A manhunt is currently underway for Travis Decker, who is suspected of the murder of his three daughters in Washington State. According to a WISN 12 News report, the deceased children were discovered last Monday, near a campground in Chelan County. The children have been identified as Paityn Decker, 9; Evelyn Decker, 8, and Olivia Decker, 5.
The mother initially reported the girls missing on May 30 following an unscheduled return from a visitation with their father. Decker, a 32-year-old Pewaukee native and former military with extensive training, is now charged with three counts of first-degree murder and kidnapping, as detailed by an WTMJ article. An Endangered Missing Person Alert was issued the day after the girls were not returned.
Investigators located Decker's abandoned truck near the campground where a the bodies of the girls were found with plastic bags over their heads and their wrists zip-tied. The listed cause of death was suspected to be asphyxiation. Wenatchee police and Chelan County Sheriff's Department believe Decker to be dangerous and are urging the public not to approach him but to contact law enforcement immediately if he is sighted.
Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison made a public plea stating, "Travis, if you're listening, this is your opportunity to turn yourself in. Do the right thing. Do what you need to do and take accountability for your actions. We're not going to go away, we're not going to rest, and we're going to make sure we find you," as obtained by a WISN 12 News interview. Law enforcement agencies haven't yet located Decker, who is described as measuring 5'8" in height, weighing 190 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts.
The mother, Whitney Decker, in a statement obtained by WISN 12 News, earlier indicated that she didn't believe Travis Decker was dangerous, saying "I think that he is impulsive and he loves his children very much," a perspective that is tragically at odds with the current allegations. Local authorities in Pewaukee, Decker's hometown, have stated that they are not involved in the search operation.
