health treatment and anger management counseling, but according to an affidavit, he had not done so.
In the days before he took the girls, Decker had reportedly searched online for how to relocate to Canada.
