Remains Believed to Be Travis Decker Found in Washington State
DNA testing pending after remains were found in a remote wooded area south of Leavenworth; preliminary findings point to the father accused of murdering his three daughters.
Authorities say remains recovered Thursday night in Washington state are believed to be those of Travis Decker, the father accused of murdering his three young daughters and then vanishing into the mountains. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office announced in a news release that investigators found human remains in a remote wooded area south of Leavenworth.
While identification has not yet been confirmed, the release said preliminary findings indicate the remains may belong to Decker. The discovery came during a weeklong search led by the U.S. Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force and conducted with the Chelan County Sheriff's Office, Washington State Patrol, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Forest Service, Spokane County Sheriff's Office and the FBI. DNA analysis will be conducted to confirm the identity.
Deputies said the remains were located on Grindstone Mountain, off Icicle Road, a few miles from where Decker's three daughters were found dead, according to Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison. The location underscores the rugged terrain investigators have traversed while pursuing leads in the case.
Authorities said the state and federal effort this week mobilized multiple agencies to search remote terrain for any sign of Decker, with the task force coordinating investigators across jurisdictions. The operation demonstrates the level of interagency cooperation often required in cases involving missing violent offenders.
DNA testing is expected to determine whether the remains are Decker's, a process that could take days to weeks. Officials said they would provide updates as new information becomes available.
Decker is suspected of killing his three daughters and taking them into the Washington wilderness, authorities have said. The case has drawn attention to violent crime investigations that hinge on coordinating state and federal agencies, and it underscores the role of the U.S. Marshals Service in locating violent offenders.
With investigators awaiting confirmation, the sheriff's office urged the public to refrain from speculation while DNA analysis is pending and to rely on official updates.
