Authorities Ramp Up Search For Washington Dad Accused Of Killing Daughters

Nearly 3 months aft authorities successful Washington State launched a manhunt for a subject seasoned accused of sidesplitting his 3 young daughters, nan fugitive begetter has still not been found.

On Monday, investigators returned to a cardinal location successful nan horrific crime — nan remote campground wherever Travis Decker’s abandoned pickup motortruck was found adjacent nan bodies of his 3 girls, ages 5, 8 and 9, a rule enforcement charismatic said.

The effort, coordinated by nan FBI’s Seattle section office, includes astir 100 rule enforcement personnel, pinch intelligence analysts, grounds specialists and typical agents pinch an expertise successful kid abduction cases and forensic analysis, according to Chelan County Sheriff Michael Morrison.

Travis Caleb Decker.U.S. Marshals Service

“These resources show nan seriousness pinch which each agency is approaching this case,” Morrison said successful a news release.

The merchandise does not opportunity what they’re looking for aliases why they’re returning to Rock Island Campground, astir 150 miles eastbound of Seattle, but Morrison described nan hunt arsenic a “targeted effort” that will screen rugged U.S. Forest Service land.

The hunt is expected to past done Tuesday, he said.

“While this latest cognition whitethorn aliases whitethorn not output caller findings, our committedness is that we will not extremity until we person exhausted each imaginable avenue to find him and to bring closure to this case,” Morrison said.

The sheriff's agency continues to travel each reliable lead, he said, noting location is still nary grounds to bespeak whether Decker, 33, is live aliases dead.

Authorities person been searching for Decker, a U.S. Army seasoned described arsenic an avid outdoorsman, since May 30, erstwhile his ex-wife contacted constabulary and said he did not return their daughters, Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, aft a planned visit.

The girls were recovered astatine nan campground connected June 2 pinch integrative bags complete their heads, according to an affidavit successful support of an apprehension warrant. An autopsy recovered that they died of suffocation.

Authorities appear to person seen Decker, who is wanted connected charges of first-degree execution and kidnapping, conscionable once, erstwhile a man believed to beryllium him was seen successful nan Blewitt Pass area, southeast of Rock Island Campground.

Another sighting successful Idaho turned retired to beryllium personification else.

Authorities person not identified a imaginable motive, but according to nan affidavit, Decker refused to motion a parenting scheme past September that ordered him to activity intelligence wellness curen and home violence-anger guidance counseling.

His ex-wife, Whitney Decker, has said she believes her daughters mightiness still beryllium alive had an Amber Alert been issued successful nan hours aft she first contacted police.