The FBI has shared a crucial update on the search for Travis Decker, a triple-murder suspect, who is accused of killing his three minor daughters. Decker is accused of killing Paityn Decker, 9; Evelyn Decker, 8; and Olivia Decker, 5, in Washington. The children were last seen leaving to be with him on a “planned visitation.”
Authorities have confirmed that bones have been found during their recent search for Decker. Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison told local media that the bones were not a complete skeleton, and it remains unclear if they were human or animal bones. The bones have been sent to Central Washington University’s anthropology department to be tested, so as to determine their origin.
Read More | Travis Decker update: 100 specialists from FBI, other agencies to swarm Washington campground where murders took place
Decker has still not been located, and there is no evidence suggesting he is either dead or alive, Peter Orth, a supervisory senior resident at the FBI Seattle Field Office, recently said. The FBI has urged the public to come forward with any information they might have about Decker’s whereabouts.
The FBI has shared an important statement with the latest updates on the search, saying it may be attributed to W. Mike Herrington, special agent in charge of the FBI Seattle field office.
Read More | Is Travis Decker the sole suspect in daughters’ murders? Chilling new details about crime scene released
Read the FBI’s full statement:
On Tuesday, August 26, FBI Seattle concluded our two-day grid search operation beginning Monday, August 25, within the vicinity of the Rock Island Campground near Leavenworth, Washington. The mission of the search was to locate Travis Decker, discover signs of his whereabouts, or find any other evidence of the murder of his three daughters.
Search personnel recovered several items that are being examined to determine if they are related to this investigation. Final results will take some time. Finding this potential evidence emphasizes the value in having various teams search an area multiple times, especially in such challenging conditions.
More than 100 personnel were deployed in multiple search teams for a full two days in remote outdoor terrain while daylight was available. Temperatures approached 100 degrees. Despite the dense vegetation and challenging topography, personnel from the FBI Seattle field office, with the support of FBI headquarters and partner agencies, thoroughly searched and documented over 1,000,000 square meters, or 247 acres.
A search of this magnitude and detail has not previously taken place in this area. We not only accomplished our goal of covering the entire area intended for this operation, but we also searched beyond the primary search perimeter. The electronic mapping of this search effort is being provided to the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office and our federal partners.
In addition to FBI resources, other search partners include:
- Chelan County Sheriff’s Office
- Spokane County Sheriff’s Office
- U.S. Marshals Service
- Port of Seattle Police Department
- Yakima Police Department
- U.S. Forest Service, Wenatchee River District
- U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division
- Central Washington University – Anthropology Department
Please reference our statement for more information about resources for the search.
FBI Seattle is committed to our continued collaboration with the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and other partners to locate Decker, and are committed to bringing every available FBI resource that will advance this case for as long as it takes. If we have an update on this case, we will share as soon as we are able. Also check for updates from the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office or the U.S. Marshals Service.
While FBI Seattle led this search, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office is still the lead agency in this investigation. The United States Marshals Service is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading directly to Travis Decker’s arrest. The suspect should be considered armed and dangerous.
If you see Travis Decker, please call 911 immediately and do not attempt to contact or approach him. Anyone with information is urged to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office, the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, or USMS Tips at www.usmarshals.gov/tips.
