Police believe a Washington father accused of killing his three daughters is still alive and is evading capture as federal and state law enforcement search the wilderness for him.
Fox 13 Seattle reports that police launched a search for Travis Decker on the night of May 30 after his ex-wife said he failed to return their three daughters back from a scheduled visitation, according to court records.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, the Wenatchee Police Department said officers then discovered 9-year-old Paityn Decker, 8-year-old Evelyn Decker, and 5-year-old Olivia Decker dead near the Rock Island Campground on June 2.
Police suspect that Decker killed them during a planned visitation and then fled the area.
Investigators found the girls roughly 75 to 100 yards down an embankment, with zip ties and plastic bags scattered nearby. Court documents stated that the girls’ wrists were or appeared to be zip-tied, and each had a bag over her head, indicating they had been suffocated.
Authorities are continuing their search for Decker around the Teanaway Valley and Blewett Pass areas.
“If you have trail cameras or doorbell cameras, please check them for suspicious activity,” the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office said. “If you have residences in these areas, check them for anything missing – no matter how small or seemingly insignificant.”
Last week, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office said a group of hikers said they saw someone near Colchuck Lake who appeared unprepared for the wilderness.
Police then spotted an off-trail hiker from a helicopter, but the person ran out of view as the aircraft passed.
Officials deployed police dogs and tracked the man to the Ingalls Creek Trailhead near U.S. Route 97, but didn’t capture him.
Between 8:30 p.m. Monday and 12:30 a.m. Tuesday this week, a UH-72A Lakota Eurocopter flew repeated search patterns north of the intersection of State Route 97 and State Route 970, in the Teanaway Valley foothills area, My NorthWest reports.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Marshals Service announced a reward of up to $20,000 for information that leads to Decker’s arrest.
Decker is described as a white male who stands 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs around 190 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes, and was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts.
“Due to safety concerns, do not attempt to contact or approach Decker,” police previously said of Decker, who has extensive military training.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact the CCSO tip line at 509-667-6845, or submit information online at https://www.co.chelan.wa.us/sheriff/forms/submit-a-tip.
Check back for updates.
[Feature Photo via Whitney Decker/Facebook]
