Authorities searching for former soldier Travis Decker, who was responsible for the tragic deaths of his daughters, have announced a somber development. Law enforcement officials confirmed the discovery of remains believed to be those of Decker, who was wanted in connection with the killings of his three daughters. The remains were found in the mountains of Washington State, with crime scene response teams currently processing the site, as per a statement from the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO).
Although formal identification is pending, initial findings indicate that the recovered remains likely belong to Travis Decker, who had been on the run since June 2. Decker’s truck and the bodies of his daughters, Paityn (9), Evelyn (8), and Olivia (5), were found at a campground outside Leavenworth. Three days prior to the discovery, Decker failed to return his daughters to their mother’s residence in Wenatchee after a scheduled visit.
Decker, a former Army infantryman who served from March 2013 to July 2021 and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2014, possessed skills in navigation and survival. Over 100 officials conducted an extensive search over hundreds of square miles to locate him. The US Marshals had offered a reward for information leading to his capture, as Decker’s ex-wife had previously raised concerns about his deteriorating mental health and instability.
An autopsy revealed that Decker’s daughters died from suffocation, having been bound with zip ties and suffocated with plastic bags over their heads. The CCSO is currently processing the scene with assistance from a crime scene response team for DNA analysis. The sheriff’s office is supporting the Decker family and has requested privacy and respect during the investigation.
Further updates will be shared as the forensic examination progresses. Decker, described as a white male between 5ft 8ins to 5ft 10ins, was last seen wearing a cream-colored t-shirt, black shorts, a black mesh cap, and black gauged earrings. He faced charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping.