Human remains found this week in dense woods south of Leavenworth – just a few miles from the campground where the girls’ bodies were found – could spell the end of a manhunt that stretched deep into the remote wilderness and included false alarms across states where tipsters thought they had spotted Travis Decker.
“While positive identification has not yet been confirmed, preliminary findings suggest the remains belong to Travis Decker,” the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office said in a Thursday statement.
Decker – an Army veteran skilled in wilderness survival – had been on the loose since May 30, when he failed to bring his daughters home after what was supposed to be a three-hour custody visit.
Three days later, the bodies of 5-year-old Olivia, 8-year-old Evelyn and 9-year-old Paityn were found with plastic bags over their heads at an abandoned campsite in the Washington Cascades.
After the gruesome discovery in a remote, picturesque region known for hiking and camping, Decker’s truck was found June 2, abandoned in the area of Rock Island Campground. His daughters’ bodies were nearly 100 yards away down a small embankment, along with zip ties and plastic bags found strewn throughout the area, according to a police affidavit.
Authorities also found a bloody fingerprint on the truck’s tailgate, as well as Decker’s dog, which was taken to a humane society for care.
DNA samples obtained from the bags and cable ties found near the girls’ bodies matched the profile for Decker, the sheriff’s office said. No other DNA was found on the bags or the cable ties, authorities said at the time...
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