Ex-military father at large after 3 daughters found dead in central Washington
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The search is on for a father suspected of murder after his three young daughters were found dead in central Washington.
Authorities asked the public Tuesday for help finding Travis Decker, 32, who is wanted for three counts of murder and kidnapping, according to police in Wenatchee, about 100 miles east of Seattle.
Police said it was unknown whether Decker, a former Army soldier with 'extensive training,' was armed.
The girls' mother called police on Friday to report them missing, saying they hadn't returned from a custodial visit with Decker. The mother told police that Decker had picked up the girls — Olivia, 5; Evelyn, 8, and Paityn, 9 — around 5 p.m. but had not returned them by 8 p.m., court documents said. Calls to his phone also went straight to voicemail.
The mother also told police that it was unlike Decker not to call if he was going to return the girls late.
The detective said she 'expressed concern because Decker reportedly has never done this before and … is currently experiencing some mental health issues.'
Washington State Patrol launched an Endangered Missing Person Alert on Saturday.
Over the weekend, authorities looked for the children and for Decker, who was believed to be living out of a white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup with Washington plates.
Police, along with the FBI, worked to narrow down the search area Monday and found Decker's truck near the Rock Island campground, about 20 miles northwest of Wenatchee. According to an affidavit, Chelan County Sheriff's Office deputies found the girls' bodies about 75 to 100 yards away from the truck, The Seattle Times reported. Police believe the girls died from asphyxiation and reported that their wrists were zip-tied, court documents said.
Decker joined the Army in 2013 and transferred to the Washington National Guard in 2021, Washington Military Department spokesperson Karina Shagren told The Associated Press. 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 for him, Shagren said.
A reward of up to $20,000 is available for information leading directly to his arrest.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. This is a developing story.
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