More than three months after the Decker girls were found slain, authorities have confirmed that Travis Decker, their father and the one accused of killing them, is dead.
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As previously reported, decomposed human remains believed to be Decker’s were found during a search in a remote area of Leavenworth, Washington State.
While the U.S. Marshals confirmed Decker’s death, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) waited for DNA testing. Finally, on Thursday, September 25, Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison revealed in a press conference that the remains indeed belonged to Travis Decker.
This comes months after Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, left with Decker during a “planned visitation.” The girls’ mother, Whitney Decker, contacted the authorities after Travis, who was homeless at the time, failed to return them on May 30.
Days later, on June 2, the girls’ bodies were found near the Rock Island Campground. A CCSO release detailed that the three young girls were found with plastic bags on their heads. Travis Decker had allegedly asphyxiated them to death.
As reported by PEOPLE, Decker had allegedly searched information on “how to relocate to Canada” days before the girls’ disappearance. He was described as a military-trained individual, a dangerous man, and someone who struggled with mental health issues.
Manhunt Ends
This triggered a months-long manhunt for Decker, which eventually led to the discovery of the human remains. However, as reported by ABC7, due to the state of the remains, an autopsy cannot be conducted.
Reportedly, Decker’s skull and torso have not been found. The remains that were found were discovered in five different areas, ABC7 reported.
Therefore, how and when Travis Decker died will most likely never be known.
During the press conference, Sheriff Morrison apologized to Whitney Decker. They had taken too long to give her closure for an extremely dark chapter of her life, he explained.
“To Whitney, we apologize that it’s taken this long to get the closeness and the closure that we’re looking for in this case,” Morrison said. “But I hope that you can rest easier at night knowing that Travis is accounted for.”
A GoFundMe campaign was launched for Whitney and has raised over $1.28 million as of September 28.