Manhunt for Travis Decker continues more than 2 weeks later
The manhunt for Travis Decker, a 32-year-old U.S. Army veteran wanted in connection with the brutal slayings of his daughters, who were found dead earlier this month, entered just over two weeks on Tuesday, June 17.
The children's mother, Whitney Decker, reported the girls missing on Friday, May 30, after the siblings left their central Washington home for a planned visit with their father, the Wenatchee Police Department reported. Wenatchee is in Chelan County, about 148 miles east of Seattle.
The Kittitas County Sheriff's Office reported Monday, June 16, that their deputies and tactical teams were looking for Decker in the Teanaway Valley and Blewett Pass areas. In an online social media post, the department was asking residents to be alert for anyone suspicious.
The law enforcement agency is located about an hour south of where the girls disappeared.
The joint local, state and federal multi-jurisdictional hunt for Decker entered day 15 after deputies discovered the girls' bodies on June 2 at Rock Island Campground.
The Chelan County Sheriff's Office, the lead agency on the triple murder case, reported a deputy found Paityn Decker, 9; Evelyn Decker, 8; and Olivia Decker, 5, lifeless with plastic bags over their heads and evidence that their hands had been zip-tied.
Also on June 16, Wenatchee Mayor Mike Poirier released a statement to Fox 13 news calling the case worse than "a nightmare" and reminding people to take care of one another, no matter the circumstances.
"Everybody has nightmares, but can you image, this is beyond a nightmare. This is something that should affect us," the Seattle-based outlet reported the mayor said. "Never forget and remember to support each other in a time of need and even in not a time a need."
USA TODAY contacted Poirier, who referenced his statement to Fox 13.
Here's what to know about the case so far.
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State officials issued an Endangered Missing Person Alert (EMPA) for the school-age sisters on 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.
The girls' father was homeless and living out of a white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup at the time they vanished, according to police. Police said he is a former military member with extensive training who "may pose a significant risk, if approached."
Court filings obtained by USA TODAY say Travis Decker reportedly exhibited mental health issues before the girls' deaths.
Police described Travis Decker as a white man with black hair and brown eyes, standing 5'8'' and weighing 190 pounds.
He was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts.
Travis Decker is wanted for three counts of first-degree murder, three counts of first-degree kidnapping and three counts of first-degree custodial interference, police said.
Authorities are asking for the community's assistance in locating him. As of June 17, a reward of up to $20,000 was being offered for information leading to his arrest, the sheriff's office confirmed.
Opinion - Decker sisters needed protection: Our court system failed them.
In the days after police announced the hunt for Decker, Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison told USA TODAY there had been dozens of alleged Decker sightings, including one investigated by the McCall Police Department in Idaho.
The agency said it received reports of someone who looked like Decker in the western part of the Gem State. The small resort town of McCall is about 450 miles southwest of where the search for Decker is currently focused.
Morrison told USA TODAY his office and law enforcement in Idaho had deemed the reports uncredible.
Police could not say whether Decker was armed while on the lam.
Anyone who sees him or with information about his whereabouts is asked to call 911. Tipsters can also call the CCSO tip line at 509-667-6845 or submit their information online at https://www.co.chelan.wa.us/sheriff/forms/submit-a-tip.
Contributing: Anthony Robledo
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Search for Travis Decker continues more than 2 weeks later
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Enter Email Sign Up The federal case Two of the six federal counts can carry the death penalty, something federal prosecutors have not sought in a Minnesota-based case since the Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment in 1976. 'Will we seek the death penalty? It's too early to tell. That is one of the options,' Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said Monday at a news conference where he revealed new details of what he described as a meticulously planned attack. They included allegations that Boelter also stopped at the homes of two other lawmakers that night and had dozens of other Democrats as potential targets, including officials in other states. Advertisement Boelter's federal defenders have declined to comment on the case, and he has not entered a plea. On her first day in office in February, Attorney General Pam Bondi lifted a moratorium on federal executions that was imposed under the Biden administration in 2021. 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They included allegations that Boelter also stopped at the homes of two other lawmakers that night and had dozens of other Democrats as potential targets , including officials in other states . Boelter's federal defenders have declined to comment on the case, and he has not entered a plea. On her first day in office in February, Attorney General Pam Bondi lifted a moratorium on federal executions that was imposed under the Biden administration in 2021. Only three defendants remain on federal death row after Biden converted 37 of their sentences to life in prison . Bondi has since authorized federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in at least three cases, including against Luigi Mangione for the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . In the other two cases, the Justice Department has said it is seeking the death penalty against defendants charged with killing fellow prison inmates. President Donald Trump's first administration carried out 13 federal executions , more than the administration of any other president in modern history. The state's case The federal intervention in Boelter's case appeared to irritate Moriarty, the county's former chief public defender, who was elected on a police reform and racial justice platform in 2022 after the police killing of George Floyd . At a news conference Monday to announce the state charges, Moriarty gave only vague answers in response to questions about the interplay between the federal and state investigations. But she acknowledged 'there's a tension' and said federal officials 'can speak for themselves.' Moriarty said she intends to press forward in state court regardless and to seek an indictment for first-degree murder for the killings of the Hortmans, which would carry a mandatory sentence of life without parole. Her office did not immediately respond to a request for further comment Tuesday. 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'And it's hard to avoid the sense of the older sibling grabbing something away from the younger sibling.' What's next If federal officials do pursue the death penalty, Osler said, they will face an unusual challenge: 'a jury pool drawn from the citizens of a state that has rejected the death penalty for over 100 years. It's not the same as choosing people in a state where there's a history of support for the death penalty, such as Texas.' After his federal court appearance, Boelter was taken to the Sherburne County Jail in suburban Elk River, where federal prisoners are often held. Thompson told reporters that the federal case 'does not nullify the state charges. They remain in place. ... My expectation based on prior cases is the federal case, the federal charges, will be litigated first, but the state charges won't necessarily go anywhere.' Boelter's next federal court appearance is June 27. He does not have any further appearances scheduled in state court. 'There's a natural competitiveness that occurs sometimes between jurisdictions, but you have to hope that in the end, they're all facing the same way where there's something as important to public safety as this case is,' Osler said. ___ Associated Press writer Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington contributed. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
