Why the manhunt for WA triple-murder suspect Travis Decker is complicated
The Brief
Travis Decker, wanted for the murder of his three daughters, remains at large after five days.
Authorities warn Decker is a survivalist and may be hiding in remote areas, as search efforts are ongoing.
Residents in several counties are urged to secure properties and report sightings to 911 immediately.
CHELAN COUNTY, Wash. - As the manhunt for Washington triple-murder suspect Travis Decker stretches into day 5, authorities are shedding light on how the search is going.
Travis Decker, 32, is wanted in the murders of his three young daughters, who were found dead at a Wenatchee campground on Monday. Decker allegedly killed the girls, ages 5, 8 and 9, after picking them up for a visitation on Friday, May 30.
The bodies of the missing girls were located by SWAT at the Rock Island Campground in Leavenworth, believed to have died from asphyxiation. Now, Washington authorities are executing an extensive search throughout the area, saying Decker could be hiding anywhere.
What we know
Decker is known to be a survivalist, capable of surviving off the grid for months. Decker is a former military member with extensive training, and Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said "he could have scoped out [the] area before, put supplies out there, and has the ability and the knowledge to survive for a long period of time."
On Wednesday, Sheriff Morrison said they spotted a shirt in Icicle Creek, near the campground where the girls were found dead. U.S. Marshals and helicopters are assisting in the search, and a swift water rescue team was also brought in to comb through the creek, which stretches eight miles long. Leads in the case are continuously being tracked down, as Travis had about a three-day head start.
The sheriff's office has mapped out a general area of where Decker might be, adding that teams are being deployed to different sites he was known to frequent in the area.
A number of trails, roads and campgrounds have been shut down as law enforcement and search crews work to navigate the terrain.
Authorities are now asking owners of cabins and residents in remote areas of Chelan, Kittitas, King, Snohomish, and Okanogan counties to secure their properties by locking all doors, including sheds and outbuildings, and leaving window blinds open and outside lights on.
Decker is described as 5 feet 8 inches tall, 190 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes, last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts. He is considered dangerous, but it's unknown if he is armed.
If you have seen or believed to have seen Travis Decker, you are asked to call 911 immediately and do not approach him. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to call the Chelan County Sheriff's Office tip line at 509-667-6845 or submit a tip online. Authorities are offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to his arrest.
The Source
Information in this story is from the Chelan County Sheriff's Office and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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