Who is Travis Decker? What to know about the Wenatchee, WA father wanted for murder
The Brief
Three young Wenatchee girls, ages 5, 8, and 9, were found dead on Monday after being reported missing since Friday, May 30, following a planned visitation with their father, Travis Decker.
Authorities are currently searching for Travis Decker, 32, who is wanted for three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping; he is a former military member with extensive training and may pose a significant risk if approached.
The girls' bodies were discovered near the Rock Island Campground, accessed by Icicle Road, after Decker's unoccupied white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup truck was located in the area.
WENATCHEE, Wash. - Authorities are searching for the father of three young Wenatchee girls, ages 5, 8, and 9, after they were found dead on Monday.
Travis Decker, 32, is wanted for three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping.
Decker is described as 5 feet 8 inches tall, 190 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts.
According to authorities, he is a former military member with extensive training.
FOX 13 Seattle confirmed with a spokesperson with the Washington National Guard that Decker was a member.
He transferred to the organization in 2021 from the Active Component – and has been pending a disciplinary discharge for not showing up to his monthly drills. The last drill he attended was about a year ago.
Travis Decker shows up in several social media posts from current and past members of the armed forces. Based on FOX 13 Seattle's review of those accounts and other social media profiles, Decker likely has advanced infantry combat training. Multiple Facebook and Instagram posts show Decker show he was an airborne paratrooper who earned his elite 'Ranger' tab – meaning he has elite wilderness evasion and survival skills. A different social media profile under his name claims he qualified as an instructor at the US Army's National Guard Warrior Training Center at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Authorities are still searching for Decker. It is unknown whether he is currently armed, and he may pose a significant risk if approached. Anyone who believes they may have seen Decker since Friday, May 30, or knows his current whereabouts is asked to call 911 immediately. Due to safety concerns, the public is advised not to attempt to contact or approach Decker.
The three girls, ages 9, 8, and 5, were reported missing on Friday, May 30, at 9:45 p.m., after their mother told police they had not been returned following a planned visitation with Decker. Decker was believed to be living out of a white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup truck, Washington license D20165C.
Officers immediately began searching for Decker and the children. Checks of local motels yielded no results, and information from the local Flock database indicated the vehicle had traveled westbound on Highway 2 from Wenatchee on May 30.
On Monday, June 2, resources including Chelan County deputies, detectives, Emergency Management, and a Homeland Security helicopter joined the search. At approximately 3:45 p.m., a Chelan County deputy located Decker's unoccupied vehicle near the Rock Island Campground, accessed by Icicle Road.
During an immediate search of the area, the bodies of the three missing girls were discovered. Decker was not located.
The Washington State Patrol was contacted Friday night to request an AMBER Alert, but it did not meet the required criteria. On Saturday, Wenatchee Police detectives provided additional information, and an Endangered Missing Person Alert (EMPA) was issued.
The Source
Information in this story came from the Wenatchee Police Department, Washington State Patrol, Washington National Guard and FOX 13 Seattle original report.
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