Missing WA girls found dead, manhunt underway for Travis Decker
Wenatchee police have confirmed three missing girls ages 5, 8 and 9 were found dead. The sisters were reported missing on Friday after a scheduled visitation with their father, 32-year-old Travis Decker. Decker is now on the run and wanted for three counts of murder.
WENATCHEE, Wash. – Authorities are searching for the father of three young Wenatchee girls, ages 5, 8, and 9, after they were found dead on Monday.
Travis Decker, 32, is wanted for three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping.
Who is Travis Decker?
Decker is described as 5 feet 8 inches tall, 190 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts.
According to authorities, he is a former military member with extensive training.
Authorities are actively searching for the girls’ father, Travis Decker, 32, who is wanted for three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping. (Wenatchee Police Department)
FOX 13 Seattle confirmed with a spokesperson with the Washington National Guard that Decker was a member.
He transferred to the organization in 2021 from the Active Component – and has been pending a disciplinary discharge for not showing up to his monthly drills. The last drill he attended was about a year ago.
Travis Decker military training: What we know
Travis Decker shows up in several social media posts from current and past members of the armed forces. Based on FOX 13 Seattle’s review of those accounts and other social media profiles, Decker likely has advanced infantry combat training. Multiple Facebook and Instagram posts show Decker show he was an airborne paratrooper who earned his elite ‘Ranger’ tab – meaning he has elite wilderness evasion and survival skills. A different social media profile under his name claims he qualified as an instructor at the US Army’s National Guard Warrior Training Center at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Authorities are still searching for Decker. It is unknown whether he is currently armed, and he may pose a significant risk if approached. Anyone who believes they may have seen Decker since Friday, May 30, or knows his current whereabouts is asked to call 911 immediately. Due to safety concerns, the public is advised not to attempt to contact or approach Decker.
Missing girls found dead
The three girls, ages 9, 8, and 5, were reported missing on Friday, May 30, at 9:45 p.m., after their mother told police they had not been returned following a planned visitation with Decker. Decker was believed to be living out of a white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup truck, Washington license D20165C.
Officers immediately began searching for Decker and the children. Checks of local motels yielded no results, and information from the local Flock database indicated the vehicle had traveled westbound on Highway 2 from Wenatchee on May 30.
On Monday, June 2, resources including Chelan County deputies, detectives, Emergency Management, and a Homeland Security helicopter joined the search. At approximately 3:45 p.m., a Chelan County deputy located Decker’s unoccupied vehicle near the Rock Island Campground, accessed by Icicle Road.
During an immediate search of the area, the bodies of the three missing girls were discovered. Decker was not located.
Missing Endangers Person Alert issued
The Washington State Patrol was contacted Friday night to request an AMBER Alert, but it did not meet the required criteria. On Saturday, Wenatchee Police detectives provided additional information, and an Endangered Missing Person Alert (EMPA) was issued.
What is the latest on the manhunt?
Law enforcement agencies are continuing an extensive search for Travis Decker, the man wanted for the kidnapping and murder of his three daughters in Wenatchee.
On Wednesday afternoon, aerial and ground operations were underway with additional federal investigators joining the manhunt. Authorities are on site at the Johnny Creek Campground in Leavenworth.
The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) and partner agencies are conducting a large-scale search across Chelan County, including local national forest and wilderness areas. The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office has provided two helicopters to assist in the search, and the CCSO Air Support Unit is also conducting air operations in similar areas.
A reward of up to $20,000 is being offered for information leading to Decker’s arrest; he is considered dangerous, and law enforcement urges anyone with information to contact the U.S. Marshals or Chelan County Sheriff’s Office.
Anyone with information is urged to call the CCSO tip line at 509-667-6845 or submit information online.
Possible sighting of Travis Decker in Idaho
Authorities in McCall, Idaho have received reports of a possible sighting of Travis Decker, the Washington father wanted in the murders of his three daughters.
The McCall Police Department posted to social media on Wednesday, saying it is investigating the possible sighting.
However, in a later press conference, Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said it likely wasn’t Decker. An extensive search remains underway in the Leavenworth area.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Wenatchee Police Department, Washington State Patrol, Washington National Guard and FOX 13 Seattle original report.
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