Authorities in Washington state said the father wanted in the deaths of his three young daughters may have scoped out a hiding location before going off the grid using his outdoor survival skills.
Travis Decker, 32, is wanted on charges including three counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Paityn Decker, 9; Evelyn Decker, 8; and Olivia Decker, 5, according to the Wenatchee Police Department. Investigators have learned from Decker’s father that he is well-versed in outdoor survival, a skill that may have assisted his efforts to avoid detection, Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison confirmed at a June 4 news conference.
In addition to being an outdoorsman, Decker went to mountain survival school and served in the U.S. Army, potentially making the search more challenging.
“It sounds like at times he would go out and would be leaving off grid for sometimes up to two and a half months,” Morrison told reporters. “So we understand that that’s a possibility, that he could have scoped out this area before put supplies out there and has the ability and the knowledge to survive for a long period of time.”
But Morrison assured that police will continue to work with federal agencies, from the FBI to Homeland Security, to track Decker down, adding that “we’re up for that challenge.”
“Travis, if you’re out there seeing us, we’d like you to turn yourself in,” he said. “We want a peaceful resolution to this, but we’re not going to relinquish our efforts. So please turn yourself in. Let’s wrap this up and do what’s right for your kids.”
How did the three sisters die?
Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia were found slain by apparent suffocation in a remote campground, according to the Wenatchee Police Department. The girl’s mother reported the children missing on May 30 after they left their central Washington home to visit their father.
On June 2, a Chelan County deputy found an unoccupied truck at about 3:45 p.m. near the Rock Island Campground. Officers found the bodies of the missing girls soon after, about 75 to 100 yards past the vehicle, down a small embankment, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by USA TODAY.
While Travis Decker was nowhere to be found, investigators traced his cell phone, which revealed that visited the same campground the day before the kidnapping, the court papers show.
Who is Travis Decker?
Travis Decker, 32, from the Wenatchee area, was homeless and living out of a white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup at the time the girls vanished, according to police.
Police said he is a former military member with extensive training who “may pose a significant risk, if approached.” Police did not confirm if he was armed while on the run.
Travis Decker is a native of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, and graduated from Pewaukee High School in the Milwaukee metropolitan area, according to an online records search by USA TODAY. One of Travis Decker’s previous addresses included an Army P.O. box.
USA TODAY has reached out to the U.S. Army for comment.
He was a member of a standout 2010 Pewaukee wrestling team that reached the state finals, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network. His brother, TJ Decker, said Travis Decker graduated from the school in 2010, Fox 6 reported.
(This story was updated to include video and correct the name of its network paper.)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Father wanted in deaths of 3 girls could be hiding in the wilderness
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