DNA taken from Travis Decker search area fails to match suspected killer as teams scour Washington mountains
Decker, 33, is accused of suffocating his three daughters - Paityn, nine, Evelyn, eight, and Olivia, five - at a remote campsite in the Cascades mountains in Washington state on May 30 before vanishing.
Tactical teams have scoured the mountains near the city of Leavenworth for weeks, but the searches have found no evidence of Decker in the area, according to an update Friday from Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison.
'We do have some items that have come back from the scene, that have come back to match the DNA that we have for what we believe to be Travis's DNA,' he said, per KIRO7.
'But no other DNA that's come back to show anyone else was on scene. Nothing in the mountains.'
It comes days after the Kittitas County Sherriff's Office (KCSO), which is also involved in the search alongside the FBI, raised the possibility that Decker may be dead.
'At this time, there is no certain evidence that Decker remains alive or in this area,' the sheriff's office announced earlier this week.
Officials said that they have modified part of their search into a recovery effort, but warned the public that if Decker is alive, he remains extremely dangerous and may have access to firearms.
In a statement from Kittitas County Sheriff Clay Myers this week, he said investigators have tracked dozens of tips and have received multiple reports of possible sightings of Decker.
However, he said there remains no definitive evidence that the suspected family-slayer is alive.
'Deputies have maintained extra patrols in the areas in and around the Teanaway Valley, Blewett Pass, Liberty, and Lauderdale,' the statement read.
'Kittitas County Regional Tactical Response Team members have spent days and nights in remote terrain, working with K9 resources and experienced trackers to identify and follow any credible lead to Decker's location.
'(Decker) could be deceased. He could have taken his own life. He could have succumbed to injuries. We recognize that's a possibility.'
Sheriff Morrison added that despite the possibility that Decker is already dead, law enforcement will not stop their search until they either find a body or he is brought to justice.
'I respect Sheriff Myers, his agency, they certainly have taken on a huge lift over this last week,' he said.
'His people have come alongside us, so appreciative of their efforts and their resources they put into it. Either way, we haven't found him alive or dead, and the search still continues.'
With an extensive combat background, authorities and locals are concerned about Decker still being on the loose.
He joined the Army in 2013. He served in Afghanistan before transferring to the Washington National Guard in 2021, Karina Shagren, communications director for the Washington Military Department, confirmed to the Daily Mail.
He was a full-time member of the Guard until 2023 or 2024, when he switched to part-time.
Decker stopped attending mandatory monthly drills a little over a year ago, and the Guard was in the process of a disciplinary discharge.
He likely has advanced combat training and was an airborne paratrooper who earned the elite rank of 'Ranger,' indicating he would have excellent wilderness and survival skills, Fox 13 Seattle reported, citing social media posts.
Decker is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and kidnapping, but has been missing since May 30, when he failed to return the three little girls back to their mother, Whitney, after a visit.
Whitney, who is divorced from the veteran, told police that he had picked the girls up around 5pm but had not returned them by 8pm, and his phone went straight to voicemail, court documents said.
Detectives said she 'expressed concern because Decker reportedly has never done this before and … is currently experiencing some mental health issues.'
She also told law enforcement officials that Decker was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and believes he did not take medication for the condition, according to court documents.
On June 2, a search party led to the chilling discovery of the sisters' dead bodies near the Chelan County campsite along with Decker's truck.
Deputies found the girls' bodies about 75 to 100 yards from Decker's truck.
An autopsy revealed the girls died from suffocation and police reported their wrists were zip-tied when they were found, court documents said.
Police collected 'a large amount of evidence' from the truck, including male blood and non-human blood.
The alleged-killer's dog was found nearby as well and taken to an animal humane society, Fox 8 reported.
The discovery of the children's corpses kicked off the massive search for Decker. State and federal authorities believe they may have spotted him hiking in a mountainous area.
On June 10, a helicopter crew s aw someone running off a trail near Colchuck Lake. Police speculate it was Decker.
The lake is roughly 12 miles from the campground the girls were left near.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
I thought my sister's doctor boyfriend was the ‘perfect gentleman' but he abducted & killed her as she ran for her life
MEETING her baby sister's new boyfriend, Angelica Gintner was full of nothing but praise. Well-mannered and gentlemanly Justin Wendling was laid-back, good looking and great with Angelica's kids. 7 7 7 He was also a midwife to boot and seemed to be the perfect match for Gina Bryant. 'He was a doctor, he delivered babies, who wouldn't trust a man like that?' Angelica, who lives in Michigan, US, says. Little did they know that the smiling midwife who brought life into the world would be the person to snuff out Gina's. Just 11 months into their relationship Angelica discovered that Wendling had been abusive towards Gina when she bravely ended the relationship. But just two weeks later, in an act of revenge Wendling kidnapped Gina before fatally shooting her as she tried to escape. 'I was devastated,' Angelica says. 'All I could think of was my kind, caring, baby sister, sitting in his car, terrified, knowing her monster ex was going to kill her. 'She'd been just one semester away from becoming a nurse.' Gina was the youngest of Angelica's four siblings and she says she was like a 'second mum' to her. 'Gina was 15 when I had a son with my partner and a bridesmaid when I married him two years later,' Angelica says. I was on FaceTime call with my best friend when she was killed in a horror car crash – her screams will haunt me forever 'Though she'd battled acne, she was strikingly beautiful, slim with long blonde hair and blue eyes. 'But more importantly, Gina was beautiful on the inside.' Gina volunteered for a charity helping autistic kids and later worked directly for a family with an autistic son, Josh. 'They raved about how amazing she was with him,' Angelica says. 'I'd been a nurse aid and Gina was interested in medicine too. 'She was academically gifted and could have done anything.' Undecided, she did a degree in allied health sciences and after graduating she began an accelerated nursing degree to become a nurse practitioner. 'I was so proud of her and gave her with my pink stethoscope which she'd always loved,' Angelica says. 7 While Gina was career driven, family was what really took centre stage. 'She was the fun aunt to my son and his sister, who'd been born two years after him,' Angelica says. 'She was close to our brother Danny, who was in the Navy. 'If she needed advice, they'd speak, even if he was in the middle of the ocean somewhere. 'Often though, Gina was the one giving advice to her friends. She was a great listener, she was calm and refused to gossip.' Around November 2022 Gina, then 24, brought over her new boyfriend. Justin Wendling was a doctor, studying obstetrics. 'Gina was smitten,' Angelica says. 'I was happy for her when they moved in together.' Sadly, Angelica's relationship with her husband ended not long afterwards. 'I needed to focus on my children so I asked Gina and Justin to look after our dog for a while,' she says. 'Gina was so supportive but Justin didn't offer a word of comfort, maybe it was because he thought he didn't know me well enough.' By October 2023 Gina and Wendling had been together 11 months when Angelica received a call from her mum Cathy. 'She told me that Gina had left Justin because he had been abusing her,' Angelica says. 'I was stunned. 'Justin had been physically and verbally abusive and even locked Gina in her bedroom. I was enraged. 'Gina was a smart and accomplished young woman, but still my baby sister. 'I went straight to her and she showed me photos of bruises and marks Justin had inflicted. 'I asked her why she hadn't told me but she said she was too embarrassed to.' Gina claimed that she and Wendling would argue, he would be abusive and then would apologise in a repeat pattern. She'd left her stuff at their flat but told Angelica she was scared to go back. 'Me, mum, Gina and a friend went there the next day,' Angelica says. 'I arranged for the police to be there too while we got Gina's stuff. 'She couldn't face Justin and stayed in the car, sobbing as I pounded on the front door. 'When he answered I told him I knew what he'd done to my sister but he just stayed silent. 'My mum told him how disappointed we were and told him to get help.' With the police watching, the family gathered Gina's things and left. Back at Cathy's house Gina agreed to remove Wendling and his family and friends from her social media. But just two weeks later the family was dealt a further blow when Cathy called to explain that Gina was missing. 'My sister had popped out for lunch from the dermatology practice where she worked and hadn't come back,' Angelica recalls. 'She'd never had a sick day in her life, it was so unusual; her boss called the police. 'I just knew Justin was involved.' At her mum's house Angelica discovered that Gina's phone and location was switched off. 'Gina wasn't responding and Justin wasn't at home or work either,' Angelica says. 'The police weren't too concerned, even when I showed them pictures of Gina's bruises. 'I thought the police were blinded by his job status. 'All we could was sit by our phones.' In the middle of the night Angelica received a text from Wendling. It read: 'This is your fault. You caused this, just remember that.' 'In the pit of my stomach, I knew then the coward had killed my sister,' Angelica says. 'I immediately called the police who told me they'd get back to me. 'Then, the TV news reported a man cornered by police had shot himself, it was Justin. 'There were no reports on Gina. 'Somehow, I convinced myself she was still alive, maybe wounded.' But at 8am a police car pulled up outside Angelica's home with two officers explaining that Gina was deceased. Wendling had abducted her during her lunch break then driven hundreds of miles away. Needing fuel, he pulled into a petrol station, locked Gina in the car and filled up. Domestic abuse - how to get help DOMESTIC abuse can affect anyone - including men - and does not always involve physical violence. Here are some signs that you could be in an abusive relationship: Emotional abuse - Including being belittled, blamed for the abuse - gaslighting - being isolated from family and friends, having no control over your finances, what you where and who you speak to Threats and intimidation - Some partners might threaten to kill or hurt you, destroy your belongings, stalk or harass you Physical abuse - This can range from slapping or hitting to being shoved over, choked or bitten. Sexual abuse - Being touched in a way you do not want to be touched, hurt during sex, pressured into sex or forced to have sex when you do not consent. If any of the above apply to you or a friend, you can call these numbers: Remember, you are not alone. 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience domestic abuse over the course of their lifetime. Every 30 seconds the police receive a call for help relating to domestic abuse. When he went to pay, she bravely escaped and ran but Wendling shot her in the head by the fuel pumps. He'd then texted Angelica before calling his mum to confess. He then drove away and shot himself as police closed in. A detective revealed to Angelica that Wendling had Googled 'how do I get away with murder?' before killing Gina. Gina's university department shut for the day so her fellow students could grieve. 'We had a viewing before Gina's funeral where I put the pink stethoscope I'd given Gina her around her neck and told her I loved her,' Angelica says. 'I'd wanted to read EE Cummings poem I Carry Your Heart With Me during the service but was too upset. 'We hadn't seen this coming, nobody in our family had experienced domestic violence. 'There were no red flags anyway.' Angelica has since channelled her grief into helping others in her sister's memory. 'Since her death I've set up Journey 4 Gina, a foundation to help women suffering from domestic violence,' she says. 'We raise awareness and do things like clothing drives. 'Ending a relationship with an abuser is the most dangerous time for a woman. 'But what women don't realise is the weeks afterwards are equally dangerous. 'That's when, just like Justin, the abuser realises, he doesn't have control any longer and plots revenge.' Angelica wants to encourage survivors to go straight to a women's shelter to protect themselves. 'I warn them to avoid immediate family or friends, their abusers know who they are,' she says. 'Survivors need a dashcam for their car, a doorbell camera and security cameras with time stamps. 'Then, if they're stalked, they have evidence. 'Unfortunately, these men aren't easy to spot, sometimes, like Justin, they seem perfect. 'All you can do if you're with a violent man is leave the first time he raises a hand or is verbally abusive. 'It won't get better. He won't change if you love him more. 'And it will get worse. 'You can be smart, beautiful and caring, like Gina. 'He can have a great job but any woman can be the victim of domestic violence. 'My sister is tragic proof.' 7
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Two-year-old boy callously murdered by his grandparents would still be alive if his father had been allowed to see him, heartbroken family claims
The aunt of a toddler murdered by his grandparents during the pandemic has told how she believes he would still be alive if his father had not been prevented from seeing him. Ethan Ives-Griffiths, two, weighed just ten kilograms and had sustained more than 40 injuries to his body, as well as catastrophic brain trauma, when he died August 16, 2021. His maternal grandparents, Michael Ives, 47, and his wife, Kerry, 46, were last month convicted of murder while his mother, Shannon, 28, was found guilty of allowing his death. A post-mortem revealed little Ethan was so dehydrated and malnourished at the time of his death he would have passed away within ten days if he had not been fatally injured. Now his paternal aunt, Rebecca Shone, is calling for the introduction of Ethan's Law to increase powers of social services to conduct welfare checks on at-risk children, after workers failed to conduct scheduled visits in the weeks before his death. 'Ethan was very happy, very cheerful all of the time,' Ms Shone told the Mail. 'His smile was gorgeous and his laugh would light up a room. And I like to think we had a lot to do with that.' But things took a turn for the worse for Ethan after a domestic dispute between his mother and father, Will Griffiths, led to their separation amid allegations of coercive behaviour. No charges were ever brought. Shannon then moved Ethan into her parents' home in June 2021, just two months before he was fatally injured. Ms Shone said: 'Will always said he shouldn't go there. They were not very nice people. 'We understood that these people were not very good to be around a child, but you don't sit there and think they will be the cause of his death. 'I believe that if Will had still been able to see his kids then Ethan would still be alive.' 'Painfully thin' and malnourished Ethan suffered a catastrophic head injury before he collapsed at home in Flintshire, North Wales, on August 14 2021, while his mother Shannon was upstairs on the phone. Distressing video footage recorded at the home before his death showed how Ethan's grandfather callously lifted him across the ground by one arm like 'a bag of rubbish' in the days before his death. Filmed just ten days before he would pass away on August 16, it showed him walking with a strange, knock-kneed gait and falling over, barely able to hold up his own head, as he was bounced on a trampoline by older children in the scruffy back garden of his grandparents' home. His grandfather was seen spraying Ethan with a hose and seeming to encourage another child to punch him. Another video showed Ives carrying Ethan in a similar manner and placing him in the back of a car, before appearing to punch him twice in the stomach. A post-mortem found more than 40 visible injuries on his tiny frame, including fingerprint-shaped marks to his face, bruising on his arms, legs and chest, a chipped tooth and tears to his mouth and lip, which had a large chunk missing. Other more serious internal injuries, however, including bleeding in his abdomen and brain, most likely caused by shaking, were the ultimate cause of his death. His aunt described how Mr Griffiths and his family were 'devastated' to learn of the loss of Ethan: 'We had such a short amount of time with Ethan which was so unfortunate. 'It was devastating, I can't even put it into words how it affected us. It was just heart wrenching to see the impact [on Ethan's father]. 'And of course Will hadn't seen him for a number of weeks. They took away what were unfortunately his last weeks.' It emerged in court that despite social services being highly aware of the risk to the youngster, he was seen just once in the 41 days before his death by a health professional or social worker. This was in spite of Ethan being known to social services since his birth, and on a plan which meant he should have been seen in person once every ten days. Social worker Michael Cornish saw Ethan on July 22, and he was not seen by a professional again until he sustained fatal injuries. Shannon Ives last saw her social worker on August 5, when she spoke to him on the doorstep and told him Ethan was having a nap. Ethan's final months: A timeline April 27 2019 - Ethan Ives-Griffiths is born to his mother Shannon Ives. June 9 2021 - Police are called to the home of Shannon Ives in Mold, where her partner is arrested for controlling and coercive behaviour. She and Ethan Ives-Griffiths are taken to safety and later move in with her sister in Garden City, Deeside. June 24 2021 - Ethan moves into the home of his grandparents, Michael and Kerry Ives, in Kingsley Road, Garden City, while his mother continues to live with her sister. The toddler stays for a brief period before returning to his mother. July 16 2021 - Ethan and Shannon Ives move into the home on Kingsley Road. July 22 2021 - Social worker Michael Cornish attends the home of Shannon Ives's sister for a visit, but is told she has moved. He then attends the Kingsley Road home, where he sees Ethan and speaks to Shannon. He tells her Ethan is on the child protection register and there is a requirement for him to be seen every 10 days. August 4 2021 - CCTV footage from the back garden shows Ethan on a trampoline. He is seen being carried by his grandfather, Michael Ives, by the top of his arm. August 5 2021 - Mr Cornish contacts Shannon Ives to arrange a visit. Just after 3pm, he attended the house but did a doorstep visit and was told Ethan was having a nap. August 9 2021 - A core group meeting is due to be held, involving social services professionals and Shannon Ives. Shannon Ives does not attend. She messages Mr Cornish to say she is not feeling well, but later accepts that was not true. August 12 2021 - Ethan is seen on CCTV leaving the house for the first time since August 4. Footage shows him being carried by his arm by Michael Ives into the car. Ives appears to hit out twice with his arm once the toddler is in his car seat. Health visitor Ellie Jones and Mr Cornish attempt to visit the home, but there is no answer at the door. August 13 2021 - According to what the Ives family will later tell police, Ethan collapses on this day, but no medical attention is sought. A planned visit with the health visitor is cancelled by Shannon Ives. August 14 2021 - 9.02pm - Shannon Ives is on the phone when her mother shouts for her to come downstairs because Ethan has collapsed. Michael and Kerry Ives were in the living room with their grandson when this happened. 9.20pm - Kerry Ives rings 999. August 16 2021 - Ethan is pronounced dead at 6pm in Alder Hey Children's Hospital. Nobody answered the door when Mr Cornish went back to visit in the days before Ethan's death, and a scheduled appointment with a health visitor on August 13 was cancelled. Ethan's family have now set up a petition, which has so far garnered more than 30,000 signatures, calling for stricter checks on at-risk children to prevent future deaths. Ms Shone said: 'I don't blame social services for Ethan's death, I blame them for not doing their jobs. 'It's absolutely ridiculous that the individuals involved haven't been held accountable. 'They should have referred a welfare check to the police. They should have gone back [to the house] later that evening, the next day. 'By the time the social services were doing their review the damage had already been done. It was a ticking time bomb for Ethan and it was unavoidable.' The family want visits by social workers to be escalated to local police forces if they are refused entry or access to the child they are supposed to be visiting. Their petition reads: 'Right now, social workers can carry out home visits without a warrant, but if they are refused entry (as they were in Ethan's case) they have no power to escalate it unless the situation appears visibly urgent. 'We believe that must change. If entry is denied, the visit should automatically be escalated to the police for a welfare check. If this step is not taken, social workers must be held accountable for failing to follow protocol, especially when a child is already on the protection register. 'We're also calling for increased frequency of checks. For children on the register, visits should take place every 5-7 days, not every 10. 'For children not yet on the register but known to services, we're urging for checks every 4-6 weeks by health professionals such as health visitors or GPs. Regular, thorough monitoring of vulnerable children can help identify danger sooner, intervene earlier, and ultimately save lives. 'We couldn't save Ethan but we can honour him by making sure this never happens again.' After Ethan's grandparents were convicted of murder, his father Mr Griffiths said his son could 'rest in peace' now that 'justice has been served'. 'Unfortunately, I did not get much time with Ethan, but the time I did have was precious,' he said. 'He will never be forgotten and will always live on in our hearts and memories. 'He will be remembered for the smiley, outgoing, loving child that he was.' A spokesman for Flintshire Council said they were co-operating with the independent child practice review being carried out by the North Wales Safeguarding Board into Ethan's case. 'Ethan's tragic death has shocked and appalled the community of Flintshire and it is inconceivable that his young life was taken by those who should have protected him,' he said. 'Our thoughts remain with all those who loved and supported Ethan during his short life.' Mr Justice Martin Griffiths warned Michael and Kerry they would be jailed for life and Shannon was also looking at a 'substantial' prison term when he sentences them in October.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Chilling moment accused killer parades his kids for the camera just moments after he allegedly murdered their mum in the next room
The man accused of murdering his wife in front of their two children presented them with gifts and paraded them on social media moments after allegedly killing her. Prem Kumar, 45, of Dandenong appeared in the Shepparton Magistrates' Court on Wednesday where he was charged with the murder of his wife. Kumar made no application for bail and was remanded in custody until December 10. Daily Mail can reveal Kumar took to social media following the alleged murder, which police allege happened inside the Christie Avenue home of his estranged wife in Cobram about 5am on Tuesday. In a series of disturbing videos, Kumar is seen forcing his young children to engage in a wild rant in which he rambled about India, Africa, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, America Allah and Australia. 'Hi everyone, I am safe,' Kumar told his child to say at the start of his two-minute rant with one of the kids sat on his lap. Raising his fist, he forced the children to say 'I am Sikh warrior', although only the eldest of the children was seen participating. Kumar ended the video by telling viewers they would 'see them in Dandenong' - a suburb in Melbourne's south-east. The video was posted to social media at 8.04am, just a few hours after he is accused of killing his 32-year-old wife. In another video, Kumar is seen leading his children - one wearing a nappy - to a vehicle where he presented them with gifts in the driveway of his wife's home. 'What's my name,' he asked one child. 'Kumar,' came the response. 'Good, good,' the alleged killer responded. The children later appeared in a another clip dressed up in traditional Indian finery, with an Ambulance Victoria towel seen draped over the shoulders of one child in one of three disturbing videos. A woman off camera could be heard asking one child, 'Do you want to come sit in the car?' and Kumar shouted: 'Get away'. Officers had been called to the home following reports a woman had been found dead there and arrested Kumar at the scene. In an ominous rant posted to social media on Monday, Kumar stated he was on his way to collect his children in Cobram. 'Am (leaving) now in a hour are so. To Cobram shepparton Victoria to receive my two little wild lion kings,' he wrote. 'Advik and aadhik a wild Saudi Arabian, wild African, a wild Indian Hindu Sikh true wild brave warriors my two little brave wild lion kings. 'Are you ready for the holy religious war against s***-eating all coward terrorist of all the religions?' On Tuesday, a police spokesperson confirmed the alleged killer was known to the woman, with detectives charging Kumar on Wednesday afternoon. A neighbour of the woman told Daily Mail the alleged victim was the mother of the two children, believed to be aged two and four. The neighbour said she would often see the children playing on the road. 'I had to tell her to get them off the road a few times. I don't think she was looking after them real well.' The neighbour claimed the woman had been living in a unit on the street for at least a year. The two children found inside the home were not physically injured. Another neighbour told Daily Mail the woman's husband had moved back in with her a few months ago. Neighbours claimed they heard screams coming from the unit in the early hours of the morning. 'The kids are really tiny,' one neighbour said. 'They're not that old.' Detectives are seeking CCTV footage from neighbouring properties. Word of the suspected murder sent shockwaves through the country Victorian town, which is popular with campers. 'That is devastating, condolences to the family and friends,' one local posted to a local social media page. Homicide Squad Detective Inspector Dean Thomas told reporters his members faced the grim task of speaking with the two children to obtain their version of events. 'What exactly they've seen, we don't know. Obviously we'll do our best to speak to those children,' he said. 'Their wellbeing is (our) number one (priority) and making sure that they're OK and that they're being looked after and provided support that they need. 'We will endeavour to speak to them, to see what they can say to us.' Inspector Thomas said it was an awful situation. 'One woman killed in a situation like this is too many. It shouldn't happen,' he said. 'People should be safe in their homes. People should be safe in their relationships. 'Police do the very best they can when dealing with family violence incidents. 'We will work extremely hard to hold those responsible to account for what they've (allegedly) done.'
