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Horrific details of sisters ‘murdered by dad' revealed

Horrific details of sisters ‘murdered by dad' revealed

Perth Now2 days ago

WARNING: GRAPHIC
Harrowing details about the terrifying final moments of three young sisters allegedly murdered by their military veteran father have been revealed.
Travis Decker is on the run from police who are hunting him over the gruesome deaths of daughters Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5.
He collected the girls for a scheduled visit on May 30, but failed to return them at the agreed time. Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, were all found dead. Credit: Facebook
Their mother Whitney, who had previously raised concerns about Mr Decker's spiralling mental health, raised the alarm with police, sparking a large scale search.
That ended in tragedy three days later when the girls' bodies were found at a campground close to their father's white 2017 GMC Sierra truck at the Rock Island campground in Wenatchee, Washington State.
Police say the girls' remains were found with plastic bags on their heads and zip ties around their wrists. Mr Decker's truck had two bloody handprints on the tailgate. Travis Decker is a highly trained military veteran. Credit: Supplied
It is believed the girls died of asphyxiation, according to a police court affidavit obtained by NCWLife Channel.
They were wearing the same clothes they had worn when they left for their visit with Mr Decker.
Mr Decker is wanted for three counts of murder and kidnapping, and an AUD$30,000 reward has been issued for any information that leads to his capture.
Mrs Decker divorced her husband in 2024 but they are believed to have separated around 2022.
In the past two years, she documented a number of bizarre incidents in which Decker allegedly barged into her home, left the young girls crying unattended and hitchhiked over to the house three hours late.
'Since our separation, it has become increasingly clear that Travis has been struggling to maintain stability in his life,' she said in a declaration cited by KIRO 7 News. Whitney Decker with her girls Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5. Credit: Supplied
The three girls were 'deeply affected,' which led to 'heightened emotional stress'.
'This is demonstrated through screaming/crying bouts at drop off or when they get off a phone call.
'Travis also has some emotional/mental health issues that were the primary catalyst to the end of our marriage. His borderline personality disorder and narcissism became rampant,' she wrote.
She continued: 'Travis just keeps getting more and more unstable. He has made huge sacrifices to serve our country and loves his girls very much but he has got to get better for our girls. I do not want to keep Travis from the girls at all.'
Police say Mr Decker is homeless and has been living in his car, or at various hotels/motels or at campgrounds around Wenatchee.
A $20,000 reward has been issued for any information that leads to his capture.

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Pheobe was last seen near Bundaberg airport about 8.30am on May 15 after booking a trip to Western Australia to see her boyfriend. Police allege Wood and Bromley drove Pheobe close to the airport but no one exited the car. Pheobe was allegedly murdered and her body moved more than once from the Good Night Scrub National Park, an hour's drive from the airport. Earlier on Friday, Ms Johnson said her family had been "shattered" by news of the murder charges but vowed to bring her daughter home. "We WILL bring Phee home I don't care how long it takes but we will get her home," she posted on Friday. Cr Blackburn said it had been "heart-wrenching" after the community held on to hope for weeks. The Gin Gin community had rallied around the missing teen's family during the search with a "Leave the Lights On for Pheobe" campaign. Locals posted photos on social media of their front lights switched on "to guide Pheobe home". "There is shock in the community but Pheobe's family have got devastation," Cr Blackburn said. "This was someone's daughter, sister, cousin, aunty. There are family and friends out there who are hurting. "Their lives will never be the same again." Wood and Bromley have been remanded in custody ahead of their next Bundaberg Magistrates Court appearance on August 11. A tightly knit community is rallying around the family of Pheobe Bishop after her two housemates were accused of murdering the 17-year-old. James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33, were charged three weeks to the day after Pheobe missed a flight and vanished in southern Queensland. Police allege Wood and Bromley have moved Pheobe's body a number of times before they found her remains in a nearby national park on Friday. Police confirmed the remains, believed to be Pheobe, were found about 2.30pm on Friday near Good Night Scrub National Park, southwest of Bundaberg. Pheobe's mother Kylie Johnson was quick to share her grief on social media. "I didn't think my heart could break anymore then it did when you went missing, or when the charges were laid but this! This is ripping me apart ..." she posted on Facebook. Detectives have set up a crime scene where the body was found and continue to appeal for further information. Wood and Bromley were housemates with Pheobe on a property at Gin Gin, a quiet regional community near Bundaberg that has been left reeling from the tragedy. "There is a sense of 'this wouldn't happen here'," Bundaberg Mayor Helen Blackburn told AAP. "We believe our community to be kind and accepting. "To have this tragedy happen in our region ... it's been very difficult trying to make sense of it." The community has thrown its arms around Pheobe's family, with floral tributes laid outside the Gin Gin property she shared with Wood and Bromley. A candlelight vigil has been organised on Sunday where locals will pay tribute to the beloved teen. "We now need to come together as a community, support and care for one another as we try to move forward," Cr Blackburn said. Pheobe was last seen near Bundaberg airport about 8.30am on May 15 after booking a trip to Western Australia to see her boyfriend. Police allege Wood and Bromley drove Pheobe close to the airport but no one exited the car. Pheobe was allegedly murdered and her body moved more than once from the Good Night Scrub National Park, an hour's drive from the airport. Earlier on Friday, Ms Johnson said her family had been "shattered" by news of the murder charges but vowed to bring her daughter home. "We WILL bring Phee home I don't care how long it takes but we will get her home," she posted on Friday. Cr Blackburn said it had been "heart-wrenching" after the community held on to hope for weeks. The Gin Gin community had rallied around the missing teen's family during the search with a "Leave the Lights On for Pheobe" campaign. Locals posted photos on social media of their front lights switched on "to guide Pheobe home". "There is shock in the community but Pheobe's family have got devastation," Cr Blackburn said. "This was someone's daughter, sister, cousin, aunty. There are family and friends out there who are hurting. "Their lives will never be the same again." Wood and Bromley have been remanded in custody ahead of their next Bundaberg Magistrates Court appearance on August 11. A tightly knit community is rallying around the family of Pheobe Bishop after her two housemates were accused of murdering the 17-year-old. James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33, were charged three weeks to the day after Pheobe missed a flight and vanished in southern Queensland. Police allege Wood and Bromley have moved Pheobe's body a number of times before they found her remains in a nearby national park on Friday. Police confirmed the remains, believed to be Pheobe, were found about 2.30pm on Friday near Good Night Scrub National Park, southwest of Bundaberg. Pheobe's mother Kylie Johnson was quick to share her grief on social media. "I didn't think my heart could break anymore then it did when you went missing, or when the charges were laid but this! This is ripping me apart ..." she posted on Facebook. Detectives have set up a crime scene where the body was found and continue to appeal for further information. Wood and Bromley were housemates with Pheobe on a property at Gin Gin, a quiet regional community near Bundaberg that has been left reeling from the tragedy. "There is a sense of 'this wouldn't happen here'," Bundaberg Mayor Helen Blackburn told AAP. "We believe our community to be kind and accepting. "To have this tragedy happen in our region ... it's been very difficult trying to make sense of it." The community has thrown its arms around Pheobe's family, with floral tributes laid outside the Gin Gin property she shared with Wood and Bromley. A candlelight vigil has been organised on Sunday where locals will pay tribute to the beloved teen. "We now need to come together as a community, support and care for one another as we try to move forward," Cr Blackburn said. Pheobe was last seen near Bundaberg airport about 8.30am on May 15 after booking a trip to Western Australia to see her boyfriend. Police allege Wood and Bromley drove Pheobe close to the airport but no one exited the car. Pheobe was allegedly murdered and her body moved more than once from the Good Night Scrub National Park, an hour's drive from the airport. Earlier on Friday, Ms Johnson said her family had been "shattered" by news of the murder charges but vowed to bring her daughter home. "We WILL bring Phee home I don't care how long it takes but we will get her home," she posted on Friday. Cr Blackburn said it had been "heart-wrenching" after the community held on to hope for weeks. The Gin Gin community had rallied around the missing teen's family during the search with a "Leave the Lights On for Pheobe" campaign. Locals posted photos on social media of their front lights switched on "to guide Pheobe home". "There is shock in the community but Pheobe's family have got devastation," Cr Blackburn said. "This was someone's daughter, sister, cousin, aunty. There are family and friends out there who are hurting. "Their lives will never be the same again." Wood and Bromley have been remanded in custody ahead of their next Bundaberg Magistrates Court appearance on August 11.

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