A massive manhunt is underway for Travis Decker, a 32-year-old former Army soldier now charged with the murder and kidnapping of his three young daughters, whose bodies were found near a remote Washington campsite earlier this week.
Authorities are urging the public to remain alert and avoid any contact with Decker, warning he may be armed and dangerous. “Due to safety concerns, do not attempt to contact or approach Decker,” police emphasized in a statement reported by The Mirror.
Decker is believed to be driving a white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup. Anyone who sees him or has information about his whereabouts is urged to call 911 immediately. The tragedy unfolded after Decker failed to return his daughters, Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, to their mother following a scheduled visitation on Friday.
The girls’ mother, who became increasingly concerned, alerted authorities after Decker missed the 8 p.m. handover and could not be reached. His phone went directly to voicemail. Captain Brian Chance of the local police said the mother had been alarmed due to Decker’s recent mental health issues.
“What prompted her to call us was that … he was late returning the girls and had not communicated to her that he was going to be late, which was his typical fashion, and so this was out of the ordinary,” Chance stated. An intense search followed throughout the weekend. On Monday, Decker’s vehicle was discovered abandoned near a forested campsite west of Leavenworth.
The girls’ bodies were later found in the same area. The police subsequently launched four missing persons investigations and confirmed Decker as the prime suspect in what has become a murder and kidnapping case. “This is an absolute tragedy. We are mourning along with the community,” said Karina Shagren, spokesperson for the Washington Military Department.
The girls attended Lincoln Elementary School in nearby Wenatchee. The school district is now offering counseling services and has requested privacy for the grieving community. Decker’s military history includes enlisting in the Army in 2013 at age 20 and later transferring to the Washington National Guard.
Though he served full-time for several years, military officials confirmed he had not participated in required drills for over a year. The Guard was in the process of discharging him for disciplinary reasons. The investigation remains active as law enforcement agencies across the region continue their urgent search for Decker.