Manhunt for father accused of killing three young daughters during planned visit in Central Washington
A manhunt is underway in central Washington for 32-year-old Travis Decker, who is accused of murdering his three daughters and leaving their bodies near a campground in Leavenworth.The girls, Paityn Decker, 9; Evelyn Decker, 8; and Olivia Decker, 5, were found with plastic bags over their heads, according to authorities. They were last seen shortly after 5.30 pm on Friday during a planned visit with their father Travis.Their mother became concerned when Decker failed to return them and stopped responding to her messages, something police say was unusual behavior for him.“Last night at 8 pm Travis was supposed to drop the girls back off with me and never showed,” their mother, Whitney, wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday. “The cops have him going north out of Wenatchee at 5.41.”Decker, who is now wanted on three counts of murder and kidnapping, is a former Army soldier with “extensive training” and may be dangerous. Police have urged the public not to approach him. He is believed to be homeless and living out of his white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup truck, or staying in motels and campgrounds in the area.On Monday, the authorities found Decker’s unoccupied truck near a campground after searching throughout the weekend. During a search of the surrounding area, officers discovered the bodies of the three girls.The Chelan county sheriff’s office is leading the search in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, while other agencies continue to follow up on leads.According to an affidavit, Whitney Decker told police she was concerned for the girls’ safety, citing that Travis was “currently experiencing some mental health issues.” She also said he had been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and was not taking his medication.On Friday, the Wenatchee police department requested an AMBER Alert, but the Washington State Patrol denied the request, stating there was not enough evidence to suggest the children were in immediate danger.“We just didn’t have that,” said Chris Loftis, a spokesman for the Washington state patrol. “Everyone wishes we could turn back the clock.”
