The tragic cause of death of three sisters has been revealed as remains, believed to be those of their alleged killer father, Travis Decker, have been discovered.
The bodies of three sisters, Paityn, nine, Evelyn, eight, and Olivia, five, were located near a campground in Wenatchee, Washington, on June 2, three days after their father took them for what was supposed to be a “planned visitation".
The girls were found with plastic bags over their heads and zip ties around their wrists, and preliminary investigations revealed they likely died from asphyxiation.
The search for Travis Decker
Authorities had been searching for the sisters and their father, Decker, after he failed to return them to their mother, Whitney Decker, on May 30 after a court-sanctioned visit.
Whitney immediately reported her children missing after calls to her ex-husband's phone went unanswered.
When police reached the scene, they discovered the girls’ bodies 75 to 100 yards down an embankment, near Decker’s abandoned 2017 white GMC Sierra.
The father, who is a former National Guardsman with military training, was soon labeled as the prime suspect in the deaths of his daughters.
Remains Believed to Be of Decker Found
This week, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office uncovered human remains believed to be those of the 32-year-old.
“We are waiting for further confirmation tomorrow,” said Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison. “But it seems to be consistent with (clothing) we believe he was last seen in.”
The final identification of the remains, which were located south of Leavenworth, will be made by the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab.
Authorities believe that Decker, who had extensive survival skills after attending mountain survival school and living in remote areas for extended periods, may have been using the wilderness to evade capture.
Court documents disclosed that he had searched online for information on relocating to Canada and job opportunities there in the days before he disappeared with his daughters.
His truck was located only 11 miles from the Pacific Crest Trail, which leads directly to Canada, further fueling suspicions that he was trying to flee the country.
“It sounds like at times he would go out and leave off-grid for sometimes up to two and a half months,” Sheriff Morrison said, highlighting Decker’s ability to survive in the wild, per The New York Post.
The dad-of-three's mental health had reportedly deteriorated in the years leading up to the tragedy.
His ex-wife, Whitney Decker, explained that after their divorce, Decker’s stability deteriorated, leading to a reduction in his custody rights.
According to her attorney, Arianna Cozart, Decker had received little mental health support after leaving active duty in the US Army Rangers, despite seeking emergency services for veterans.
"It’s obvious something broken him. He’s a broken human, like anybody who could commit such a heinous act is, you know, I don’t know the better way to put it," Cozart said, adding that Whitney believed that if the US veteran system had better resources, her daughters might still be alive.
“There is not one instance that shows that Travis did not love those girls and was not a loving, active father. He struggled with mental health, yes, we knew that. Whitney knew that he had struggled with it their entire marriage," the lawyer added.
In the wake of the tragedy, the heartbroken mom has called for changes to Washington’s Amber Alert system.
She is advocating for reforms as she believes the alarm could have played a crucial role in finding her daughters alive, as officials did not issue an alert immediately after she reported her children missing.
Our thoughts continue to be with Whitney.