Latest news with #DeckerSisters
News.com.au
2 days ago
- News.com.au
Gruesome details of final moments of three girls murdered by homeless dad
WARNING: CONFRONTING The bodies of three young sisters killed, allegedly by their dad, in Washington state were found with plastic bags over their heads and their wrists zip-tied, investigators said. The gruesome new details were laid bare in court papers as cops continued the manhunt for their homeless father, 32-year-old Travis Decker, on Wednesday, KOMO reported. The bodies of the Decker sisters — Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5 — were discovered in an embankment near the Rock Island Campground in Wenatchee, roughly three hours east of Seattle, on Monday evening. A preliminary report found the girls were likely asphyxiated. In addition to the bags and zip-ties, the girls' bodies were found in the same outfits they were wearing when they vanished Friday. Their bodies were found close to their father's white 2017 GMC Sierra truck, which allegedly had two bloody handprints smeared on the back, the papers state. Their father had collected the three girls from their mother's house for a planned visitation on Friday — then went missing with them in his truck. Decker is described as a military veteran with extensive training. Hours before the bodies were found, a warrant was issued for Decker's arrest on three counts of first-degree custodial interference. On Tuesday, the charges were updated to three counts each of kidnapping and first-degree murder, police confirmed to Fox13. Decker, who is homeless and divorced from his children's mother, was known to stay at campgrounds and hotels in the local area with his dog, according to police. After picking up the girls Friday, Decker and his truck were seen later that weekend in the west end of Leavenworth, triggering a police search in the wooded areas around the town, NCWLIFE reported. The bodies were found on Rock Island Campground, about 30km west of the town of Leavenworth, at around 5pm on Monday. SWAT teams and federal agencies — including Homeland Security and the US Forest Service — then descended on the area and began the search for Decker. The girls' mother, Whitney Decker, had issued a heartbreaking appeal for their safe return Monday, hours before the bodies were found. 'I just want the girls back home safe and sound — that is the most important thing to me,' she said in the emailed statement sent to NCWLIFE. 'I am concerned about the safety and wellbeing of my girls and their dad. This is an unimaginable situation. 'I am pleading for everyone to look out for them.' She said she had never had problems before when her ex had the kids — and didn't think his battles with mental health would make him 'dangerous'. 'Travis has really struggled since he left the military and his mental health can be hard sometimes,' she told Kiro7 before her daughters turned up dead. 'He is impulsive and he loves his children very much.'
The Sun
3 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Bloody handprints found near bodies of 3 missing girls killed on visit with dad Travis Decker as cause of death emerges
TWO bloody handprints were found on the truck of the dad who is on the run after he allegedly killed his three daughters. The Decker sisters who were allegedly murdered by their dad, Travis Decker, likely died of asphyxiation. 5 5 5 5 5 Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, were found dead at a campground in Washington state on Monday after their mom reported them missing on Friday. Cops are still searching for Decker, 32, who is accused of killing his daughters during a planned custody visit on Friday. Near where the girls' bodies were found, cops located Decker's white 2017 GMC Sierra truck, which he was reportedly living out of at the time of the gruesome crime. His car was found abandoned with two bloody handprints, police records show. It's unclear who left the handprints. Personal items like car seats, blankets, food, and a wallet were left on the center console of the truck. Cops said the campsite showed signs of being recently used as a tent was set up with a cooler. The girls' bodies were found at around 5 pm on Monday near the Rock Island Campground in Wenatchee, which is about three hours east of Seattle. Decker's cell phone activity showed he went to the same campground a day before the kidnapping, police records said. He picked his daughters up from their mom, Whitney Decker, at around 5 pm on Friday for a scheduled three-hour visit. In interviews with police, Whitney recalled that her ex-husband was "quieter than usual" during the exchange, which was "out of character" for him. She also told cops that he had been considering getting rid of his dog due to housing and financial struggles. Decker is a veteran who cops say is mentally unstable. He had been homeless and living out of his truck and hotels.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
‘They were so beautiful and so joyous,' Wenatchee community remembers Decker sisters
The tragedy of three young girls who were found dead near a campsite in Leavenworth has Washington state residents in disbelief. 'I had seen over the weekend that this was going on and these girls were missing. And so when I got that notice from the school, who else could that be,' said Wenatchee School District parent, Maggie. 'I hugged my daughter really hard today and just… yeah,' she continued. Just hours after the news broke Tuesday, hundreds gathered at Memorial Park in Wenatchee to hold a vigil for 9-year-old Paityn, 8-year-old Evelyn, and 5-year-old Olivia Decker. 'I think that it speaks to the fact that these three little girls in their short time did so much in the community,' Ashley-Jo Pflueger, a family friend, told KIRO 7. The vigil was put together by the group Music Theatre of Wenatchee. The Decker sisters were a part of the Short Shakespeare family. Ashley-Jo says she knew the girls for several years and that all of them were truly bright lights that lit up any stage they were on. 'They had life and love and they were so beautiful and so joyous,' Ashley-Jo said. Although many will argue this will never make sense, those who attended Tuesday's vigil say they are here for the Decker family. 'The community of Wenatchee is here for you. We love you. We support you. We want the best for you and we are incredibly sorry that this happened,' Maggie said. A friend of the family started a GoFundMe for the girls' mother. As of Tuesday night, the fundraiser had amassed almost $340,000 to support her with expenses and legal costs following the tragic loss of her three daughters. 'Their light touched so many, and the pain of this loss is immeasurable,' wrote the fundraiser. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Father of murdered Wenatchee girls still missing, $20K reward offered for information Court documents reveal how 3 Wenatchee sisters likely died 'He keeps getting more unstable': Wenatchee mother raised alarms before daughters found dead
News.com.au
3 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Three sisters who vanished while visiting homeless dad are found dead
The three young sisters who vanished while visiting their troubled and homeless father have been found dead, police confirmed Tuesday — as they continued hunting the dad for their kidnapping and murders. The bodies of the Decker sisters — Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5 — were found late Monday close to their father's truck near a campground in Wenatchee, Washington, where SWAT teams and even a Homeland Security helicopter had frantically searched the area, KIRO 7 reported. The girls' AMBER alerts were cancelled late Monday without explanation, before police confirmed the deaths Tuesday with 'sincere and deep heartfelt condolences to the family'. The search continued for their 32-year-old dad, Travis Decker, who had collected them from their mother's house for a planned visitation on Friday — then went missing with them in his white 2017 GMC Sierra truck. Decker is described as a military veteran with extensive training. Hours before the bodies were found, a warrant was issued for Decker's arrest on three counts of first-degree custodial interference. On Tuesday, the charges were updated to three counts each of kidnapping and first-degree murder, police confirmed to Fox13. Decker, who is homeless and divorced from his children's mother, was known to stay at campgrounds and hotels in the local area with his dog, according to police. After picking up the girls Friday, Decker and his truck were seen later that weekend in the west end of Leavenworth, triggering a police search in the wooded areas around the town, NCWLIFE reported. The bodies were found on Rock Island Campground, about 30km west of the town of Leavenworth, at around 5pm on Monday. SWAT teams and federal agencies — including Homeland Security and the US Forest Service — then descended on the area and began the search for Decker. The Washington State Patrol Crime Scene Response Team came to process the scene and search Decker's truck on Monday. Processing is expected to wrap up sometime today. The girls' mother, Whitney Decker, had issued a heartbreaking appeal for their safe return Monday, hours before the bodies were found. 'I just want the girls back home safe and sound — that is the most important thing to me,' she said in the emailed statement sent to NCWLIFE. 'I am concerned about the safety and wellbeing of my girls and their dad. This is an unimaginable situation. 'I am pleading for everyone to look out for them.' She said she had never had problems before when her ex had the kids — and didn't think his battles with mental health would make him 'dangerous'. 'Travis has really struggled since he left the military and his mental health can be hard sometimes,' she told Kiro7 before her daughters turned up dead. 'He is impulsive and he loves his children very much.' A heartbreaking letter was sent out to parents, students and staff by the Wenatchee School District on Tuesday. All three girls attended Lincoln Elementary School. Describing the 'incredibly difficult situation', Superintendent Kory Kalahar said that counselling services were being provided on campus for all children and staff who need support. 'To allow our students, staff, and families the space and privacy they need to mourn and begin healing, we respectfully ask that you do not come to the school campus except for regular school business,' the letter, seen by Fox13, continued. Authorities have issued a description of Decker and have asked the community to help find him. He is described as 172cm tall, 86kg, with black hair and brown eyes, last seen wearing a light-coloured shirt and dark shorts. Although it is unknown whether Decker is currently armed, he may pose a significant threat if approached, authorities added. Anyone who believes they may have seen Decker since Friday or knows his current whereabouts is urged to call police immediately. Due to safety concerns, the public is urged not to attempt to contact or approach Decker.
