Disturbing reason autopsy can't be carried out on father accused of murdering three daughters

Warning: This article contains graphic details of the case which some readers may find distressing

As police confirmed the remains they found in a wooded area of Washington State were those of Travis Decker, a coroner has revealed the chilling reason why an autopsy is not possible.

The 32-year-old was accused of murdering his three young daughters - nine-year-old Paityn, eight-year-old Evelyn and five-year-old Olivia - after their bodies were discovered at Rock Island Campground, about an hour from their family home in Wenatchee.

Their wrists were zip-tied together and each had plastic bags over their heads.

Authorities say their father, a former Army veteran, was supposed to return the girls to their mother on May 30 under a court order, but he never showed.

A large-scale search was launched, and just days later, on June 2, the tragic discovery of the girls' bodies was made at the remote campsite.

Sisters Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia were believed to have been murdered by their father, Travis Decker (Handout)

Their dad remained at large for months and was wanted on charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping.

Now, four months on from their initial disappearance, Decker's corpse was located last week, with Chelan County Sheriff's Office confirming 'human remains were located in a remote wooded area south of the town of Leavenworth'.

Despite the recovery of his remains, authorities say there isn’t enough evidence to carry out an autopsy on his body, with Chelan County Coroner Wayne Harris explaining that due to the condition of what was found, 'it is possible that the answers to the questions of how and when he died will never be known'.

Officials confirmed that Decker’s head and torso are still missing, and no biological tissue was recovered at the scene.

The coroner added that only a limited number of bones were located, which he linked to the length of time Decker had been dead, the hot summer weather, and local wildlife activity.

In a grim discovery, his remains were scattered across five separate areas, several hundred yards apart.

A state anthropologist ruled out any obvious bone fractures that would point to a fall, but investigators admit it’s unlikely they’ll ever truly know what happened to Decker.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison confirmed the remains were those of Decker's.

Decker's remains have been discovered months on from him going on the run (Wenatchee Police Department)

"I stand before you again with news that we have received our DNA results back from the Washington State patrol's crime lab from the items that were recovered last week," he told reporters.

"That would be the clothing and also the human remains. We are glad to say that those remains do come back as a positive match for Travis Decker. It's a big day for Chelan County Sheriff's Office, all of our federal partners that we can finally bring a close to this dark chapter of Chelan County.

"Certainly pay respects to the deaths of Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia. We want to show honor to them, let them know that we never forgot about them - we haven't forgot about their family."

If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].