Latest news with #ChelanCounty
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Search for Travis Decker Scaled Back Nearly Two Months After He Disappeared Following Daughters' Killing
Decker has been the subject of a manhunt since June 2 when his three daughters were found murdered near his abandoned pickup truck in Washington stateNEED TO KNOW The nearly two-month long search for murder suspect Travis Decker is being scaled back due to a decrease in leads and tips The search efforts have included swift water teams, K-9 teams, air assets, and personnel on foot A warrant for Decker's arrest on charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping was issued after his three daughters, Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, were found dead in a remote campground on June 2 in Chelan County, in Washington state are scaling back the search for Travis Decker, the man suspected of killing his three daughters nearly two months ago. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office said in a press release on Friday, July 25, that they are continuing the search with a 'reduced footprint' due to a 'decrease in leads and tips' into Decker's location. They noted that the criminal investigation remains ongoing. 'Law enforcement personnel, along with search and rescue organizations have conducted an exhaustive search for Mr. Decker of the wilderness area surrounding the initial crime scene,' the release states. Decker, 32, has been the subject of a manhunt since June 2, when his three daughters, Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, were found asphyxiated in a remote area of the Rock Island Campground in Chelan County, Wash., authorities have said. The father's abandoned pickup truck led investigators to the bodies. Three days earlier, Decker had picked up the girls for a court-approved visit but failed to return them to their mother, Whitney Decker. Whitney then reported them missing to Wenatchee police, which triggered a massive search for the four. The search efforts have included swift water teams, K-9 teams, air assets, and personnel on foot, the sheriff's office said. 'As of today, Mr. Decker has still not been located, and there is insufficient information to suggest that he is alive, nor if he is deceased,' the release states. Decker is wanted on charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping. Amid the search, there were two possible sightings of Decker — one in June and another in July — but authorities have since confirmed they were not him. Officials have described Decker as a combat veteran who, at the time of his disappearance, had been homeless and living in his vehicle or at campgrounds in the area. They have also said he has been trained to survive in the woods. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Also, Whitney alleged that her ex-husband had "neglected his parental duties towards a child" and "has a long-term emotional or physical problem that gets in the way of his ability to parent,' in a September 2024 court filing outlining their parenting schedule, PEOPLE previously reported. A $20,000 reward has been offered by the U.S. Marshals Service for information leading to Decker's arrest. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Search for Travis Decker, Pewaukee native suspected of killing daughters in Washington, scaled back
Police in Washington say they'll scale back their manhunt for Travis Decker, a Pewaukee native suspected of killing his three daughters. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office said in a July 25 news release that the search "continues with a reduced footprint while the criminal investigation remains ongoing." The sheriff's office cited a decrease in leads and tips about Decker's location. It said police and search and rescue organizations have done extensive searches of the wilderness area around the crime scene. Police have been searching for Decker since he didn't return his three daughters to their mother May 30. The three girls — Paityn Decker, 9; Evelyn Decker, 8; and Olivia Decker, 5 — were found dead days afterwards in the vicinity of Decker's truck near the Rock Island Campground, about 80 miles east of Seattle. The search efforts have used swift water teams, K-9 teams, airplanes and searches on foot. The sheriff's office said it doesn't know if Decker is alive or dead. Police issued a warrant for Decker's arrest in early June on three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping. According to police, at the time of the girls' disappearance, Decker had been living out of his pickup truck or staying at campgrounds and motels. Authorities said he also has extensive military training and went to mountain survival school. Decker graduated from Pewaukee High School, where he was a member of 2010 wrestling team and wrestled in the state finals that year. The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading directly to Decker's arrest. Anyone with information is urged to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office, the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 800-336-0102 or USMS Tips at How to support the Decker family You can donate to support Whitney Decker, the mother of Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia via GoFundMe. As of July 27, the fundraiser has raised almost $1.3 million. More: While authorities search for Travis Decker, family and friends deal with daughters' deaths Where to find help for domestic violence If you are seeking help with domestic violence, you can call the following numbers to reach advocates who can help with safety planning. Calls to advocates are confidential and do not involve law enforcement. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 800-799-7233. The Sojourner Family Peace Center in Milwaukee operates a 24-hour confidential hotline at 414-933-2722. The Milwaukee Women's Center offers a 24-hour crisis line at 414-671-6140. Find additional culturally specific and multilingual resources here. Maia Pandey, Alex Groth and Cailey Gleeson of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed to this story This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Search for Travis Decker, suspected of killing daughters, scaled back
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Yahoo
Bloody handprints found on truck links Travis Decker to murder of 3 daughters
As the manhunt for Travis Decker -- the father accused of killing his three daughters near a Washington state campground -- reaches the one-month mark, DNA found at the scene of the crime now links the murders to the fugitive father, according to the Chelan County Sheriff's Office. Paityn Decker, 9; Evelyn Decker, 8; and Olivia Decker, 5, were killed after they left home for a "planned visitation" with Decker on May 30, and were found dead near the Rock Island Campground in Chelan County, Washington, on June 2, according to police. Decker's vehicle was discovered unoccupied near the girls' bodies, and officials revealed on Tuesday that bloody handprints found on the tailgate of his truck matches the DNA profile "that we believe is Decker's," the sheriff's office said in a press release. With this evidence, officials said they "do not have any reason to believe there are any other suspects." Authorities said they are continuing this multi-agency search for Decker, saying the National Park Service is also planning to send out "swift water search and rescue teams in the near future to conduct more searches of the bodies of water around the crime scene." MORE: Father who killed 3 daughters was 'active dad' but the 'system failed' him, ex-wife's attorney says Drones, cadaver and tracking dogs are also continuing to be used in the search efforts, officials said. The U.S. Marshals Service is also still offering a $20,000 reward for information leading directly to Decker's arrest, the sheriff's office said. "Until he is taken into custody, or recovered, we will continue these efforts. We are extremely grateful for the continued leadership, dedication and support from all of our search teams," the sheriff's office said. At this time, officials said they "do not have an evidence to suggest Mr. Decker is alive, or deceased." Todd McGhee, a law enforcement and security analyst and former Massachusetts state trooper, told ABC News last week he believes Decker is alive. Decker, who is described as 5 feet, 8 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes, was last seen wearing a light shirt and dark shorts, police said, and a new suspect flyer was released by authorities on June 16. He is currently wanted for three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of kidnapping, police said. Officials said anyone who has any information on Decker or knows of his whereabouts should call 911 immediately. For a timeline of what we know about the murder of the three sisters, click here.
Daily Mail
23-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Furious sheriff blasts fake video depicting 'on-the-run killer' dad Travis Decker's arrest
The sheriff leading the manhunt of alleged killer dad Travis Decker has addressed a TikTok video falsely claiming the suspect has been arrested. Decker is suspected of murdering his three daughters - Paityn, 9; Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5 - and has been evading arrest for three weeks in dense wilderness areas in Washington, investigators believe. While police are confident the suspect is actively on the run, TikTok videos have been falsely sharing that Decker has been arrested. Some of these alarming clips even feature out-of-context quotes from Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison. Morrison has has broken his silence on the faux news segments tricking viewers into believing the search for the wanted fugitive has come to a close. In the brief assertion through a Chelan County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) press release, Morrison addressed one specific video that was brought to investigators' attention. The exact video referenced remains unclear, as there are dozens of posts conveying the false message. 'Our Office was notified of a TikTok video that was released which portrays Sheriff Morrison and claims Mr. Decker has been taken into custody after a long standoff,' the June 17 statement reads. 'To be clear, Mr. Decker is not in custody and CCSO had no part in making the video.' Many of these fake news TikToks include an automated voice claiming Decker was taken into custody, playing over footage taken from someone else's arrest. The announcement debunking the arrest claims comes as the CCSO, Kittitas County Sheriff's Office (KCSO), the Washington National Guard and the US Marshall Service are ramping up their efforts to track Decker down. He is believed to be discretely roaming the Teanaway Valley and Blewett Pass areas, which are the broader regions near the campground where the girls' bodies were found. 'Human, air, and K9 resources have spent countless hours working to ensure that if Decker is in or comes to Kittitas County, we're there to arrest him,' the KCSO wrote on Friday. Authorities are calling upon the community to speak out if they notice anything out of the ordinary that could lead them to Decker's whereabouts. 'We again ask property owners and visitors to be keenly aware of any disturbance or activity at their property, including any missing items or anything out of place,' the KCSO wrote. 'If you have cameras anywhere in the Teanaway, Blewett, or Liberty areas, please review them for unusual activity or contact us with permission to do so.' While police are confident the suspect is still alive and actively on the run, TikTok videos have been falsely sharing that Decker has been arrested Decker has been missing since May 30, when he failed to return the three little girls back to their mother, Whitney, after a visit. Whitney, who is divorced from the veteran, told police that he had picked the girls up around 5pm but had not returned them by 8pm, and his phone went straight to voicemail, court documents said. Detectives said she 'expressed concern because Decker reportedly has never done this before and … is currently experiencing some mental health issues.' She also told law enforcement officials that Decker was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and believes he did not take medication for the condition, according to court documents. On June 2, a search party led to the chilling discovery of the sisters' dead bodies near Rock Island Campground in Chelan County along with Decker's truck. Deputies found the girls' bodies about 75 to 100 yards from Decker's truck. An autopsy revealed the girls died from suffocation and police reported their wrists were zip-tied and plastic bags were over their heads when they were found, court documents said. Police collected 'a large amount of evidence' from the truck, including male blood and non-human blood. The alleged-killer's dog was found nearby as well and taken to an animal humane society, Fox 8 reported. The discovery of the children's corpses kicked off the massive search for Decker. State and federal authorities believe they may have spotted him hiking in a mountainous area. On June 10, a helicopter crew saw someone running off a trail near Colchuck Lake. Police speculate it was Decker. The lake is roughly 12 miles from the campground the girls were left near. Chilling audio from just months before the harrowing murders captured the fugitive father begging for more custody time to go camping with his daughters. In the recording from a September 2024 custody hearing, Decker makes an eerie promise that no harm would come to the girls if he's given more time to take them camping in Washington State's wilderness. With an extensive combat background, authorities and locals are concerned about Decker still being on the loose. He joined the Army in 2013. He served in Afghanistan before transferring to the Washington National Guard in 2021, Karina Shagren, communications director for the Washington Military Department, confirmed to the Daily Mail. He was a full-time member of the Guard until 2023 or 2024, when he switched to part-time. Decker stopped attending mandatory monthly drills a little over a year ago, and the Guard was in the process of a disciplinary discharge. He likely has advanced combat training and was an airborne paratrooper who earned the elite rank of 'Ranger,' indicating he would have excellent wilderness and survival skills, Fox 13 Seattle reported, citing social media posts. Decker is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping.
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Sheriff reveals why they're convinced on-the-run killer dad Travis Decker is alive... and may be getting help
The sheriff's office hunting for Travis Decker, the Washington State father on the run after allegedly killing his three daughters, believes he is still alive and may be getting help. The 32-year-old fugitive allegedly strangled his three children - Paityn, nine, Evelyn, eight, and Olivia, five - and left their bodies near Rock Island Campground on June 2. As the search for Decker continues, Chelan County Sheriff Michael Morrison revealed authorities have been getting several leads on his whereabouts - perhaps hinting that Decker is still alive. 'Our primary focus has just remained on the investigation, but we are tracking down leads,' Morrison told News Nation, adding that all of the teams working to track Decker down have reinstated search and rescue operations and are following up on all information given to them. When asked if he believes the veteran is getting help, the sheriff said he wasn't 'quite sure,' but could have possibly 'staged some supplies beforehand.' Morrison went on to note that those who are 'sympathetic' towards Decker are not helping the investigation. 'There are some that may be sympathetic to his cause, which I think would be misguided. I mean, he's accused of murder, not just once but three times, and he is a danger,' he told the outlet. 'For those that might have sympathy towards him, please allow the opportunity for us to do our job. Set up that opportunity for him to be in front of our courts, and if he has different information he'd like to present and he thinks there's a way he could clear his name, let's go through the proper channels. 'As far as we can see he is still our suspect of interest, a subject we want to take into custody, and we want to set up that meeting where he can stand in front of our courts and speak his side of the story,' he added. Federal officials recently shared three new images of what the wanted man could now look like after being on the run for more than two weeks. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office created three updated pictures of the suspect, each depicting a different way he could have altered his features. Authorities also shared a message to Washington residents, stating the veteran is 'considered dangerous and may be armed.' 'Do not approach, call 911 immediately!' the wanted poster read. The manipulated images were made based on a photo of Decker posed in front of a landscape wearing a blue shirt and baseball cap, in which he has a beard, mustache and an earring. His hair is grown out to his neck. The first variation of his potential altered appearance showed Decker wearing no hat with a buzz cut and clean shaven facial hair. Another image showed Decker with a mustache and a buzzcut without a beard. In the third option, Decker has shoulder-length hair, no facial hair and is wearing a baseball cap. He has been missing since May 30, when he failed to return the three little girls back to their mother, Whitney, after a visit. Whitney, who is divorced from Decker, told police that he had picked the girls up around 5pm but had not returned them by 8pm, and his phone went straight to voicemail, court documents said. Detectives said she 'expressed concern because Decker reportedly has never done this before and … is currently experiencing some mental health issues.' She also told law enforcement officials that Decker was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and believes he did not take medication for the condition, according to court documents. On June 2, a search party led to the chilling discovery of the sisters' dead bodies near the Chelan County campsite along with Decker's truck. An autopsy revealed the girls died from suffocation and police reported their wrists were zip-tied when they were found, per court records. Police collected 'a large amount of evidence' from the truck, including male blood and non-human blood. The alleged killer's dog was found nearby as well and taken to an animal humane society, Fox 8 reported. Newly released audio revealed Decker pleaded for more custody time to go camping with his daughters just months before their lifeless bodies were found. In the audio, which is from a September 2024 custody hearing, Decker made an eerie promise that no harm would come to the girls if he's given more time to take them camping in Washington State's wilderness. His visitation time with the girls had earlier been reduced after his ex-wife raised concerns over his declining mental health, alleged endangerment, and lack of stability. She was given near-full custody while Decker was only allowed to visit every other weekend for a set number of hours. Frustrated with the lack of time with his daughters, Decker pleaded with a family court judge to restore access to the girls - claiming he'd never put them in danger. 'Every time I've had the girls, we have been in campsites and national forests and paid campsites that have campers,' he said in the audio. 'We've never done anything that was unsafe, or anything I wouldn't want to put myself in.' 'I understand that my current position when I'm by myself isn't ideal, but my daughters aren't a part of that,' Decker continued. 'I only get to see them over the weekends, and camping is something that the four of us have done since the three of them were in diapers.' He emphasized again that he's never put his daughters at risk - and brings them to camp sights that are 'sold out.' Decker is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping.
