Authorities in Washington have expanded searches and closed a number of popular campgrounds and hiking routes along the Pacific Crest Trail, in hopes of locating a former Army soldier suspected of murdering his three daughters.
Travis Caleb Decker, 32, is wanted by authorities for questioning after the bodies of his daughters, Paityn Decker, 9, Evelyn Decker, 8, and Olivia Decker, 5, were found dead at a remote campsite last weekend. Evidence collected at the scene suggests that the girls were zip-tied, according to an affidavit.
Pathology results confirming the time and cause of the girls’ deaths are still pending.
The young girls were first reported missing on the night of May 30 by their mother after Decker failed to return them home following a scheduled visit.
Gov. Bob Ferguson announced Friday that he had ordered the National Guard to aid in the search for the girls, promising, “We will be providing helicopter transportation for law enforcement as they search in remote areas.”
“The brutal murder of these young children has shocked our state,” he later added in a statement on social media. “I’m committed to supporting law enforcement as they seek justice for Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia.”
“Out of an abundance of caution, we have been given notice to, and are working in conjunction with our surrounding counties in the event Mr. Decker moves through the forest into their jurisdiction,” The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
A reward of $20,000 is currently being offered for information that can lead to Decker’s arrest.
Concerns raised for welfare of the girls
Whitney Decker, the girl’s mother and Decker’s ex-wife, wrote in a petition to modify their parenting plan in September, according to the Associated Press, that her ex-husband’s mental health issues had left him increasingly unstable, and he was sleeping in his truck. She sought to end overnight visits until he had adequate accommodation.
“He has made huge sacrifices to serve our country and loves his girls very much, but he has got to get better,” she wrote. “I do not want to keep Travis from the girls at all. ... But I cannot have our girls staying in what is essentially a homeless shelter, at times unsupervised, with dozens of strange men, or staying in a tent or living in his truck with him both in extreme temperatures and unknown areas for their safety.”
Amy Edwards, a former theater teacher for the three girls and a friend of Whitney, launched a fundraiser on behalf of the bereaved mother. She has since raised more than $1 million.
“Their laughter, curiosity, and spirit left a mark on all of us,” Edwards said. “They were the kind of children that everyone rooted for, looked forward to seeing,g and held close in their hearts.”