Federal resources, cadaver dogs and receding water. What we know about the search for Travis Decker

CNN

17 hours ago

CrimeFacebookTweetLink
Follow
People are starting to flock to the Cascades near Leavenworth, Washington, to enjoy the summer weather amid a backdrop of rugged mountains and scenic trails. And as water in Icicle Creek starts to recede, police are hoping it helps their search for a man accused of killing his daughters more than a month ago.
Known as the American Alps, the Cascades is a popular tourist destination and offers many activities for outdoor enthusiasts like hiking and camping.
It's also where 5-year-old Olivia, 8-year-old Evelyn and 9-year-old Paityn, were found suffocated to death at an abandoned campsite on June 2, launching an intense manhunt for their father, Travis Decker.
The search has been complicated by treacherous terrain, and the fact that crews are looking for an Army veteran skilled in wilderness survival who had a three-day head start.
But there's hope that the busy summer season will bring answers.
'It may work in our favor now that we have that many people out there just saturating that part of the county with camping, hiking and other recreating,' Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison told CNN.
The search has now also expanded into areas where creek waters have started to subside and the flow has slowed, the sheriff said.
Authorities are hoping to find Decker alive in the mountainous area, but recognize that he might not be there anymore or might turn up dead.
'We're not going to glorify his abilities. We don't think that he's some kind of special forces guru,' Morrison said. 'He could get lucky at times, and eventually luck runs out.'
While drones, a swift water team, cadaver dogs and even GoPros have so far found nothing of evidentiary value – an effort the sheriff says has already cost millions – Morrison is confident these new factors will turn something up.
'The search is unmatched,' Morrison said. 'We've never had anything like this in Chelan County.'
Here's what we know about the ongoing search for Decker:
Decker was charged with murdering the three girls by suffocating them with plastic bags not long after he picked them up from their mother for what was supposed to be a three-hour joint custody visit on May 30.
His truck was found abandoned in the area of Rock Island Campground on June 2. His daughters' bodies were nearly 100 yards away down a small embankment, along with zip ties and plastic bags found strewn throughout the area, according to a police affidavit.
Authorities also found a bloody fingerprint – not a handprint as a police affidavit previously indicated – on the truck's tailgate, as well as Decker's dog.
Blood found at the scene matched a DNA profile believed to be Decker's, though investigators do not think he has been seriously hurt, the sheriff said. The dog also had a minor injury but was otherwise OK.
Decker leaving behind his truck likely means he is on foot, Morrison said, which slows down his mobility. He also left equipment behind, meaning he is unprepared unless he had stashed supplies out in the woods.
'That's a strange item to leave behind, and hopefully that leaves him less prepared to survive long term,' Morrison told CNN, adding that they still hope to find Decker alive. 'We'd rather have him give himself up. I guarantee that we're going to treat him with respect and dignity, but he is going to be pursued as a suspect, and we'll continue to do our job.'
While drones and helicopters have searched Icicle Creek from above, safer conditions have now allowed swift water crews to go in for a closer look.
Icicle Creek flows from Josephine Lake to the Wenatchee River near Leavenworth. Cloudy, rushing waters in the spring give way to calmer, clear flows in the summer.
'Because we've had spring runoff, it was not a safe environment to put our team into,' the sheriff said. 'Now that the water has started subside, the flow has slowed, we're going to put our teams in there and see what we can find.'
The receding water is exposing more riverbank and fallen trees or other debris that could pin someone down, the sheriff said. It could also reveal potential hiding spots.
Having more people in the area where Decker disappeared might also help the search.
'This is typically how cases like this are brought to an end – is that we have someone that remained observant, saw something, reported it,' Morrison said.
Authorities have said that Decker should be considered dangerous. While they don't believe he is armed, the sheriff said they're trying to get the message out to residents to be cautious when in the area.
But there's also a chance Decker has left the area.
Decker had searched online for information about moving to Canada days before his children were killed, a deputy US Marshal said in a court affidavit.
His truck and the children's remains were found less than a dozen miles from the Pacific Crest Trail, a 2,650-mile path that runs all the way to the Canadian border.
Local authorities were in contact with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who 'were doing some follow-up on some leads we had up in Canada,' Morrison previously said.
While Decker had survival training in the military, is familiar with the area and had a three-day head start, Morrison is confident in the abilities of the massive team of searchers looking for him.
The sheriff said he has resources from the National Park Service, National Forest Service, US Customs and Border Protection, the FBI and the US Marshal Service, along with other area agencies.
'We feel that we have the right assets, resources and people on the ground that will match his abilities, if not surpass it,' the sheriff said. 'But we recognize that clearly, you never want to underestimate your opponent, and we do view Travis as an opponent at this time.'
But what has proven challenging is the rugged terrain of the area. It's very mountainous, heavily wooded and includes mining shafts and caves.
Morrison estimates that the search has cost 'well over' $6 million in the first month, and indicated that it would have cost him half his department's budget for the year had it not been for all the other agencies' help.
'I don't think that he's going to get any rest, because we're going to continue to cycle in fresh resources,' the sheriff said.
Still, the search has been difficult for those involved and the community.
'It's frustrating that we haven't found him yet, but we'll continue to search,' he said.
For Morrison, who is a father, this case is an emotional one. He wants to assure the victims' family that his team won't give up.
'We continue to be here, and we want to be the voice for Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia and make sure that justice is served,' he said.
CNN's Andy Rose and Alaa Elassar contributed to this report.