CHELAN COUNTY, WA - As the search for Travis Decker, the 32-year-old man who has been accused of murdering his three daughters, enters its third week, authorities urge the community to stay vigilant as the manhunt enters a new phase.
Decker has been charged with three counts of murder and kidnapping, and federal prosecutors are also charging him with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
On Wednesday afternoon, June 12th, law enforcement officials held a press conference regarding the search for Decker, telling viewers that they have not given up on tracking down the suspected killer, KOMO News reported. Officials with the Chelan County Sheriff's Office (CCSO), the U.S. Marshals Service, the Wenatchee Police Department, and Border Patrol gave an important update regarding the search.
The agencies confirmed that Border Patrol would now be taking the lead on the investigation. "At this time, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office is going to deviate our resources back to the investigation, working closely with the Chelan County Prosecutor's Office to ensure our case for murder and kidnapping are ready to go, ready to be presented while our partners with the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol are going to continue to keep their units on the ground conducting the search," CCSO Sheriff Mike Morrison said.
Morrison stated that the investigation has "evolved and matured," and as a result of that, their approach to the investigation will require a "change in tactics." "You will not see the amount of resources that we have had out there, but you will see a different element of our approach as we continue to track down Travis, following leads and making it very clear that every single day Travis is out there, he's gonna have to aim for perfection," Morrison said.
"He's not gonna be able to make a mistake because all we need is one mistake and one day to go in our favor, and he's gonna be in our custody," Morrison added. Following up after Morrison was Chief Jerome Brown with the U.S. Marshals Service, reiterating that the support they've received from the community has been an integral part of their investigative approach.
"With that support, we're able to involve ourselves and focus on the fugitive investigation," Brown said. "Part of that is deploying our rapidly advancing manhunt program. That program brings more resources from all over to include funding to support your community, the sheriff's department, border patrol, and all the other resources so we can navigate the terrain and locate and apprehend the fugitive."
"We will not stop. We will keep going. He just has to make one mistake, like the sheriff said. We will find him. He will be brought to justice so the community can heal," Brown finished.
On Tuesday, June 10th, CCSO said it received a top from a hiking party about a lone hiker in the Enchantments area who appeared to be avoiding others and was "ill-prepared for trail and weather conditions." Tracking teams responded to the area and spotted an off-trail hiker near Colchuck Lake who ran from sight when a helicopter passed over the area. There was no further information regarding that individual.
CCSO said that its deputies also recovered some "items of interest" believed to be Decker's and those items were sent to the crime lab. The results from those items are starting to come back as investigators continue to process the crime scene.
Decker has been accused of killing his three daughters: Olivia, 5, Evelyn, 8, and Paityn, 9, after their bodies were discovered at a campground near Leavenworth on June 2nd. The girls were first reported missing on May 30th after Decker failed to return them to their mother as part of their court-ordered visitation plan.
The Chelan County Medical Examiner determined that the girls' cause of death was suffocation, and the manner of death was homicide. Based on the investigation, the medical examiner said the girls most likely died on May 30th.
The bodies of the girls were found about 75 to 100 yards away from where Decker's truck was found at the Rock Island Campground. Court documents state that investigators found zip ties and plastic bags scattered throughout the area and that the girls' wrists were zip-tied, or appeared to have been zip-tied. Each girl was found with a bag over their head.
Blood samples taken from the scene came back positive for a human male. Another sample was not human blood, and fingerprint and DNA analysis are still in progress. While federal authorities have taken over as leads for the investigation, CCSO said that their detectives "remain strongly engaged on the murder investigation, processing evidence, and tracking down more potential evidence to build a strong case for prosecution."
Kittitas County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) has also been helping in the hunt for Decker, FOX 13 reported. There are concerns that he may have made it to the nearby Teanaway Trail area. "Kittitas County Sheriff's Deputies and tactical team members are maintaining elevated presence in the area near the active manhunt for Travis Decker, the man suspected of killing his three young daughters in the Icicle Creek area of Chelan County," KCSO said.
"This includes visible patrols, backcountry teams, and drones, all operating day and night. We're focused on safeguarding our community and having the right resources in place to detect and apprehend Decker if he comes to our county."
Decker has been charged with three counts of murder and kidnapping, and federal prosecutors are also charging him with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
On Wednesday afternoon, June 12th, law enforcement officials held a press conference regarding the search for Decker, telling viewers that they have not given up on tracking down the suspected killer, KOMO News reported. Officials with the Chelan County Sheriff's Office (CCSO), the U.S. Marshals Service, the Wenatchee Police Department, and Border Patrol gave an important update regarding the search.
The agencies confirmed that Border Patrol would now be taking the lead on the investigation. "At this time, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office is going to deviate our resources back to the investigation, working closely with the Chelan County Prosecutor's Office to ensure our case for murder and kidnapping are ready to go, ready to be presented while our partners with the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol are going to continue to keep their units on the ground conducting the search," CCSO Sheriff Mike Morrison said.
Morrison stated that the investigation has "evolved and matured," and as a result of that, their approach to the investigation will require a "change in tactics." "You will not see the amount of resources that we have had out there, but you will see a different element of our approach as we continue to track down Travis, following leads and making it very clear that every single day Travis is out there, he's gonna have to aim for perfection," Morrison said.
"He's not gonna be able to make a mistake because all we need is one mistake and one day to go in our favor, and he's gonna be in our custody," Morrison added. Following up after Morrison was Chief Jerome Brown with the U.S. Marshals Service, reiterating that the support they've received from the community has been an integral part of their investigative approach.
"With that support, we're able to involve ourselves and focus on the fugitive investigation," Brown said. "Part of that is deploying our rapidly advancing manhunt program. That program brings more resources from all over to include funding to support your community, the sheriff's department, border patrol, and all the other resources so we can navigate the terrain and locate and apprehend the fugitive."
"We will not stop. We will keep going. He just has to make one mistake, like the sheriff said. We will find him. He will be brought to justice so the community can heal," Brown finished.
On Tuesday, June 10th, CCSO said it received a top from a hiking party about a lone hiker in the Enchantments area who appeared to be avoiding others and was "ill-prepared for trail and weather conditions." Tracking teams responded to the area and spotted an off-trail hiker near Colchuck Lake who ran from sight when a helicopter passed over the area. There was no further information regarding that individual.
CCSO said that its deputies also recovered some "items of interest" believed to be Decker's and those items were sent to the crime lab. The results from those items are starting to come back as investigators continue to process the crime scene.
Decker has been accused of killing his three daughters: Olivia, 5, Evelyn, 8, and Paityn, 9, after their bodies were discovered at a campground near Leavenworth on June 2nd. The girls were first reported missing on May 30th after Decker failed to return them to their mother as part of their court-ordered visitation plan.
The Chelan County Medical Examiner determined that the girls' cause of death was suffocation, and the manner of death was homicide. Based on the investigation, the medical examiner said the girls most likely died on May 30th.
The bodies of the girls were found about 75 to 100 yards away from where Decker's truck was found at the Rock Island Campground. Court documents state that investigators found zip ties and plastic bags scattered throughout the area and that the girls' wrists were zip-tied, or appeared to have been zip-tied. Each girl was found with a bag over their head.
Blood samples taken from the scene came back positive for a human male. Another sample was not human blood, and fingerprint and DNA analysis are still in progress. While federal authorities have taken over as leads for the investigation, CCSO said that their detectives "remain strongly engaged on the murder investigation, processing evidence, and tracking down more potential evidence to build a strong case for prosecution."
Kittitas County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) has also been helping in the hunt for Decker, FOX 13 reported. There are concerns that he may have made it to the nearby Teanaway Trail area. "Kittitas County Sheriff's Deputies and tactical team members are maintaining elevated presence in the area near the active manhunt for Travis Decker, the man suspected of killing his three young daughters in the Icicle Creek area of Chelan County," KCSO said.
"This includes visible patrols, backcountry teams, and drones, all operating day and night. We're focused on safeguarding our community and having the right resources in place to detect and apprehend Decker if he comes to our county."
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