Latest news with #USMarshalsService
Daily Mirror
12-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Ex-soldier wanted for 'murdering daughters' has chilling secret, brother says
A manhunt is underway for ex-US Army soldier Travis Decker, 39, whose three daughters were found dead in a tent in a remote campsite with police saying blood found at the site may be his A former soldier wanted for " murdering his three daughters" had a history of escalating violence, according to his brother. Travis Decker, 32, has been the target of a large manhunt ever since June 2, when a sheriff's deputy found his truck and the bodies of his three daughters — nine-year-old Paityn Decker, eight-year-old Evelyn Decker and five-year-old Olivia Decker — at a campsite outside Leavenworth, Washington. Investigators say the girls were visiting their dad during a court-ordered visitation at the time of the killing. An autopsy on Friday determined the cause of death to be suffocation, the sheriff's office said. The girls had been bound with zip ties and had plastic bags placed over their heads. A huge manhunt is now underway to locate Mr Decker as officials and an array of state and federal agencies have searched hundreds of square miles, much of it mountainous and remote, by land, water and air. The US Marshals Service was offering a reward of up to $20,000 (£15,000) for information leading to his capture. A man - believed to be Travis Decker - was seen near a remote lake by hikers who said he looked ill-prepared for the treacherous rural terrain. The man ran from sight when a police helicopter swooped over the remote area. His brother has now revealed Travis' 'violent' reaction when his family attempted to hold an intervention. Thomas, 35, told the Daily Mail that his brother tried to resort to violence during one family incident. Thomas found out that Travis was starting to abandon his family when he and his partner Whitney were beginning the divorce process. He said: "I told him, 'You can't leave your family like this. People get divorced all the time, if you are not happy in your marriage, that's okay." In a desperate bid to help Thomas and his father staged an 'intervention' with Travis at his house. He said: "We had hoped to have a good conversation with him - to ask him if he needed anything, any help, financial or otherwise. We are family, we want to help him and see what we could do to get him back on track. "'But things did not go well, he tried to resort to violence, because we were not supposed to be there and we just showed up unannounced,' said Thomas, who refused to elaborate further but clarified there was no physical violence." Thomas added: "The guy on the wanted poster for murdering my three nieces is not the brother I know. I can't even comprehend what is going on. I am in complete shock that he would do something like this. He loves his daughters – at least I thought he did. And Whitney is devastated beyond belief." A GoFundMe page set up to help the girls' mother raised more than $1.2 million by Wednesday afternoon.
7NEWS
11-06-2025
- 7NEWS
US father accused of murdering daughters searched how to move to Canada
Google searches and blood evidence are the latest tools being used in the manhunt for a former active US duty soldier accused of murdering his own children, with authorities in Washington state advising residents to 'secure your homes and vehicles'. The US Marshals Service is helping search for Travis Decker, 32, who hasn't been seen since May 30. His three daughters — all aged under 10 — were found on June 2, suffocated at an isolated, abandoned campsite east of Seattle. Since then, an intense manhunt over hundreds of square miles has unfolded, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office says. Decker is charged with the aggravated murder and kidnapping of the Decker sisters: Olivia, 5, Evelyn, 8, and Paityn, 9. With federal agents now involved in the search for him, Decker also faces a federal charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. A reward of up to $20,000 is offered for information leading to his arrest. Decker's truck, his dog and 'many of the suspect's personal items' were found about 75 yards from the girls' bodies, the sheriff's office has said. Some blood on the truck belonged to a human male, while other blood was not human, it said, citing testing. The dog was given to a local humane society and won't 'release information about any animals in custody involved in an active case'. Governor Bob Ferguson has authorised emergency funding so National Guard helicopters can help in the search for Decker. The rugged terrain of the Cascades — along with Decker's own survivalist history — are proving challenging for law enforcement agents trying to catch up to him. Survival training and an interest in Canada Decker, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, 'frequently engaged in hiking, camping, survival skill practice, hunting and even lived off the grid in the backwoods for approximately 2.5 months on one occasion', US Marshal Keegan Stanley said in an affidavit. Four days before his disappearance, Decker made several Google searches related to finding a job in Canada, as well as 'how does a person move to Canada', Stanley said. Decker's truck and the children's remains were found less than a dozen miles from the Pacific Crest Trail, a 2,650-mile path that runs all the way to the Canadian border. From the area closest to Decker's campsite, it is about a 200-mile hike to Canada. Searchers with the Chelan County Sheriff's Office spent several days looking for Decker in the area around his campsite, with recreation areas around the Icicle River temporarily closed. Late Monday night, the sheriff's office said it had narrowed the search to the Ingalls Creek area west of Wenatchee, the county's largest city and about 15 miles southeast of the campsite across rough terrain. 'During any criminal investigation, including this one, there is law enforcement sensitive information that is not shared with the public in order to protect the integrity of the investigation,' the sheriff's office said. 'We appreciate the public's patience, understanding and cooperation during this complex and emotional investigation.' Decker had mental health issues, ex-wife says Decker has not been seen since he picked up the children on May 30 from their mother for a scheduled, three-hour visit, his ex-wife said, according to a state court affidavit. Although the exchange 'occurred without issues', Whitney Decker later said he 'was quieter than usual'. She advised investigators Travis Decker had been diagnosed a few years ago with borderline personality disorder, which the Cleveland Clinic describes as involving 'extreme mood fluctuations, instability in interpersonal relationships and impulsivity'. Travis Decker had served in the US Army for eight years, an Army spokesperson said. He is in the Washington National Guard, facing discipline for missing required drills, a Guard spokesperson said. The Department of Veterans Affairs has been contacted about whether Decker has sought treatment for mental illness through its facilities. Decker had refused to sign his and Whitney's most recent parenting agreement, which required him to seek mental health treatment and anger management, she told Wenatchee Police. He was homeless at the time of his disappearance, living in motels and campgrounds, she said. 'Living every mother's worst nightmare' Whitney Decker called police after her ex-husband failed to show up with their daughters as planned at 8 pm on May 30. The custody agreement does not allow Travis Decker to keep the children overnight. The children were discovered three days later with plastic bags over their heads, their wrists tied. The cause of death was suffocation, the medical examiner said. 'Whitney is living every mother's worst nightmare,' family friend Amy Edwards said in a statement released by Whitney Decker's attorney. 'The hole in her heart is immeasurable. 'There are no words that can capture the weight of this loss.'
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
War veteran and survivalist searched for info on moving to Canada before killing daughters, investigators say
Google searches and blood evidence are the latest tools being used in the manhunt for a former active duty soldier accused of murdering his own children, with authorities in Washington state advising residents to 'secure your homes and vehicles.' The US Marshals Service is helping search for Travis Decker, 32, who hasn't been seen since May 30. His three daughters – all under age 10 – were found June 2, suffocated at an isolated, abandoned campsite east of Seattle. Since then, an intense manhunt over hundreds of square miles has unfolded, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office says. The father is charged with the aggravated murder and kidnapping of the Decker sisters: Olivia, 5, Evelyn, 8, and Paityn, 9. With federal agents now involved in the search for him, Decker also faces a federal charge of Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution. A reward of up to $20,000 is offered for information leading to his arrest. Decker's truck, his dog and 'many of the suspect's personal items' were found about 75 yards from the girls' bodies, the sheriff's office has said. Some blood on the truck belonged to a human male, while other blood was not human, it said, citing testing. The dog was given to a local humane society, the sheriff's office said; the welfare agency won't 'release information about any animals in custody involved in an active case.' Gov. Bob Ferguson has authorized emergency funding so National Guard helicopters can help in the search for Decker. The rugged terrain of the Cascades – along with Decker's own survivalist history – are proving challenging for law enforcement agents trying to catch up to him. Decker, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, 'frequently engaged in hiking, camping, survival skill practice, hunting and even lived off the grid in the backwoods for approximately 2.5 months on one occasion,' US Marshal Keegan Stanley said in an affidavit. Four days before his disappearance, Decker made several Google searches related to finding a job in Canada, as well as 'how does a person move to canada,' Stanley said. Decker's truck and the children's remains were found less than a dozen miles from the Pacific Crest Trail, a 2,650-mile path that runs all the way to the Canadian border. From the area closest to Decker's campsite, it is about a 200-mile hike to Canada. Searchers with the Chelan County Sheriff's Office spent several days looking for Decker in the area around his campsite, with recreation areas around the Icicle River temporarily closed. Late Monday night, the sheriff's office said it had narrowed the search to the Ingalls Creek area west of Wenatchee, the county's largest city and about 15 miles southeast of the campsite across rough terrain. 'During any criminal investigation, including this one, there is law enforcement sensitive information that is not shared with the public in order to protect the integrity of the investigation,' the sheriff's office said. 'We appreciate the public's patience, understanding and cooperation during this complex and emotional investigation.' Decker has not been seen since he picked up the children May 30 from their mother for a scheduled, three-hour visit, his ex-wife said, according to a state court affidavit. Although the exchange 'occurred without issues,' Whitney Decker later said he 'was quieter than usual.' She advised investigators Travis Decker had been diagnosed a few years ago with borderline personality disorder, which the Cleveland Clinic describes as involving 'extreme mood fluctuations, instability in interpersonal relationships and impulsivity.' Travis Decker had served in the US Army for eight years, an Army spokesperson said. He is in the Washington National Guard, facing discipline for missing required drills, a Guard spokesperson said. CNN has reached out to the Department of Veterans Affairs about whether Decker has sought treatment for mental illness through its facilities. Decker had refused to sign his and Whitney's most recent parenting agreement, which required him to seek mental health treatment and anger management, she told Wenatchee Police. He was homeless at the time of his disappearance, she said, living in motels and campgrounds. Whitney Decker called police after her ex-husband failed to show up with their daughters as planned at 8 p.m. on May 30. The custody agreement does not allow Travis Decker to keep the children overnight. The children were discovered three days later with plastic bags over their heads, their wrists tied. The cause of death was suffocation, the medical examiner said. 'Whitney is living every mother's worst nightmare,' family friend Amy Edwards said in a statement released by Whitney Decker's attorney. 'The hole in her heart is immeasurable. There are no words that can capture the weight of this loss.' CNN's Alaa Elassar and Amanda Jackson contributed to this report.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Newark mayor says prosecutors tried to ‘humilate' him by forcing redo of fingerprints and mugshot
Ras Baraka, the Democratic mayor of Newark, said federal prosecutors were seeking to 'humiliate and degrade' him by making him give fingerprints and have a mugshot taken for a second time on Thursday. The move came after a court appearance on a trespassing charge stemming from his arrest at an immigration detention center where he was protesting with several members of Congress. The charges against Baraka have unfolded amid fears that the Trump administration is seeking to prosecute Democratic politicians, judges or others who have opposed its policies. Related: New Jersey mayor to continue fight against Ice detention center after arrest Baraka appeared in court for a roughly 15-minute procedural hearing before magistrate judge André Espinosa. The hearing covered mostly scheduling for discovery in the case, which stemmed from an encounter on Friday outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention center. Assistant prosecutor Stephen Demanovich said the government disputed Baraka's claims that he committed no crime and was invited on to the facility's property. Confusion over whether Baraka had been fingerprinted and processed after his arrest unfolded after the judge brought the proceedings to a close. As the parties began to walk away, the judge added that the mayor would need to be processed by the US Marshals Service and that it would take 10 minutes. Baraka, looking confused, said he had already been processed after his arrest. The judge said 'agents' had processed him but not the marshals. 'Let's go,' Baraka said, before indicating he would go with the marshals. Speaking to a crowd of supporters outside court, Baraka addressed why it took him a while to emerge from the building. 'They're trying their best to humiliate and degrade me as much as they possibly can,' he said. 'I feel like what we did was completely correct. We did not violate any laws. We stood up for the constitution of this country, the constitution of the state of New Jersey.' The trespassing charge against Baraka carries a maximum sentence of 30 days in prison. One of Baraka's attorney's, Rahul Agarwal, said the defense expected to seek to dismiss the charges because the mayor was arrested by federal agents on private property. He added that it was a 'selective prosecution' and that only the mayor had been arrested. Demanovich said the government disputed that but did not go into detail. Baraka has been an outspoken opponent of Donald Trump's immigration crackdown and a vocal opponent of the facility's opening. In video of the Friday altercation shared with the Associated Press, a federal official in a jacket with the homeland security investigations logo can be heard telling Baraka he could not enter because 'you are not a Congress member'. Baraka then left the secure area, rejoining protesters on the public side of the gate. Video showed him speaking through the gate to a man in a suit, who said: 'They're talking about coming back to arrest you.' Related: Trump officials 'created confrontation' that led to arrest of Newark mayor 'I'm not on their property. They can't come out on the street and arrest me,' Baraka replied. Minutes later, several Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agents, some wearing face coverings, surrounded him and others on the public side. Baraka was dragged back through the gate in handcuffs. Delaney Hall is a two-storey building next to a county prison and formerly operated as a halfway house. In February, Immigration and Customs Enforcement awarded a 15-year contract to the Geo Group Inc to run the detention center. Politicians and activists have said facility has been reopened in contravention of local ordinances and without the necessary permits. It is the largest such facility in the north-eastern US, and the first to open during Trump's second term, according to Ice. A trial date for Baraka has not yet been set. The Associated Press contributed reporting
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
What we know about Derrick Groves, the convicted double murderer still on the run after escaping a New Orleans jail
When Derrick Groves, 27, was convicted in October of killing two people, his sentence was supposed to bring relief to New Orleans and renewed confidence in law enforcement. 'The days of Derrick Groves bullying and brutalizing this community are over,' FBI Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil said at the time. But less than a year later, Groves, who later pleaded guilty to battery of a correctional officer, broke out of jail with nine other men and escaped into the dark New Orleans night. Two weeks later, Groves and Antoine Massey, another inmate with a history of escaping custody, are still on the run. A video posted online appears to show Massey declaring his innocence. The US Marshals Service received the video Monday and is looking into it, Deputy US Marshal Brian Fair told CNN. In the video, Massey described himself as 'one of the ones that was let out' of the jail 'where they said I escaped.' 'As far as declaring his innocence, he's going to have to come in to take care of that,' Fair said. Here's what we know about Groves, a man with a violent past whose escape has drawn controversial support. Groves' criminal record dates back to 2014, when he was charged for attempted second-degree murder at age 17. He was eventually found not guilty, according to court records. Last October, Groves was convicted for the second time in the killing of two people on Mardi Gras Day in 2018. After his initial conviction in 2019, a new law calling for unanimous verdicts forced Groves into a second trial — which ended in a mistrial due to a juror reading media reports about the case. A third trial ended in a deadlock, and Groves was finally convicted again last year after a fourth trial, the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office detailed in a news release about the conviction. Groves was determined to be one of two gunmen who opened fire with AK-47-style assault rifles 'on what should have been a joyous Mardi Gras family gathering,' according to the DA's office. Groves was found guilty of two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Jamar Robinson and Byron Jackson and two counts of attempted second-degree murder for the shooting of two other victims, charges that carry a life sentence, the district attorney said. Prosecutors used social media to help convict Groves, indicating that his online activity 'played a chilling role' in their case. Groves' posted on social media days after the killings showing his familiarity with the weapons used in the incident, according to the DA's office. He 'brazenly boasted about the violence' and even took credit for the killings, officials said. Three witnesses also 'courageously' testified, identifying Groves and his co-defendant as the gunmen, the DA's office said. 'Groves routinely used violence to lash out and silence witnesses or 'snitches,'' Myrthil said at the time. 'There was no doubt in the minds of anyone involved in this case that Groves would continue his bloody rampage on the streets of New Orleans if he weren't stopped. We hope this guilty verdict and the life sentence that accompanies it will give the community renewed confidence and hope in law enforcement.' Because of delays caused by Groves' attorney being suspended from practicing law and the judge in the case recusing herself, Groves was still awaiting sentencing for that conviction at the Orleans Justice Center when he escaped, Keith D. Lampkin, a spokesman for the DA's office, detailed. In April 2024, before his conviction in the double murder, Groves was charged with battery of a correctional facility employee. He pleaded guilty in that case, court records show. After Groves' escape, prosecutors and witnesses associated with the double murder left town 'out of an abundance of caution,' Lampkin told CNN. He did not elaborate. Groves' aunt, Jasmine Groves, told CNN affiliate WDSU that she wants her nephew to turn himself in and that she hopes deadly force will not be used to get him back into custody. She told the station that her family does not know where her nephew is and that the days since his escape have been a nightmare. Jasmine Groves added that Groves' mother was taken from her home against her will by law enforcement officials. US Marshals confirmed to WDSU that they went to Groves' mother's home to question her. 'For my family, it's been like reliving a constant nightmare that we relived throughout these whole 30 years,' she said. Groves is the grandson of Kim Groves, who was killed in a notorious murder-for-hire plot in the Ninth Ward in 1994, the DA's office said. She was a 32-year-old mother of three when the hit was ordered by New Orleans Police Department Officer Len Davis, WDSU reported. This time around, many of the social media posts about Groves have come from supporters, some of whom seem to reference his grandmother's death at the hands of a police officer as a reason to extend him sympathy. 'DERRICK GROVES is the only inmate i dont blame for what he did to qo to jail i hope he neva qet cauqht,' one X user wrote. 'I pray Derrick Groves is never found …safe travels!' another posted. Another X user shared the hashtags '#StayFreeWoo #Groves #JusticeForKimGroves.' The DA's office did not have any comment on the social media support for Groves. He indicated, however, that any suggestion that Groves' crimes were in response to or retaliation for his grandmother's death is 'newly generated urban myth.' CNN's Zoe Sottile, Sarah Dewberry and Karina Tsui contributed to this report.
