Latest news with #TravisDecker
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Sheriff reveals why they're convinced on-the-run killer dad Travis Decker is alive... and may be getting help
The sheriff's office hunting for Travis Decker, the Washington State father on the run after allegedly killing his three daughters, believes he is still alive and may be getting help. The 32-year-old fugitive allegedly strangled his three children - Paityn, nine, Evelyn, eight, and Olivia, five - and left their bodies near Rock Island Campground on June 2. As the search for Decker continues, Chelan County Sheriff Michael Morrison revealed authorities have been getting several leads on his whereabouts - perhaps hinting that Decker is still alive. 'Our primary focus has just remained on the investigation, but we are tracking down leads,' Morrison told News Nation, adding that all of the teams working to track Decker down have reinstated search and rescue operations and are following up on all information given to them. When asked if he believes the veteran is getting help, the sheriff said he wasn't 'quite sure,' but could have possibly 'staged some supplies beforehand.' Morrison went on to note that those who are 'sympathetic' towards Decker are not helping the investigation. 'There are some that may be sympathetic to his cause, which I think would be misguided. I mean, he's accused of murder, not just once but three times, and he is a danger,' he told the outlet. 'For those that might have sympathy towards him, please allow the opportunity for us to do our job. Set up that opportunity for him to be in front of our courts, and if he has different information he'd like to present and he thinks there's a way he could clear his name, let's go through the proper channels. 'As far as we can see he is still our suspect of interest, a subject we want to take into custody, and we want to set up that meeting where he can stand in front of our courts and speak his side of the story,' he added. Federal officials recently shared three new images of what the wanted man could now look like after being on the run for more than two weeks. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office created three updated pictures of the suspect, each depicting a different way he could have altered his features. Authorities also shared a message to Washington residents, stating the veteran is 'considered dangerous and may be armed.' 'Do not approach, call 911 immediately!' the wanted poster read. The manipulated images were made based on a photo of Decker posed in front of a landscape wearing a blue shirt and baseball cap, in which he has a beard, mustache and an earring. His hair is grown out to his neck. The first variation of his potential altered appearance showed Decker wearing no hat with a buzz cut and clean shaven facial hair. Another image showed Decker with a mustache and a buzzcut without a beard. In the third option, Decker has shoulder-length hair, no facial hair and is wearing a baseball cap. He has been missing since May 30, when he failed to return the three little girls back to their mother, Whitney, after a visit. Whitney, who is divorced from Decker, told police that he had picked the girls up around 5pm but had not returned them by 8pm, and his phone went straight to voicemail, court documents said. Detectives said she 'expressed concern because Decker reportedly has never done this before and … is currently experiencing some mental health issues.' She also told law enforcement officials that Decker was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and believes he did not take medication for the condition, according to court documents. On June 2, a search party led to the chilling discovery of the sisters' dead bodies near the Chelan County campsite along with Decker's truck. An autopsy revealed the girls died from suffocation and police reported their wrists were zip-tied when they were found, per court records. Police collected 'a large amount of evidence' from the truck, including male blood and non-human blood. The alleged killer's dog was found nearby as well and taken to an animal humane society, Fox 8 reported. Newly released audio revealed Decker pleaded for more custody time to go camping with his daughters just months before their lifeless bodies were found. In the audio, which is from a September 2024 custody hearing, Decker made an eerie promise that no harm would come to the girls if he's given more time to take them camping in Washington State's wilderness. His visitation time with the girls had earlier been reduced after his ex-wife raised concerns over his declining mental health, alleged endangerment, and lack of stability. She was given near-full custody while Decker was only allowed to visit every other weekend for a set number of hours. Frustrated with the lack of time with his daughters, Decker pleaded with a family court judge to restore access to the girls - claiming he'd never put them in danger. 'Every time I've had the girls, we have been in campsites and national forests and paid campsites that have campers,' he said in the audio. 'We've never done anything that was unsafe, or anything I wouldn't want to put myself in.' 'I understand that my current position when I'm by myself isn't ideal, but my daughters aren't a part of that,' Decker continued. 'I only get to see them over the weekends, and camping is something that the four of us have done since the three of them were in diapers.' He emphasized again that he's never put his daughters at risk - and brings them to camp sights that are 'sold out.' Decker is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping.
Fox News
a day ago
- Fox News
Washington sheriff shares new photo of suspected killer dad amid manhunt in daughters' triple murder
A Washington state survivalist has been on the run from authorities for nearly a week after allegedly killing his three young daughters, who were found with plastic bags over their heads and bound wrists at a campground in Chelan County Monday. Travis Caleb Decker, 32, did not have custody of the girls – all of whom are believed to have died from asphyxiation. Decker spent time in the military and is an avid outdoorsman, according to authorities. "We're getting more confirmation, that he might have possibly gone through Mountain Survival School," Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison told reporters Wednesday. "But we also know, too, that he's been an outdoorsman since he was a kid." On Thursday, he released a new photo showing Decker's tattoos and said search warrants had generated leads. He urged homeowners and people with mountain cabins to lock their doors – including to sheds and outbuildings, leave their blinds open and turn on outdoor lighting. The children were ages 5, 8 and 9, and Decker's ex-wife Whitney Decker, 35, told police Monday that he had failed to bring the girls back to her after a Friday visit under the terms of their court-ordered parenting plan, according to court documents. Morrison said authorities have not identified a motive. "Clearly, it's not the decision of a sound mind," he said. Travis Decker was limited to visiting the girls every other weekend – and not overnight – according to a court-ordered parenting plan that he did not sign. When he did not bring the girls back by an 8 p.m. curfew Friday, his ex tried calling him – but her attempts went straight to voicemail, according to a Chelan County police affidavit. Read the affidavit GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB She told investigators that he had never missed the deadline to return their children before, but warned that he has mental health issues, including borderline personality disorder. He is homeless and splits his time between motels and campgrounds, according to the affidavit. WATCH: New footage released by authorities shows murder suspect Travis Decker Decker drives a 2017 white GMC Sierra with the Washington license plate D20165C, according to authorities. License plate scanners picked up the vehicle heading north over the Wenatchee Bridge on Friday around 5:41 p.m. He did not show up for work Monday, according to the affidavit. A Chelan County sheriff's deputy found the truck around 4 p.m. Monday at the Rock Island Campground in Leavenworth, Washington. They found all three girls' bodies between 75 and 100 yards away, down an embankment, according to court documents. Each one had a plastic bag over her head and "their wrists were also zip-tied or showed signs of being zip-tied," according to the affidavit. Deputies found two bloody handprints on the pickup's tailgate. Decker's whereabouts remain unknown and he is charged with three counts each of aggravated first-degree murder and kidnapping. He is described as standing about 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighing 190 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He has tattoos on both arms and was recently photographed with a goatee and mustache. It is unknown if he is armed, but authorities say he should be considered dangerous. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office is advising anyone who sees Decker to avoid approaching him and call 911 immediately. He faces a maximum of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Authorities are offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to his arrest. "We want a peaceful resolution to this, but we're not going to relinquish our efforts and give up any effort that we could proceed to track you down," Morrison said at a news briefing Wednesday. "So please turn yourself in. Let's wrap this up and do what's right for your kids." Anyone with information is asked to call the Chelan sheriff's tip line at 509-667-6845 or submit information online at
Newsweek
a day ago
- Newsweek
Travis Decker Update: Police Release Pictures Of How He May Look Now
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Authorities have released new images that they say they may show what Travis Decker, the ex-soldier suspected of killing his three daughters, may look like now. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office in Washington shared three images showing how Decker could have altered his appearance in a Facebook post on Tuesday. Newsweek has contacted the sheriff's office for further comment via email. The Context Decker, 32, has been the target of a massive search for almost three weeks. A sheriff's deputy found his truck and the bodies of his three daughters—9-year-old Paityn Decker, 8-year-old Evelyn Decker and 5-year-old Olivia Decker—at a campground near Leavenworth on June 2. The girls' mother Whitney Decker had called police on May 30 to report that Decker failed to return the girls to her home in Wenatchee following a planned visitation. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office released images of what Travis Decker, the man suspected of killing his three daughters, could look like. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office released images of what Travis Decker, the man suspected of killing his three daughters, could look like. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office What To Know One of the images released by the sheriff's office of how Decker could potentially look shows him with a shaved head and trimmed facial hair, another shows him with a shaved head and mustache and a third shows him with shoulder-length hair and a baseball cap. He is described as 5 feet, 8 inches tall, with black hair and brown eyes and weighing 190 pounds. Images previously released by the sheriff's office show Decker with facial hair and wearing a baseball cap. Authorities also released Ring camera footage of Decker captured in the days before his disappearance, showing him with facial hair and long hair gathered in a ponytail. "These videos and photos are from the days leading up to [when] his visitation began with the girls," the sheriff's office said on June 5. "These are the most recent photos and videos we have that reveal his last known appearance." The sheriff's office said in a news release that investigators are continuing to process evidence from the crime scene while search teams continue efforts to locate Decker. It added that the U.S. Marshals Service has assumed the lead role in the search for Decker, and the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office and the Washington Army National Guard are assisting. The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading directly to Decker's arrest, the sheriff's office said. This undated photo provided by the Wenatchee Police Department shows Travis Caleb Decker, who the police are asking the public for help in locating, the Washington state father who is wanted for murder after his... This undated photo provided by the Wenatchee Police Department shows Travis Caleb Decker, who the police are asking the public for help in locating, the Washington state father who is wanted for murder after his three young daughters were reported missing and then found dead. More Wenatchee Police Department via AP What People Are Saying The Chelan County Sheriff's Office said in a news release on Tuesday: "Personnel are deployed throughout the region and backcountry areas of Chelan and Kittitas Counties following up on leads and searching for signs of Mr. Decker. While search operations continue around the clock, CCSO Detectives are further developing the criminal case, conducting follow up interviews, processing evidence, and reviewing data and analysis from evidentiary items sent to the crime lab for processing." The sheriff's office said it does not have "any additional information that would suggest there is a threat to public safety, particularly within the back country and remote areas of our region. To our knowledge, all trails and recreation sites managed by the U.S. Forest Service remain open to the public. However, we still encourage everyone who is outside recreating to remain vigilant and report any suspicious information to law enforcement." Arianna Cozart, an attorney representing Whitney Decker, previously told Newsweek: "Whitney's greatest hope in this moment is that Travis is found. That is what we all want." What's Next The sheriff's office has warned that Decker should be considered armed and dangerous. They urged anyone who sees him to immediately call 911 and not attempt to contact or approach him. Anyone with information is urged to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office, the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, or USMS Tips at
CNN
2 days ago
- CNN
Some fugitives don't get very far, even with a good head start. What complicates their escape?
FacebookTweetLink Follow In the past several months, a number of high-profile manhunts that have captured national attention have ended when the fugitives, despite many hours or days on the run, were found close by. Vance Boelter, who is accused of shooting two state lawmakers and their spouses outside Minneapolis, was found in the woods about a mile from his family home in Green Isle, Minnesota, over the weekend. Last month, half of the 10 inmates who escaped a New Orleans jail were found in the city. And a former Arkansas police chief who escaped prison in May was found 1.5 miles from the facility he'd broken out of 10 days earlier. Meanwhile, Travis Decker, who is accused of killing his three daughters at a campsite about 100 miles east of Seattle, has been on the run for several weeks as law enforcement continues the search over two counties. While there are no formulas for avoiding law enforcement while on the run, factors such as ability to plan ahead of time, access to money and wilderness skills all play a role in how likely they will be able to evade capture, law enforcement experts told CNN. Here is how those factors, and some mistakes, play into the likelihood of escape: Many fugitives tend to stay in areas they know, be it for the people or knowledge of the area, said Donald Lane, who worked as a Secret Service agent and with the Department of Homeland Security for 20 years. 'They're much more comfortable in areas that they know well, geographically and socially, quite frankly, and so they tend to stay close,' he said, adding that many people want to be close to those who might help them evade law enforcement, such as family or friends. The downside to staying close is that's where investigators will look first for a fugitive, said Steve Prosser, a retired US marshal. In one prison escape case he worked on, Prosser said, the inmate didn't have any money or connections to help him. Law enforcement ultimately found him living in the janitor closet of the apartment building where he lived before his arrest. While Boelter wasn't found in a closet, he was found within close range of his house, where he left a car and there was a reported sighting of him on an e-bike. 'Sometimes these folks, they'll plan to take action and do something, but they don't think too much ahead about what they're going to do afterwards,' Lane said. It can be a challenge for fugitives to act quickly enough to get rid of identifying features as law enforcement starts putting up a perimeter, he said. But it also takes a lot of money to leave either the area or the country, said Prosser. 'You have to have a fake passport, which, unlike what you see on TV, is very difficult.' Even getting items that are harder to trace someone with, such as a different car, requires a good amount of money, he added. Another point that a fugitive must consider is how to get around when their name and face may be plastered on local and national news. There is a high likelihood law enforcement agencies will be on the lookout for their car, Lane said. If they get on an interstate, the chances law enforcement or a citizen sees or reports them is even higher, he said. Even trying to steal a car not associated with the fugitive could draw attention, according to Lane. 'A lot of times, they would have to (do) an additional crime to get further away, for instance like a carjacking,' he said. 'And they definitely don't want to do that, and they know they don't. Because if they do, then law enforcement not only would be all over that, but they would know that they're most likely the person that they're seeking.' It really depends on wilderness expertise and access to resources, experts say. 'If someone has knowledge of a wooded area – in other words, they live there, they may have hunted there, they know that area – they can live there for quite a long time, and those are some of the toughest people to locate,' Prosser said. But it really depends on how much preparation they have. While Boelter was found in the woods about a mile from his family home, it is likely his plan was set off course when police found him at state Sen. John Hoffman's home, leading him to retreat and change whatever plan he'd had, he said. Without the right preparation, though, living in the wilderness doesn't often work long-term as 'the situation is something completely and totally different,' Lane told CNN. 'Even if you have survival skills, you're not equipped in the long term to be self-sustaining without the help of other human beings,' he said, saying many people will ultimately need to resurface in society to get things they need. 'It's a great thought that you're going to be able to do it,' Lane said, 'but unless you're Ted Kaczynski and you have an actual dwelling that you can be in, you know that's not going to work out too well for most people.'
CNN
2 days ago
- CNN
Some fugitives don't get very far, even with a good head start. What complicates their escape?
FacebookTweetLink Follow In the past several months, a number of high-profile manhunts that have captured national attention have ended when the fugitives, despite many hours or days on the run, were found close by. Vance Boelter, who is accused of shooting two state lawmakers and their spouses outside Minneapolis, was found in the woods about a mile from his family home in Green Isle, Minnesota, over the weekend. Last month, half of the 10 inmates who escaped a New Orleans jail were found in the city. And a former Arkansas police chief who escaped prison in May was found 1.5 miles from the facility he'd broken out of 10 days earlier. Meanwhile, Travis Decker, who is accused of killing his three daughters at a campsite about 100 miles east of Seattle, has been on the run for several weeks as law enforcement continues the search over two counties. While there are no formulas for avoiding law enforcement while on the run, factors such as ability to plan ahead of time, access to money and wilderness skills all play a role in how likely they will be able to evade capture, law enforcement experts told CNN. Here is how those factors, and some mistakes, play into the likelihood of escape: Many fugitives tend to stay in areas they know, be it for the people or knowledge of the area, said Donald Lane, who worked as a Secret Service agent and with the Department of Homeland Security for 20 years. 'They're much more comfortable in areas that they know well, geographically and socially, quite frankly, and so they tend to stay close,' he said, adding that many people want to be close to those who might help them evade law enforcement, such as family or friends. The downside to staying close is that's where investigators will look first for a fugitive, said Steve Prosser, a retired US marshal. In one prison escape case he worked on, Prosser said, the inmate didn't have any money or connections to help him. Law enforcement ultimately found him living in the janitor closet of the apartment building where he lived before his arrest. While Boelter wasn't found in a closet, he was found within close range of his house, where he left a car and there was a reported sighting of him on an e-bike. 'Sometimes these folks, they'll plan to take action and do something, but they don't think too much ahead about what they're going to do afterwards,' Lane said. It can be a challenge for fugitives to act quickly enough to get rid of identifying features as law enforcement starts putting up a perimeter, he said. But it also takes a lot of money to leave either the area or the country, said Prosser. 'You have to have a fake passport, which, unlike what you see on TV, is very difficult.' Even getting items that are harder to trace someone with, such as a different car, requires a good amount of money, he added. Another point that a fugitive must consider is how to get around when their name and face may be plastered on local and national news. There is a high likelihood law enforcement agencies will be on the lookout for their car, Lane said. If they get on an interstate, the chances law enforcement or a citizen sees or reports them is even higher, he said. Even trying to steal a car not associated with the fugitive could draw attention, according to Lane. 'A lot of times, they would have to (do) an additional crime to get further away, for instance like a carjacking,' he said. 'And they definitely don't want to do that, and they know they don't. Because if they do, then law enforcement not only would be all over that, but they would know that they're most likely the person that they're seeking.' It really depends on wilderness expertise and access to resources, experts say. 'If someone has knowledge of a wooded area – in other words, they live there, they may have hunted there, they know that area – they can live there for quite a long time, and those are some of the toughest people to locate,' Prosser said. But it really depends on how much preparation they have. While Boelter was found in the woods about a mile from his family home, it is likely his plan was set off course when police found him at state Sen. John Hoffman's home, leading him to retreat and change whatever plan he'd had, he said. Without the right preparation, though, living in the wilderness doesn't often work long-term as 'the situation is something completely and totally different,' Lane told CNN. 'Even if you have survival skills, you're not equipped in the long term to be self-sustaining without the help of other human beings,' he said, saying many people will ultimately need to resurface in society to get things they need. 'It's a great thought that you're going to be able to do it,' Lane said, 'but unless you're Ted Kaczynski and you have an actual dwelling that you can be in, you know that's not going to work out too well for most people.'
