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THE dad accused of killing his three young daughters is still at large as police give mixed messages about where the manhunt stands.
Officials seem to be divided on whether Travis Decker, 32, is dead or alive as they continue the grueling wilderness search for the suspect.
It has been more than three weeks since authorities began their search for Decker in the rugged areas of Washington state, following the tragic suffocation deaths of Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia Decker, 5, who were found at a campground.
This chilling discovery occurred three days after Decker did not return the children to their mother’s residence in Wenatchee, located approximately 100 miles east of Seattle, after a planned visit.
Decker’s truck was discovered abandoned at the Leavenworth campsite, prompting police to immediately launch a pursuit of the father, suspecting that he fled the location on foot.
Police initially remained insistent that Decker, a veteran with outdoorsman skills, is alive and on the move in the mountainous area.
Early on in the search, police warned that Decker might be able to stay undetected in the wilderness for weeks due to his survival skills and experience living in the outdoors alone for months at a time.
Cops released information about the blood samples they collected from the crime scene and an eerie sighting earlier this month that officers believed to be Decker hiking off-trail.
Somebody has to make that tough, hard decision and I’m sure there’s a lot of officers and detectives that don’t wanna quit looking for that guy.”
Former King County Sheriff John Urquhart
Nearby residents were hopeful for a quick arrest after cabin owners were told to lock their doors and, if they see him, to stay away from Decker, who is considered dangerous and potentially armed.
However, worries that investigators might have lost Decker’s lead began to grow when local police scaled back their efforts in the multiagency search after about a week.
‘NO CERTAIN EVIDENCE’
Concerns about the manhunt’s progression are now solidified as police have made a massive U-turn and started to search for Decker’s body, admitting they don’t know if Decker is alive.
Just days after Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison doubled down on his belief that Decker is still on the run, the law enforcement officers leading the search issued a disheartening update.
“At this time, there is no certain evidence that Decker remains alive or in this area,” Kittitas County Sheriff Clay Myers said in a statement.
“Seemingly strong early leads gave way to less convincing proofs over the last two weeks of searching.”
However, Myers vowed that police “won’t quit this search.”
“Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker deserve justice,” the statement shared to the KCSO Facebook page said.
“And Decker remains a danger to the public as long as he’s at large.”
Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office full update
On June 23, the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office shared the following statement in an update on the manhunt for Travis Decker:
24 days ago, it’s believed Travis Decker killed his three daughters and disappeared into the forest around the Rock Island campground in Chelan County. Since then, the official search to find and arrest him has included dozens of agencies and organizations, hundreds of people, and thousands of hours.
The Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office has focused on protecting our community, preparing to capture and arrest Decker if he comes here, and coordinating with the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office to provide other requested help in the search. Deputies have maintained extra patrols in the areas in and around the Teanaway Valley, Blewett Pass, Liberty, and Lauderdale. Kittitas County Regional Tactical Response Team members have spent days and nights in remote terrain, working with K9 resources and experienced trackers to identify and follow any credible lead to Decker’s location. Detectives have investigated dozens and dozens and dozens of potential sightings, tips, and leads provided by the public.
At this time, there is no certain evidence that Decker remains alive or in this area. Seemingly strong early leads gave way to less convincing proofs over the last two weeks of searching. Still, we can’t and won’t quit this search; Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker deserve justice. And Decker remains a danger to the public as long as he’s at large.
We are still asking for and will continue to investigate leads and tips from the public. We remain prepared to deploy our own resources and call on our partners in this search if new evidence points to Decker’s whereabouts. Some search resources are being redirected to find and recover Decker if he died in the rugged wilderness during this intense search—a possibility that increases every day. Visible extra patrols continue in the area. The US Marshals service has turned their fugitive-finding resources to the task of finding Decker if he’s left our area.
The KCSO deputies and detectives who’ve been at this search for three weeks want nothing more than to bring Travis Decker to justice. We still believe public awareness and help is our best tool—whether it comes from a cabin owner who finds something out of place, a hiker in the Enchantments who discovers evidence our searches missed, or anyone else.
Please continue to be vigilant and aware of anything suspicious or out of place, and please keep alerting us to what you see by calling Kittcom at 509-925-8534.
Source: KCSO
The post said cops were shifting some resources to focus on finding and recovering Decker’s body “if he died in the rugged wilderness during this intense search — a possibility that increases every day.”
Sheriff’s Inspector Chris Whitsett said on Tuesday that cadaver dogs are being used to look for human remains, according to the Associated Press.
Whitsett said the ruggedness and remoteness of the mountains would make it hard for Decker to stay ahead of them.
“It’s clear that the longer he stays out there — the longer anybody stays out there — the greater the chance that something’s gonna happen, and whether he intends it or not, that he’s gonna die,” Whitsett said.
DEVASTATING DECISION
However, the rough conditions also make it difficult for crews to keep searching.
After making the call to shift toward recovery mode, police now face an agonizing decision of whether or not they’ll abandon the manhunt altogether.
“I really feel for the two sheriffs,” former King County Sheriff John Urquhart told NBC affiliate KING.
“They’re looking at resources. The money it’s costing, the budget.
“Somebody has to make that tough, hard decision and I’m sure there’s a lot of officers and detectives that don’t wanna quit looking for that guy.”
Urquhart added, “This case is going to haunt some of the detectives for a long time, whether they catch him or not.”
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:
Monday, May 26
Travis Decker searches online for “how does a person move to Canada,” a Canadian job website, and “how does a person move to Canada.”
Thursday, May 29
Decker’s cell activity shows that he drove to and from the Rock Island Campground.
Friday, May 30
5 pm – The three girls are picked up from their mom’s house by their dad.
8 pm – Decker is supposed to return the girls but doesn’t. Their mom’s calls to him go straight to voicemail.
9:45 pm – Whitney Decker calls the Wenatchee Police Department to report her daughters missing.
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 – Decker’s truck is found empty with bloody adult-sized hand prints at Rock Island Campground.
5 pm – Cops search the area and find the bodies of the three girls.
Tuesday, June 3
9:30 am – WPD notifies the public that they are still searching for Decker.
2 pm – WPD tells the public that the three girls were found dead and that Decker is still on the loose.
Friday, June 6
The girls’ autopsy report confirms that they died by suffocation.
Sunday, June 8
6 pm – Chelan County Sheriff’s Office hands the search for Decker to the federal authorities.
As the search for Decker continues, the girls’ mom spoke publicly for the first time at a memorial service for the girls that over 800 people attended.
Whitney Decker broke into tears as she thanked the community for their outpouring of support to her and her family in the wake of the tragedy.
“I truly hope that the legacy of the girls’ lives lives in everyone’s heart forever,” she said.
“They were incredible.”
A GoFundMe to support Whitney has raised over $1.2 million so far.
