Authorities in Washington revealed on Thursday that human remains found last week have been identified as those of a man suspected of murdering his three daughters before disappearing.
Sheriff Mike Morrison of Chelan County confirmed that the decomposed remains—discovered on September 19 on Grindstone Mountain — are those of Travis Decker. This confirmation follows the U.S. Marshals’ move to request the court to close the criminal case against Decker, who had been missing and was believed to be dead, stated The Seattle Times.
The disclosure from the police department came after accusations that the U.S. Marshals prematurely declared Decker dead. Authorities were waiting for DNA testing outcomes to officially confirm the identity of the remains found on September 19.
Reports indicate that Decker’s remains were discovered in a forested area south of Leavenworth. Sheriff Morrison had requested several forensic analyses from the Washington State Patrol’s crime lab, including tests on parts of a spine, two leg bones, feet, and clothing found with the remains. The clothing items include Army Ranger shorts, a shirt, and a bracelet.
The remains were found less than a mile away from Rock Island Campground, the site where the bodies of 9-year-old Paityn Decker, 8-year-old Evelyn Decker, and 5-year-old Olivia Decker were found 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.
Investigators believe Decker murdered his daughters during a scheduled visit and then went on the run. DNA tests confirmed that the former Army soldier was the sole suspect in the killings, as the DNA on the discovered bags matched only him or his daughters.
Near the crime scene, Decker’s truck was found abandoned with bloody handprints on the tailgate. Decker’s cellphone allegedly placed him in the vicinity 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.
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[Feature Photo: Wenatchee police]
