The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday it had discovered human remains believed to be those of Travis Decker , the Washington state man accused of killing his three daughters.
The remains were found in a remote wooded area south of Leavenworth, Washington.
“While positive identification has not yet been confirmed, preliminary findings suggest the remains belong to Travis Decker,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement, as reported by CNN.
Decker had been the subject of a months-long manhunt after being accused of suffocating his daughters 5-year-old Olivia, 8-year-old Evelyn and 9-year-old Paityn.
Their bodies were discovered on June 2 at an abandoned campsite in the Cascade Mountains , with multiple plastic bags over their heads. Zip ties and plastic bags were also found nearby, according to a police affidavit.
The girls had been reported missing days earlier by their mother after Decker failed to return them home following a three-hour custody visit on May 30. Authorities later found Decker’s abandoned truck near Rock Island Campground, with a bloody fingerprint on the tailgate. His dog was also located at the scene.
DNA samples from the plastic bags and ties matched Decker’s profile, police said. No other DNA was found.
For weeks, local, state and federal officials searched the rugged Cascade wilderness for Decker, an Army veteran known for his survival skills. Drones, cadaver dogs, swift water teams and even GoPro cameras were deployed. The effort was complicated by difficult terrain and the fact that Decker had a three-day head start.
Sheriff Mike Morrison said earlier that Decker had likely escaped on foot, abandoning his truck and leaving behind some equipment, which suggested he might not have been well-prepared unless he had hidden supplies in advance.
Authorities said the remains are now being examined by the Washington State Patrol crime scene response team. DNA analysis will follow to confirm the identity.
The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office also confirmed that it has been in contact with the Decker family about the discovery and ongoing investigation.
The remains were found in a remote wooded area south of Leavenworth, Washington.
“While positive identification has not yet been confirmed, preliminary findings suggest the remains belong to Travis Decker,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement, as reported by CNN.
Decker had been the subject of a months-long manhunt after being accused of suffocating his daughters 5-year-old Olivia, 8-year-old Evelyn and 9-year-old Paityn.
Their bodies were discovered on June 2 at an abandoned campsite in the Cascade Mountains , with multiple plastic bags over their heads. Zip ties and plastic bags were also found nearby, according to a police affidavit.
The girls had been reported missing days earlier by their mother after Decker failed to return them home following a three-hour custody visit on May 30. Authorities later found Decker’s abandoned truck near Rock Island Campground, with a bloody fingerprint on the tailgate. His dog was also located at the scene.
DNA samples from the plastic bags and ties matched Decker’s profile, police said. No other DNA was found.
For weeks, local, state and federal officials searched the rugged Cascade wilderness for Decker, an Army veteran known for his survival skills. Drones, cadaver dogs, swift water teams and even GoPro cameras were deployed. The effort was complicated by difficult terrain and the fact that Decker had a three-day head start.
Sheriff Mike Morrison said earlier that Decker had likely escaped on foot, abandoning his truck and leaving behind some equipment, which suggested he might not have been well-prepared unless he had hidden supplies in advance.
Authorities said the remains are now being examined by the Washington State Patrol crime scene response team. DNA analysis will follow to confirm the identity.
The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office also confirmed that it has been in contact with the Decker family about the discovery and ongoing investigation.
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