Manhunt underway for father accused of murdering his three daughters; former Wisconsin resident
Editor's Note: This story contains details that some readers may find disturbing.
WENATCHEE, Wash. (WFRV) – Three sisters under the age of 10 were found dead in Washington on Monday, and a manhunt is underway for their father, a Wisconsin native.
According to the Wenatchee Police Department, officers responded to a civil complaint at 9:45 p.m. on Friday, May 30. The mother of three young girls reported that her daughters were not returned following a scheduled visitation with their father.
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The girls—ages 9, 8, and 5—were last seen with their father, identified as 32-year-old Travis Decker of the Wenatchee area. According to WFRV's CBS affiliate in Milwaukee, Decker previously lived in Pewaukee, Wisconsin.
Officers began searching for Decker and the children immediately. Decker was believed to be living out of a white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup truck with Washington license plate D20165C. Local motels in Wenatchee and East Wenatchee were checked without success. The vehicle's information was entered into the local Flock camera database, which showed the truck had traveled west on Highway 2 from Wenatchee on May 30.
An AMBER Alert request was initially denied by the Washington State Patrol, but an Endangered Missing Person Alert was issued the next day after police provided additional information.
Over the weekend, Wenatchee Police worked with local law enforcement and the FBI to investigate possible locations in Chelan County. By June 2, the search had narrowed to an area between Icicle Road and Chumstick Road near Leavenworth. That same day, an arrest warrant was issued for Decker on three counts of first-degree custodial interference.
At approximately 3:45 p.m. Monday, a Chelan County deputy located Decker's vehicle near the Rock Island Campground off Icicle Road. The truck was unoccupied.
While searching the area, authorities found the bodies of the three missing girls. According to the criminal complaint, each was found with a plastic bag over their head, and their wrists were zip-tied. Decker was not located.
Authorities say that the preliminary examination suggests the likely cause of death for the three children was affixation.
A SWAT team and Washington State Patrol's Crime Scene Response Team responded to assist in processing the scene and searching for Decker.
As of now, Decker remains at large. He is wanted for three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping.
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Police say Decker is a former military member with extensive training. It is unknown whether he is currently armed, but authorities warn he may pose a significant threat if approached.
Anyone who has seen Decker since May 30 or knows his whereabouts is urged to contact law enforcement immediately.
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USA Today
5 hours ago
- USA Today
'Evil': New video released in hunt for Travis Decker, suspected of killing his 3 daughters
'Evil': New video released in hunt for Travis Decker, suspected of killing his 3 daughters Show Caption Hide Caption New footage of Travis Decker released amid manhunt Travis Decker is wanted on first-degree murder charges in connection with deaths of his three daughters. Officials have released additional photos and new video they say show a Washington state father on the run from law enforcement in connection to the slayings of his three young daughters. Travis Decker, 32, is wanted on charges of kidnapping, first-degree murder, and custodial interference in the killings of Paityn Decker, 9; Evelyn Decker, 8; and Olivia Decker, 5. Following a more than two-day search for the sisters, Chelan County Sheriff's Office deputies on Monday, June 2 found the siblings' bodies at a remote campground with plastic bags over each of their heads and evidence they had been zip-tied, court papers obtained by USA TODAY revealed. The tragic findings sparked a manhunt, and Chelan County Sheriff's Office told USA TODAY on Thursday afternoon, June 5 it was narrowing its search for Decker after gathering "new information" in the case. An online fundraiser for sisters' mother had also raised nearly $1 million by Thursday afternoon, June 5. New photos, video released of Travis Decker Authorities released new photos and videos of the suspect, Travis Decker, who was the subject of a manhunt involving local, state and federal officials. When did the three Washington sisters disappear? The children's mother, Whitney Decker, reported the children missing Friday, May 30, police said, after the siblings left their Wenatchee home for a planned visit for their father. Their home is in Chelan County, about 148 miles east of Seattle. Washington State Patrol issued a statewide Endangered Missing Person Alert (EMPA) for the girls on Saturday, May 31. Washington State Patrol was originally contacted on May 30 to request an Amber Alert but the situation "did not meet the required criteria" at the time, Wenatchee police said. Police tracked Decker's truck and learned the vehicle had traveled west on Highway 2 from Wenatchee on May 30. On Monday, June 2, a Chelan County Sheriff's Office deputy found the Travis Decker's white 2017 GMC Sierra truck near Rock Island Campground, about 40 miles northwest of Wenatchee. Officials found the girls' bodies during a search near the truck, but their father was nowhere to be found. Officers searched the area immediately surrounding the vehicle and found the bodies of the three missing girls about 75-100 yards past the vehicle, down a small embankment, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by USA TODAY. Investigators traced Travis Decker's cell phone, which revealed he had visited the same campground a day prior to the girls' kidnapping, court papers show. 'These girls were true light' More than $900,000 was raised in an online fundraiser to help the sibling's mother, Whitney Decker, as Travis Decker, her ex-husband, remained at large. "These girls were true light in this world and and it is a darker place without them. I will miss seeing their sweet little faces," organizer Amy Edwards, of Wenatchee, wrote on the GoFundMe page. "I am upping the goal amount of this fundraiser so Whitney can take time off, care for herself and cover the final expenses of the girls without taking a financial hit," Edwards wrote on the page. "Every little bit counts. Send Whitney all of your prayers, love and support. Take some time to today to tell someone you love them." As of 2:30 p.m. ET on June 5, people had donated more than $900,00 to the fundraiser, which had a goal of over $1 million. "This world is full of suffering and evil that we will never understand," Edwards wrote in a separate post on her Facebook page. "Our hearts are broken and our souls are weary. Rest peacefully sweet angels. We will miss your beautiful light, your giggles and laughter and seeing you every week. Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia, you will never be forgotten." USA TODAY has reached out to Edwards. Warning: 'Please be aware' Just before noon local time on June 5, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office released updated information about law enforcement's efforts. "Our teams have written and executed several search warrants around the area and on electronic devices that belonged to Travis Decker," Undersheriff Dan Ozment said adding officials had "gathered new information which in turn has given us more leads to follow up on." Ozment did not elaborate but warned those who own cabins or live in remote areas of Chelan, Kittitas King, Snohomish, and Okanagan counties to be on high alert because Decker was still at large. "As law enforcement conducts their searches, we are asking for those owners to lock allof their doors, to include any sheds out outbuildings, and leave their window blinds open and we recommend leaving outside lights on," Ozment wrote in the statement. Travis Decker well-versed in outdoor survival Authorities in Washington state said Decker may have scoped out a hiding location before venturing into the wilderness using outdoor survival skills. Investigators learned from Decker's father he is well-versed in outdoor survival, a skill that may have assisted his efforts to avoid detection, Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said at a June 4 news conference. In addition to being an outdoorsman, Decker attended mountain survival school and served in the U.S. Army. "It sounds like at times he would go out and would be (living) off grid for sometimes up to two and a half months," Morrison told reporters. "He could have scoped out this area before (he) put supplies out there and has the ability and the knowledge to survive for a long period of time." How did the Decker sister's die? The three girls likely died of asphyxiation, court filings reveal. "Their wrists were also zipped tied or showed signs of being zip tied," according to the affidavit, and each girl was found with a plastic bag over her head. Travis Decker had exhibited mental health issues prior to the girls' deaths, the court filings show. Contributing: Anthony Robledo Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@ and follow her on X @nataliealund
Yahoo
8 hours ago
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