Forensic tests confirmed that human remains found on a remote mountain in Washington state earlier this month were those of Travis Decker, a fugitive father accused of killing his three young daughters, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.
His remains were discovered last week on a steep remote wooded slope partway up Grindstone Mountain in central Washington, less than 1.6 kilometres from the campsite where the bodies of nine-year-old Paityn Decker, eight-year-old Evelyn Decker and five-year-old Olivia Decker were found on June 2, police said.
Decker, 32, has been wanted by police since June 2 after a sheriff’s deputy found his truck and the bodies of his three daughters at a campground after they attended a planned visit with their dad. His daughters’ bodies were found with their hands zip-tied and bags over their heads.
Decker had failed to return his daughters to their mother’s home in Wenatchee following the scheduled visit in May.
DNA tests on clothing found at the scene and from the remains matched Decker, Sheriff Mike Morrison said Thursday during a news conference.
“We can finally bring a close to this dark chapter of Chelan County,” Morrison said. “He is deceased, our DNA results confirm that, and this will bring a close to our case.”
Officials say the coroner’s office continues to work on determining the cause and time of his death.
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“You’re looking at one of the largest manhunts in Chelan County history, one of the most horrific crimes we’ve seen in Chelan County, and we’re glad to put it behind us,” Morrison said.
The sheriff said investigators wanted to honour the girls’ memory by solving the case, and apologized to their mother, Whitney Decker, for how long it took.
“I hope you can rest easier at night knowing that Travis is accounted for,” Morrison said, adding that he knows the announcement of Decker being dead is “not going to bring Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia back.”
“Nothing we can do is going to reverse this travesty and bring her daughters back.”
When Decker’s remains were first discovered, a lawyer for Decker’s ex-wife said the family was “praying that the remains found are confirmed to be Travis’.”
“We continue to be grateful for law enforcement’s efforts in this case and are forever appreciative of the entire world’s love, compassion, and support for Whitney,” said Arianna Cozart, the lawyer for Whitney Decker.
On June 11, Chelan County police said they were “closing in” on Decker nine days after his daughters were found dead.
Police had warned that as a former member of the U.S. army, Decker had been trained in survival skills and navigation, giving him the tools to survive in Washington’s unforgiving wilderness for an extended period.
In June, it was reported that a U.S. Marshals Service affidavit said that Decker had searched “how does a person move to canada,” “how to relocate to canada” and “jobs canada” in the days leading up to his daughters’ deaths.
The affidavit noted that the children’s remains were found “relatively close to the Canadian border and approximately 11 miles from the Pacific Crest Trail, a well-established trail that leads directly to Canada.”
The charges against Decker included three counts of first-degree murder, one count of kidnapping and a charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
The affidavit pointed out that the charges against Decker “are all very serious violent felonies which all carry significant prison sentences if convicted,” and that “those facing significant prison sentences have a propensity” to flee.
— With files from The Associated Press
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