Authorities issue shocking update on police hunt for dad accused of killing three daughters
Authorities have issued an update on the police hunt for a father who is accused of killing his three daughters in Washington state.
A search that spanned many miles was triggered after Travis Decker's ex-wife Whitney raised the alarm and reported her children missing on May 30 after daughters, Olivia, five, Evelyn, eight, and Paityn, nine, failed to return home from a planned court-ordered visit with their father.
Decker was due to drop their daughters back at their home in Wenatchee, Washington State, but he did not turn up.
Local authorities later confirmed the tragic news that all three of the little girls were found dead at Rock Island Campground on June 2, around 40 miles away from where Decker was meant to drop his children off.
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The girls' cause of death is believed to be asphyxiation, while DNA testing earlier this month revealed Decker is the sole suspect in the case.
The girls' bodies were also found near to their father's white 2017 GMC Sierra truck, with Decker having since been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping, Wenatchee Police Department confirmed.
Decker remains at large nearly three months later, which has sparked a nation-wide manhunt.
However, officials' efforts have been unsuccessful, as police scaled back their search efforts in an update provided last month.
On Monday (August 25), Chelan County Sheriff's Office provided an update on the case, stating the FBI is leading a search for further clues.
Chelan County Sheriff Michael Morrison said in a statement: "Beginning today, Monday, August 25, through Tuesday, August 26, the FBI Seattle Office will be leading federal, state, and local agencies in conducting a coordinated search near Rock Island Campground outside of Leavenworth, Washington.
"This targeted effort will again cover rugged and heavily forested terrain within U.S. Forest Service (USFS) land.
"The areas being searched are extremely challenging with steep hillsides, dense brush, minimal cell service, and unpredictable conditions."
The sheriff official went on to say the search over the past 12 weeks led by Sheriff’s Office Investigative Unit has been 'painstaking and difficult' as they have struggled to find answers.
"At this time, no conclusive evidence has been found to indicate whether Travis Decker is alive or deceased," Morrison added.
Police are continuing to offer an award of up to $20,000 for 'information leading directly to his [Decker's] arrest', while the general public are advised not to approach the suspect if they see him as he could be 'considered armed and dangerous'.
Callum Jones