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THE dad accused of killing his three daughters is believed to be hiding near a popular tourist destination, cops said.
Travis Decker is currently evading capture in Washington state as law enforcement officers search the forests close to the Canadian border, fueled by various theories regarding his location gleaned from his social media activity.
The pursuit of Decker began after the devastating discovery of his daughters’ bodies, Olivia, 5, Evelyn, 8, and Paityn Decker, 9, at a campground on Monday.
The girls’ mom reported them missing on Friday after Decker didn’t return them as scheduled after a custody visit.
Authorities stated that the sisters likely died from suffocation. They were discovered approximately 75 to 100 yards from Decker’s truck, where he had been residing at the time the tragic events occurred.
Decker was nowhere to be found at the gruesome crime scene at Rock Island Campground in Leavenworth, Washington, about two hours east of Seattle.
Prosecutors charged Decker with kidnapping and killing his daughters, sparking a massive search for the suspect, who is a veteran with extensive military skills.
It comes as…
- The girls’ bodies were found on Monday as cops said they likely died of asphyxiation
- Travis Decker’s truck was found 75 to 100 yards away with two bloody adult-sized handprints on the tailgate
- The girls’ mom, Whitney Decker, said her ex-husband was unusually quiet when he picked them up for the visit
- Eerie video of Decker showed his recent appearance
- Cops fear Decker could survive in the woods for MONTHS due to extensive military training
- His ex-wife said Decker was homeless and living out of his truck at the time
- Whitney shared the final message Decker gave her before the alleged killings
- Officials shot down claims Decker was seen in Idaho
- A GoFundMe for Whitney has raised over $1 million
Investigators are now searching for Decker on the Pacific Crest Trail, which is a popular hiking trail spanning 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada.
The trail passes through Washington in Okanogan County.
On Friday morning, officials closed multiple paths off the Pacific Crest Trail in the ongoing search for Decker, according to the Pacific Crest Trail Association.
“Trails are closed until further notice due to ongoing search operations for a suspect in Chelan County,” the PCTA said.
The US Forest Service also issued an emergency closure of the Icicle River area in the Okanogan-Wenatchee Forest, shutting down multiple trails and parks.
On Thursday, cops urged residents of Okanogan, Chelan, Kittitas, King, and Snohomish counties to lock their doors and to leave their outside lights on as Decker is on the loose.
Investigators zeroed in on the area after executing search warrants on properties and electronic devices, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office said.
Chelan County Sheriff’s Office’s statement
The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office released the following statement on June 5.
Our teams have written and executed several search warrants around the area and on electronic devices that belonged to Travis Decker. We have gathered new information which in turn has given us more leads to follow up on.
Additionally, we are asking citizens who own cabins or reside in our remote areas of Chelan, Kittitas King, Snohomish, and Okanagan Counties to please be aware that Mr. Decker is still missing. As law enforcement conducts their searches, we are asking for those owners to lock all of their doors, to include any sheds out outbuildings, and leave their window blinds open and we recommend leaving outside lights on.
If you see, or believe you have seen, Mr. Decker please call 911 immediately and do not attempt or contact or approach him. Anyone with information is urged to call the CCSO tip line at 509-667-6845 or submit your information here: https://www.co.chelan.wa.us/sheriff/forms/submit-a-tip.
For the public, please know that law enforcement professionals are patrolling at all hours, in all spaces throughout this region.
For the media, please understand that we are being overwhelmed with media requests for update and requests for interviews. All updates when come in the form of a media release from our office and we will not be providing individual updates to media outlets.
Currently, we do not have any scheduled press conferences but will update the media and public if one will be held.
**CCSO SUSPECT INFORMATION** Updated photos of Travis Decker, murder suspect.
Travis Caleb Decker 8/15/1992,5’8” 190lbs, Black hair, brown eyesst seen wearing light colored shirt and dark shorts
Source: CCSO
Members of the public are urged to call the police if they see Decker and warned not to approach him as he could be dangerous and it’s unclear if he’s armed.
Decker has outdoor survival training and has previously survived in the wilderness alone for two months at a time, officials said, warning that the search might take weeks.
FACEBOOK POSTS
As officials focus on forests in Washington counties, the public’s attention has also turned to a park in Montana due to some of Decker’s old posts on his Facebook account.
On April 20, Decker posted a scenic picture to his account, which has stayed inactive since the alleged killings.
The picture features Bull River Campground in western Montana, which is located near the Idaho-Montana border.
Social media users have baselessly suggested that Decker could be heading to the national park because of the picture, which he made the cover photo of his profile.
There’s no evidence to suggest Decker is in Montana.
The campground is about 300 miles from Wenatchee, Washington, where the girls lived with their mom.
Timeline of the missing Decker girls
Paityn Decker, 9, Evelyn Decker, 8, and Olivia Decker, 5, were found dead at a campground after they were last seen on a custody visit to their dad.
Below is a timeline of events:
Thursday, May 29
Cell phone activity shows that the girls’ dad, Travis Decker, drove to the Rock Island Campground and left.
Friday, May 30
5 pm – Travis Decker picks the three girls up from their mom, Whitney Decker.
8 pm – Travis Decker is supposed to return the girls but doesn’t. Whitney Decker calls him and it goes to voicemail.
9:45 pm – Whitney Decker calls the Wenatchee Police Department to report her daughters missing.
Travis Decker’s truck is seen driving westbound on Highway 2.
Washington State Patrol is contacted for an Amber Alert but said the situation didn’t match their criteria.
Saturday, May 31
WPD issues an Endangered Missing Persons Alert.
Monday, June 2
3:45 pm – Travis Decker’s truck is found empty at Rock Island Campground with two bloody handprints and items inside.
5 pm – Cops search the area and find the bodies of the three girls.
Tuesday, June 3
9:30 am – Cops notify the public that they are still searching for Decker.
2 pm – WPD tells the public that the three girls were found dead and that Travis Decker is still on the loose.
Another picture posted to Decker’s Facebook account on May 16 showed a deer’s skeleton lying in brush. It’s unclear where the picture was taken.
Earlier this week, more speculation about the alleged killer’s whereabouts rose after a potential sighting was reported in McCall, Idaho.
However, cops shot down the theory and said he was likely still in the area near Wenatchee.
Officials have asked anyone with information on Decker or his whereabouts to call 911 immediately.
