Travis Caleb Decker
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Editor’s note: Details in this story may be disturbing for some readers.

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – New court documents provide troubling information about a father accused of murdering his three daughters in central Washington, as the search for him presses on into Thursday.

Travis Decker took his three daughters, ages 9, 8 and 5, during a parental visit on Friday but never returned them to their mother in Wenatchee.

The three girls were eventually found dead on Monday at a campground near Leavenworth, Washington.

Decker is currently wanted on suspicion of murder.

On Wednesday night, Chelan County officials announced that federal agents are aiding in the pursuit of Decker, a former U.S. Army member with significant training. Despite this, authorities are unsure if he is carrying any weapons.

“We believe he poses a threat to the community,” stated Chelan Sheriff Mike Morrison in a press conference on Wednesday night, noting that Decker is “highly skilled in outdoor survival.” Police have advised residents to steer clear of the entire Icicle Gorge area as the effort to find Decker continues.

“And we will not rest until Travis is located,” the sheriff said.

He then addressed Decker directly: “Travis, if you’re listening, this is your opportunity to turn yourself in. Do the right thing. Do what you need to do. Take accountability for your actions.”

Travis Caleb Decker
This undated photo provided by the Wenatchee Police Department shows Travis Decker, who is wanted for murder after his three young daughters were reported missing and then found dead. (Wenatchee Police Department via AP)

According to probable cause documents filed in the Chelan Superior Court, authorities were first alerted by the girls’ mother just after 9:30 p.m. on Friday that Decker never brought them home at the agreed-upon time of 8 p.m., based on their current parenting plan.

The girls’ mother “expressed concern because Decker reportedly has never done this before and further noted he is experiencing some mental health issues,” the affidavit stated.

The Wenatchee Police detective who filed the probable cause affidavit noted that the girls’ mother shared with the responding officer that Decker didn’t have a stable home and “is considered homeless.” He was known to stay in hotels and motels and at campgrounds, she said.

A records search for Decker’s truck revealed that the vehicle had been involved in crashes on May 4 and May 27. It was also recorded by automatic license plate readers going northbound on the Wenatchee Bridge around 5:41 p.m. on Friday.

The responding officer, identified in the document as Corporal Gonzalez, “noted this was likely after Decker picked up his daughters and suspected he may be headed to a hotel or campground in the north end,” according to the affidavit.

Gonzalez checked with a park ranger at Confluence State Park, who confirmed Decker was not registered to stay at any campsite, and another police officer was not able to locate Decker’s truck in East Wenatchee. Officers told the mother to call law enforcement if Decker appeared.

On Saturday, a Wenatchee detective met with the mother, who told him she and Decker had been married for about seven years and had been divorced for a few years since then, according to the court documents.

The divorce was civil. At the time, Decker wasn’t homeless and had been granted overnight visits, according to the affidavit.

“However, when he lost housing, the parenting plan was readdressed to accommodate accordingly. [The girls’ mother] denied any domestic violence during their marriage, but did mention moments of power or control he used. She provided the examples of randomly leaving or waking her up by screaming at her in the middle of the night. She also said near the end of the marriage he was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder that she believes he currently does not take medications for,” the affidavit stated.

When he came to pick the girls up on Friday, their mother told detectives that “Decker was quieter than usual which was out of character,” according to an affidavit filed on June 2.

An updated affidavit filed on Tuesday noted the girls had been found in the afternoon on Monday after their father’s truck was found by law enforcement near the Rock Island Campground close to Leavenworth.

The girls were found close to the truck and showed signs of being zip-tied before being asphyxiated by plastic bags, according to a preliminary examination reported in the affidavit.

Decker faces three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of first-degree kidnapping.

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