U.S. Marshals said on Tuesday that a man who allegedly killed his three daughters at a Washington campground is deceased.
Federal authorities aimed to have their case dismissed against Travis Decker, who is believed to be deceased following the discovery of human remains last week in an area south of Leavenworth.
These remains have not yet been officially identified, and Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison informed The Seattle Times that lab results could arrive today or tomorrow.
Morrison, according to the Times, requested various tests from the Washington State Patrol’s crime lab, which include a partial spinal column, two femurs, two feet, and clothing found with the human remains. The items being examined consist of Army Ranger shorts, a shirt, and a bracelet.
The remains were found in a wooded area less than a mile from the Rock Island Campground, where the bodies of 9-year-old Paityn Decker, 8-year-old Evelyn Decker, and 5-year-old Olivia Decker were discovered on June 2.
All three girls had plastic bags over their heads — two of the girls had two bags over their heads, and the third had three bags.
Authorities believe that Decker murdered his three daughters during a scheduled visitation and subsequently fled. DNA testing identified the former Army soldier as the sole suspect in the murders, as the DNA on the bags matched only his or his daughters’ profiles.
Decker’s truck was located near the crime scene, abandoned with bloody handprints on the tailgate. Reports indicate Decker’s cellphone was allegedly detected in the area when his daughters were last seen.
An arrest warrant was issued for Decker in June. At the time, he was wanted for three counts of first-degree aggravated murder and three counts of first-degree kidnapping.
* Additional reporting by Leigh Egan
[Feature Photo: Wenatchee police]
