Who is Travis Decker? 100 FBI Specialists Launch Massive Manhunt Near Rock Island Campground to Nab Father Accused of Killing 3 Daughters

Police in Washington are searching for Travis Decker, the father charged with killing his three young daughters in June. From the New York Times: A massive grid search began this week near Rock Island Campgrounds, where the children’s bodies were found, by federal and local investigators.

Decker vanished almost three months ago and is accused of killing his daughters—Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5—when they went to visit him. Their bodies were discovered with plastic bags over their heads and cable ties nearby. The DNA at the scene was matched to Decker, leaving him as the only suspect in the murders.

The FBI says about 100 officers and experts from local agencies have been working on the case, according to FBI Seattle officials, who spoke at a press briefing. Search teams involve sniffer dogs, electronic equipment, and grid experts as they comb through the thick and rugged terrain. Surrounding roads and trails, as well as the campground itself, were also closed as authorities executed the operation.

The new search, investigators said, is an attempt to further document the crime scene and recover any missed evidence. The rugged terrain, dirt roads, and poor cell reception in the area make the task challenging, and officials worry that weather and time may have dulled the trail.
“We know the girls wouldn’t want us to stop trying,” Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said. “Travis’s being missing isn’t going to go away. If it’s not me in this role, it’s going to be some other sheriff or some other FBI agent. We’re going to keep searching until we get this, and in the years to come, if we have to.”

The FBI seconded his assertion that the inquiry is a top priority. “We’re here to find justice for Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia,” said Peter Orth, supervisory senior resident agent at the FBI’s Yakima office. “We want to be able to provide some closure for their family and the community.”

Until now, officials have said, there is nothing to say Decker is dead or alive. The United States Marshals Service has offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to his capture. Officials are telling the public to consider Decker armed and dangerous.

Earlier crime scene updates have been released by the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office that confirmed that everything used to suffocate the children, including all of the plastic bags and the cable ties, had DNA from Decker on everything. Authorities believe he was a lone gunman who carried out the murders.

The campground is scheduled to reopen following the search, but closures could continue if necessary, officials said. Grief remains for the families and community, but law enforcement says they won’t give up.
“This is a lovely spot where a horrific crime took place,” Orth said. “We’re not going to sit back until justice is done.