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CNN
3 hours ago
- CNN
Is Travis Decker alive? A fruitless 4-week manhunt has produced ‘no certain evidence'
CrimeFacebookTweetLink Follow The area of the rural Cascades near Leavenworth, Washington, is so majestic, they call it the Enchantments. Cold, clear water from the wilderness lakes flows into Icicle Creek, where it rushes over sparkling rocks. But the tranquil beauty that draws campers and hikers from across the country was shattered a month ago by the killings of three little girls just yards from the creek. 'I truly hope that the legacy of the girls' lives in everyone's heart forever. They were incredible,' said their mother, Whitney Decker, at a public memorial service last weekend. Travis Decker, the father of 5-year-old Olivia, 8-year-old Evelyn and 9-year-old Paityn, is charged with murdering his daughters by suffocating them with plastic bags near a makeshift campsite not long after he picked them up from their mother. What was supposed to be a three-hour joint custody visit on May 30 morphed into the discovery of a horrifying crime scene and frustrating manhunt that has now stretched for nearly a month. 'There is nowhere that he's going to be able to go that we don't have units waiting for him,' Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said in a news conference when the manhunt was still in its first week. 'Eventually he's going to tire. He's going to make a mistake.' But as days have turned to weeks, the roar of helicopter engines is a much less frequent sound over the natural serenity of Icicle Creek, and fewer people are scouring the woods for signs of Decker. 'At this time, there is no certain evidence that Decker remains alive or in this area,' the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office, which is assisting in the manhunt, said in a statement. 'Seemingly strong early leads gave way to less convincing proofs over the last two weeks of searching.' The lack of progress in the massive manhunt is painful for law enforcement, but especially wounding for Decker's ex-wife, Whitney, the mother of the children. 'I can say with all degrees of certainty that both Whitney and myself are very frustrated with the fact that Travis hasn't been found,' Whitney Decker's attorney, Arianna Cozart, told CNN. While officials are quick to say they have not given up on their efforts to find Decker, dead or alive, the combination of natural roadblocks and Decker's own history of spartan living have resulted in an extraordinarily difficult challenge for officers seeking justice for the three little girls. Investigators never thought the search for Decker – an Army veteran with survival training – would be an easy one. By June 2, federal authorities were already being brought into the manhunt. Decker 'frequently engaged in hiking, camping, survival skill practice, hunting and even lived off the grid in the backwoods for approximately 2.5 months on one occasion,' a deputy US Marshal said in a court affidavit. From his time serving in the military – including a tour in Afghanistan – Decker had 'training in navigation, woodland/mountainous terrain, long distance movements, survival and numerous other disciplines needed to be able to flee from the Eastern District of Washington,' the affidavit added. Despite frequently being homeless with movements that were increasingly hard to track, Decker did leave a few electronic breadcrumbs, Whitney Decker told investigators. His Google searches turned up queries for 'how does a person move to Canada' and similar phrases, four days before the kidnapping, the US Marshals said in their court filing. Marshals noted that Decker's campsite was less than a dozen miles from the Pacific Crest Trail, which 'leads directly to Canada,' the affidavit notes. 'We worked with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police,' Morrison told CNN. 'They were doing some follow-up on some leads we had up in Canada.' Back in Chelan County, Morrison said both tips and the resources needed for an intense physical search have waned in the past week. 'Other agencies that have come out to assist, which we appreciated, clearly have to go back to their home jurisdictions and continue to do what their taxpayers and citizens are requiring of them,' the sheriff said. The Marshals Service is now in charge of the manhunt while local and state authorities focus on examining the evidence they've been able to collect, an arrangement that Whitney Decker believes is not ideal, according to her attorney. One has to ask what law enforcement agencies are most familiar with the surrounding woods and mountains? Certainly not the US Marshals Service,' said Cozart. It's not the first time questions have been raised about how the case has been pursued. The Wenatchee Police Department – the first agency contacted by Whitney Decker – provided information to the Washington State Patrol about Travis Decker's failure to return the girls and the potential for an Amber Alert. The patrol declined to issue one because 'there was no current evidence to believe the children were at risk of serious bodily injury or death,' according to the police affidavit. The following day, when Decker and the girls did not show up to a running event scheduled at a local park, the Washington State Patrol issued an Endangered Missing Person Alert. That placed information about their disappearance on a state website – but did not send a push notification to the public the way an Amber Alert would. The wilderness beauty that draws more than a million visitors to the area each year also makes for an incredibly arduous search. Nearly 90% of the land in Chelan County is publicly owned, and much of that is not directly accessible by road. It is not the first time the dense Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest has provided cover for a fleeing murder suspect. Five summers ago, Jorge Alcantara Gonzalez was on the run for 23 days – law enforcement officers frequently just minutes behind him in a foot chase – before he was found about 50 miles south of where Decker was last seen. A man walking his dog in the area spotted Alcantara in an empty house, the Seattle Times reported. He was sentenced to 96 months in prison on lesser charges in a plea agreement and remains in state custody. That kind of stroke of fortune is often what solves a missing fugitive case. A Kentucky man accused of shooting at cars on Interstate 75 from a nearby ledge evaded capture for more than a week in the Daniel Boone National Forest. A local couple – Fred and Sheila McCoy – joined the search for Joseph Couch on a whim. 'That started off as a date night, and turned into a six-day journey,' Fred McCoy told CNN. As they livestreamed their search, calling out Couch's name, the McCoys eventually found his decomposed body deep in the woods. He had killed himself. 'Sheila and I don't believe in luck,' McCoy said. 'We believe in being blessed.' The McCoys received a $35,000 reward for finding Couch's remains last fall and said they briefly considered joining the search for Decker, but decided the cross-country trip to an area they are unfamiliar with would not be productive. Like the man they were hunting, the McCoys say they would be surprised if Decker allowed himself to be captured alive. 'Him not being seen in so long makes me think he's no longer with us,' Fred McCoy said. A trail gone cold in a wooded area is not always a sign that the fugitive has completely given up. In one of the most prominent domestic terrorism cases in American history, it was only a sign of further determination. Eric Robert Rudolph, an anti-abortion extremist and White supremacist responsible for four deadly bombings over three years, managed to evade from a massive manhunt for five years by holing up in the woods of western North Carolina near where he grew up. With no bank account, investigators said Rudolph foraged at night for survival, taking cover in darkness and stealing vehicles to bring whatever provisions he could back to his isolated campsite. He also hid 250 pounds of nitroglycerine dynamite. 'Until last week, a part of western North Carolina was literally a hidden minefield,' then-US Attorney David Nahmias said at a news conference after Rudolph's capture. The FBI said Rudolph also managed to survive on his own by finding caves and unoccupied cabins he could use for temporary shelter. 'I think it is very likely that he not only had campsites and caves, but he was also spending some time in those cabins,' said Chris Swecker, former special agent in charge of the FBI field office in Charlotte. 'He knew exactly which cabins he could go into. He had them scouted out way ahead of time.' The capture of Rudolph was another case that turned on being in the right place at the right time. After unsuccessful searches of the woods that involved upwards of 200 agents, a police officer in Murphy, North Carolina, with less than a year on the force spotted Rudolph rummaging through garbage outside a grocery store and stopped him, thinking he had spotted someone planning an ordinary break-in. He gave up without a fight. After being caught, Rudolph confessed to the crimes that killed two people in a plea bargain that took the death penalty off the table. He is serving four life sentences at the 'supermax' prison in Florence, Colorado. Federal investigators never saw evidence that Rudolph was getting help during his crimes or his disappearance, and local authorities say there's no sign that anyone has been working with Travis Decker. 'If there was evidence to show there were additional people there or an unknown subject, we would have known about it, and right now what we're getting back is not showing anything like that,' Morrison said. 'All evidence continues to point to Travis.' But now, with reliable clues pointing to his whereabouts drying up, nearby trails that had been closed for safety reopened and fewer options for intensive searches, investigators hope that someone in the area will have their own unexpected encounter that could end a mystery they've been trying to solve for weeks. 'We'll continue to follow up on every lead that we're getting regarding travels,' said Morrison.' For Whitney Decker, the little girls' mother, getting those answers is critical to her effort to rebuild her life, her attorney said, especially if Travis is still on the run. 'The only message we have for Travis is please do the right thing and turn yourself in,' said Cozart. 'Whitney deserves peace.' CNN's Natasha Chen, Dayna Gainor, Alaa Elassar, Zoe Sottile and Alisha Ebrahimji contributed to this report.
CNN
3 hours ago
- CNN
Is Travis Decker alive? A fruitless 4-week manhunt has produced ‘no certain evidence'
The area of the rural Cascades near Leavenworth, Washington, is so majestic, they call it the Enchantments. Cold, clear water from the wilderness lakes flows into Icicle Creek, where it rushes over sparkling rocks. But the tranquil beauty that draws campers and hikers from across the country was shattered a month ago by the killings of three little girls just yards from the creek. 'I truly hope that the legacy of the girls' lives in everyone's heart forever. They were incredible,' said their mother, Whitney Decker, at a public memorial service last weekend. Travis Decker, the father of 5-year-old Olivia, 8-year-old Evelyn and 9-year-old Paityn, is charged with murdering his daughters by suffocating them with plastic bags near a makeshift campsite not long after he picked them up from their mother. What was supposed to be a three-hour joint custody visit on May 30 morphed into the discovery of a horrifying crime scene and frustrating manhunt that has now stretched for nearly a month. 'There is nowhere that he's going to be able to go that we don't have units waiting for him,' Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said in a news conference when the manhunt was still in its first week. 'Eventually he's going to tire. He's going to make a mistake.' But as days have turned to weeks, the roar of helicopter engines is a much less frequent sound over the natural serenity of Icicle Creek, and fewer people are scouring the woods for signs of Decker. 'At this time, there is no certain evidence that Decker remains alive or in this area,' the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office, which is assisting in the manhunt, said in a statement. 'Seemingly strong early leads gave way to less convincing proofs over the last two weeks of searching.' The lack of progress in the massive manhunt is painful for law enforcement, but especially wounding for Decker's ex-wife, Whitney, the mother of the children. 'I can say with all degrees of certainty that both Whitney and myself are very frustrated with the fact that Travis hasn't been found,' Whitney Decker's attorney, Arianna Cozart, told CNN. While officials are quick to say they have not given up on their efforts to find Decker, dead or alive, the combination of natural roadblocks and Decker's own history of spartan living have resulted in an extraordinarily difficult challenge for officers seeking justice for the three little girls. Investigators never thought the search for Decker – an Army veteran with survival training – would be an easy one. By June 2, federal authorities were already being brought into the manhunt. Decker 'frequently engaged in hiking, camping, survival skill practice, hunting and even lived off the grid in the backwoods for approximately 2.5 months on one occasion,' a deputy US Marshal said in a court affidavit. From his time serving in the military – including a tour in Afghanistan – Decker had 'training in navigation, woodland/mountainous terrain, long distance movements, survival and numerous other disciplines needed to be able to flee from the Eastern District of Washington,' the affidavit added. Despite frequently being homeless with movements that were increasingly hard to track, Decker did leave a few electronic breadcrumbs, Whitney Decker told investigators. His Google searches turned up queries for 'how does a person move to Canada' and similar phrases, four days before the kidnapping, the US Marshals said in their court filing. Marshals noted that Decker's campsite was less than a dozen miles from the Pacific Crest Trail, which 'leads directly to Canada,' the affidavit notes. 'We worked with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police,' Morrison told CNN. 'They were doing some follow-up on some leads we had up in Canada.' Back in Chelan County, Morrison said both tips and the resources needed for an intense physical search have waned in the past week. 'Other agencies that have come out to assist, which we appreciated, clearly have to go back to their home jurisdictions and continue to do what their taxpayers and citizens are requiring of them,' the sheriff said. The Marshals Service is now in charge of the manhunt while local and state authorities focus on examining the evidence they've been able to collect, an arrangement that Whitney Decker believes is not ideal, according to her attorney. One has to ask what law enforcement agencies are most familiar with the surrounding woods and mountains? Certainly not the US Marshals Service,' said Cozart. It's not the first time questions have been raised about how the case has been pursued. The Wenatchee Police Department – the first agency contacted by Whitney Decker – provided information to the Washington State Patrol about Travis Decker's failure to return the girls and the potential for an Amber Alert. The patrol declined to issue one because 'there was no current evidence to believe the children were at risk of serious bodily injury or death,' according to the police affidavit. The following day, when Decker and the girls did not show up to a running event scheduled at a local park, the Washington State Patrol issued an Endangered Missing Person Alert. That placed information about their disappearance on a state website – but did not send a push notification to the public the way an Amber Alert would. The wilderness beauty that draws more than a million visitors to the area each year also makes for an incredibly arduous search. Nearly 90% of the land in Chelan County is publicly owned, and much of that is not directly accessible by road. It is not the first time the dense Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest has provided cover for a fleeing murder suspect. Five summers ago, Jorge Alcantara Gonzalez was on the run for 23 days – law enforcement officers frequently just minutes behind him in a foot chase – before he was found about 50 miles south of where Decker was last seen. A man walking his dog in the area spotted Alcantara in an empty house, the Seattle Times reported. He was sentenced to 96 months in prison on lesser charges in a plea agreement and remains in state custody. That kind of stroke of fortune is often what solves a missing fugitive case. A Kentucky man accused of shooting at cars on Interstate 75 from a nearby ledge evaded capture for more than a week in the Daniel Boone National Forest. A local couple – Fred and Sheila McCoy – joined the search for Joseph Couch on a whim. 'That started off as a date night, and turned into a six-day journey,' Fred McCoy told CNN. As they livestreamed their search, calling out Couch's name, the McCoys eventually found his decomposed body deep in the woods. He had killed himself. 'Sheila and I don't believe in luck,' McCoy said. 'We believe in being blessed.' The McCoys received a $35,000 reward for finding Couch's remains last fall and said they briefly considered joining the search for Decker, but decided the cross-country trip to an area they are unfamiliar with would not be productive. Like the man they were hunting, the McCoys say they would be surprised if Decker allowed himself to be captured alive. 'Him not being seen in so long makes me think he's no longer with us,' Fred McCoy said. A trail gone cold in a wooded area is not always a sign that the fugitive has completely given up. In one of the most prominent domestic terrorism cases in American history, it was only a sign of further determination. Eric Robert Rudolph, an anti-abortion extremist and White supremacist responsible for four deadly bombings over three years, managed to evade from a massive manhunt for five years by holing up in the woods of western North Carolina near where he grew up. With no bank account, investigators said Rudolph foraged at night for survival, taking cover in darkness and stealing vehicles to bring whatever provisions he could back to his isolated campsite. He also hid 250 pounds of nitroglycerine dynamite. 'Until last week, a part of western North Carolina was literally a hidden minefield,' then-US Attorney David Nahmias said at a news conference after Rudolph's capture. The FBI said Rudolph also managed to survive on his own by finding caves and unoccupied cabins he could use for temporary shelter. 'I think it is very likely that he not only had campsites and caves, but he was also spending some time in those cabins,' said Chris Swecker, former special agent in charge of the FBI field office in Charlotte. 'He knew exactly which cabins he could go into. He had them scouted out way ahead of time.' The capture of Rudolph was another case that turned on being in the right place at the right time. After unsuccessful searches of the woods that involved upwards of 200 agents, a police officer in Murphy, North Carolina, with less than a year on the force spotted Rudolph rummaging through garbage outside a grocery store and stopped him, thinking he had spotted someone planning an ordinary break-in. He gave up without a fight. After being caught, Rudolph confessed to the crimes that killed two people in a plea bargain that took the death penalty off the table. He is serving four life sentences at the 'supermax' prison in Florence, Colorado. Federal investigators never saw evidence that Rudolph was getting help during his crimes or his disappearance, and local authorities say there's no sign that anyone has been working with Travis Decker. 'If there was evidence to show there were additional people there or an unknown subject, we would have known about it, and right now what we're getting back is not showing anything like that,' Morrison said. 'All evidence continues to point to Travis.' But now, with reliable clues pointing to his whereabouts drying up, nearby trails that had been closed for safety reopened and fewer options for intensive searches, investigators hope that someone in the area will have their own unexpected encounter that could end a mystery they've been trying to solve for weeks. 'We'll continue to follow up on every lead that we're getting regarding travels,' said Morrison.' For Whitney Decker, the little girls' mother, getting those answers is critical to her effort to rebuild her life, her attorney said, especially if Travis is still on the run. 'The only message we have for Travis is please do the right thing and turn yourself in,' said Cozart. 'Whitney deserves peace.' CNN's Natasha Chen, Dayna Gainor, Alaa Elassar, Zoe Sottile and Alisha Ebrahimji contributed to this report.
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Daily Mail
DNA taken from Travis Decker search area fails to match suspected killer as teams scour Washington mountains
Not a single piece of DNA collected during the manhunt for Travis Decker has been a match to the suspected killer, Washington authorities have admitted. Decker, 33, is accused of suffocating his three daughters - Paityn, nine, Evelyn, eight, and Olivia, five - at a remote campsite in the Cascades mountains in Washington state on May 30 before vanishing. Tactical teams have scoured the mountains near the city of Leavenworth for weeks, but the searches have found no evidence of Decker in the area, according to an update Friday from Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison. 'We do have some items that have come back from the scene, that have come back to match the DNA that we have for what we believe to be Travis's DNA,' he said, per KIRO7. 'But no other DNA that's come back to show anyone else was on scene. Nothing in the mountains.' It comes days after the Kittitas County Sherriff's Office (KCSO), which is also involved in the search alongside the FBI, raised the possibility that Decker may be dead. 'At this time, there is no certain evidence that Decker remains alive or in this area,' the sheriff's office announced earlier this week. Officials said that they have modified part of their search into a recovery effort, but warned the public that if Decker is alive, he remains extremely dangerous and may have access to firearms. In a statement from Kittitas County Sheriff Clay Myers this week, he said investigators have tracked dozens of tips and have received multiple reports of possible sightings of Decker. However, he said there remains no definitive evidence that the suspected family-slayer is alive. 'Deputies have maintained extra patrols in the areas in and around the Teanaway Valley, Blewett Pass, Liberty, and Lauderdale,' the statement read. '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. '(Decker) could be deceased. He could have taken his own life. He could have succumbed to injuries. We recognize that's a possibility.' Sheriff Morrison added that despite the possibility that Decker is already dead, law enforcement will not stop their search until they either find a body or he is brought to justice. 'I respect Sheriff Myers, his agency, they certainly have taken on a huge lift over this last week,' he said. 'His people have come alongside us, so appreciative of their efforts and their resources they put into it. Either way, we haven't found him alive or dead, and the search still continues.' 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 kidnapping, but 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 the Chelan County campsite 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 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 s aw 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.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Killer dad Travis Decker's ex-wife issues blistering statement after standing by him: 'Wanted dead or alive'
The ex-wife of alleged killer dad Travis Decker hopes he'll be found 'dead or alive', after a three week hunt for the fugitive accused of slaughtering his daughters. Decker, 33, is accused of suffocating his three daughters, Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, who were found at a campsite on June 2 in Leavenworth, Washington. Decker failed to return the girls home to their heartbroken mom Whitney after a short custody visit. He is suspected of killing the three and has not been seen since, with speculation growing that he may have taken his own life in a remote location. Speaking with Ashley Banfield on NewsNation, Whitney Decker's attorney Arianna Cozart said she was praying for a conclusion to the search for her ex-husband. She said: 'She's just trying to cherish the memories of her babies and do what she can to advocate for change.' When asked what a resolution looks like for Whitney, Cozart added: 'That he is found, dead or alive. 'That's a huge thing that she wants, that's very important to her. So she can have peace. 'She knows that if he is found alive, he'll never be able to answer the questions that she might have to a point where it would give her any peace.' Decker, seen here, is suspected of murdering his three daughters and is on the run Speaking at a memorial service for her girls last week, Whitney said: 'I know that Evie would have loved to ooh and ah over all of your outfits. 'She would have been amazed by all the color out there and just thought you guys look fantastic,' Whitney told the crowd who had gathered for the emotional service. 'Paityn would have sought each and every one of you out to try to find something to give you a compliment for.' 'Thank you everyone for being here tonight and the outpouring of love that you have shown me and my family over the past few weeks,' she said. 'I truly hope that the legacy of the girls lives in everyone's heart forever. They were incredible.' On Monday night, the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office released a statement saying there was no evidence that he remains in the area or that he is alive at all. A statement said: '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.' Authorities are still focusing their efforts in the Teanaway Valley, Liberty, Lauderdale and Blewett Pass areas. The U.S. Marshals Service is working to track down Decker if he managed to escape the region, the sheriff's office said, and extra patrols have been on duty. The killings occurred in neighboring Chelan County, but backcountry trails link the area to Kittitas and to the Pacific Crest Trail, which runs from Canada to Mexico. It would not be unprecedented for Decker to evade a search in the rugged, remote region for three weeks. He has survival skills - although searchers have conceded he may have committed suicide in a remote area of wilderness that has not yet been searched. The area is dotted with abandoned buildings as well as unoccupied vacation homes in which he might find shelter, as well as caves and former mines. At the time of his disappearance and his daughters' deaths, Decker was living out of a white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup truck, police said. 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. 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's wilderness. With an extensive combat background, authorities and locals have been concerned about Decker being on the loose. He joined the Army in 2013 and served in Afghanistan before transferring to the Washington National Guard in 2021. 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.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Armed Forces Bank Earns "Outstanding" Rating for its Community Reinvestment Act Performance
Armed Forces Bank recognized as a leader in providing community development loans designed to help low and moderate-income communities and military families Fewer than 10% of banks receive a CRA's top rating LEAVENWORTH, Kan., June 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Armed Forces Bank – a full-service military bank committed to serving those who serve since 1907 – received an overall rating of "Outstanding," the highest possible rating, on its most recent Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) performance evaluation from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). This elite rating reflects Armed Forces Bank's longstanding commitment to the military communities it serves throughout the United States. Over the past 10 years, fewer than 10 percent of banks nationwide received a CRA rating of Outstanding. "Receiving an Outstanding rating from the OCC affirms our long-standing commitment to serving military families and the communities where they live and work. At Armed Forces Bank, community reinvestment is not just a regulatory requirement, it's a core part of who we are," Tom McLean, SVP/Military Regional Executive, Armed Forces Bank. "We are proud that our efforts to expand access to capital, support local development, and partner with community organizations are making a measurable difference. This recognition reflects the dedication of our entire team and strengthens our resolve to build stronger, more resilient communities every day." Enacted in 1977, the CRA requires banks to help meet the credit needs of their local communities – especially low- and moderate-income individuals, neighborhoods, and small businesses. The OCC evaluates banks based on how effectively they fulfill these obligations. Armed Forces Bank Performance Highlights from the CRA Evaluation The OCC commended Armed Forces Bank for demonstrating "excellent responsiveness" to community development needs. Notable outcomes during the evaluation period included: $15.7 million in community development loans, supporting housing and services for elderly and disabled residents, revitalization efforts in moderate-income areas, and protective programs for low-income seniors in nursing homes. $17.1 million in investments directed toward affordable housing through community impact bonds, mortgage-backed securities, and Small Business Investment Company funds. $94,600 in donations to organizations supporting free legal services for veterans pursuing disability compensation claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs, homeless outreach, and aging-in-place programs for seniors. 2,313 volunteer hours provided by Armed Forces Bank associates across 17 organizations – including financial literacy education at Newcomer Briefings for incoming soldiers. Steadfast Commitment to Military CommunitiesArmed Forces Bank maintains a steadfast commitment to meeting the unique needs of military service members and their families. That dedication has earned national recognition, including being named "Distinguished Bank of the Year" by the U.S. Military for its extraordinary contributions to financial well-being of military families and veterans. In addition, Armed Forces Bank was the only bank this year to earn the Veterans Saves "Community Impact Award," as well as one of only four banks nationally to be awarded the "Designation of Savings Excellence" – an honor Armed Forces Bank has received 10 times in the past 12 years. These two honors from the Consumer Federation of America are the nation's only awards focused on helping veterans improve financial stability. Most recently, Armed Forces Bank was named one of Kansas City's top five strongest banks. Introducing Heroes Roundup to Serve Homeless VeteransIn May 2025, Armed Forces Bank launched Heroes Round Up, a powerful new giving program that empowers anyone – military or civilian – to roundup their debit card purchases to support the Veterans Community Project – a nonprofit working to end veteran homelessness nationwide through innovative housing and support services. "Everything we do is about making life easier and better for service members, veterans and their families, no matter where they are stationed," adds McLean. "We believe we are uniquely qualified to do that, because 75% of our staff are military-affiliated, meaning they or someone they love has served." About Armed Forces BankArmed Forces Bank, founded and headquartered in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is a full-service military bank committed to serving those who serve since 1907. Armed Forces Bank provides affordable, personal and convenient banking and financial services to both active and retired military, as well as civilian clients in all 50 states and around the world. Approximately 75% of Armed Forces Bank associates have some type of military affiliation either by spouse, retired themselves or their children. Armed Forces Bank has $1.4 billion in assets and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dickinson Financial Corporation, a $4.3 billion bank holding company headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. Armed Forces Bank's sister bank, Academy Bank, is a full-service community bank with over 70 branch locations in Arizona, Colorado, Kansas and Missouri. For more information, visit and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Member FDIC. 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