Editor’s note: Details in this story may be disturbing for some readers.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Court documents reveal disturbing details in the case of a father accused of killing his three daughters in central Washington state as the manhunt for him continues into Thursday.
Travis Decker took his three daughters, ages 9, 8 and 5, during a parental visit on Friday but never returned them to their mother in Wenatchee.
The three girls were eventually found dead on Monday at a campground near Leavenworth, Washington.
Decker is currently wanted on suspicion of murder.
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Chelan County authorities on Wednesday evening said federal agents are assisting in the search for Decker, who was formerly in the U.S. Army and has extensive training. However, officials said it’s unclear whether he’s armed.
“We do consider him to be a threat towards the community,” Chelan Sheriff Mike Morrison said during a press conference Wednesday evening, adding that Decker is “well-versed in outdoor survival.” Police also urged locals to avoid the entire Icicle Gorge area while the search for Decker continues.
“And we will not rest until Travis is located,” the sheriff said.
He then addressed Decker directly: “Travis, if you’re listening, this is your opportunity to turn yourself in. Do the right thing. Do what you need to do. Take accountability for your actions.”
This undated photo provided by the Wenatchee Police Department shows Travis Decker, who is wanted for murder after his three young daughters were reported missing and then found dead. (Wenatchee Police Department via AP)
According to probable cause documents filed in the Chelan Superior Court, authorities were first alerted by the girls’ mother just after 9:30 p.m. on Friday that Decker never brought them home at the agreed-upon time of 8 p.m., based on their current parenting plan.
The girls’ mother “expressed concern because Decker reportedly has never done this before and further noted he is experiencing some mental health issues,” the affidavit stated.
The Wenatchee Police detective who filed the probable cause affidavit noted that the girls’ mother shared with the responding officer that Decker didn’t have a stable home and “is considered homeless.” He was known to stay in hotels and motels and at campgrounds, she said.
A records search for Decker’s truck revealed that the vehicle had been involved in crashes on May 4 and May 27. It was also recorded by automatic license plate readers going northbound on the Wenatchee Bridge around 5:41 p.m. on Friday.
The responding officer, identified in the document as Corporal Gonzalez, “noted this was likely after Decker picked up his daughters and suspected he may be headed to a hotel or campground in the north end,” according to the affidavit.
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Gonzalez checked with a park ranger at Confluence State Park, who confirmed Decker was not registered to stay at any campsite, and another police officer was not able to locate Decker’s truck in East Wenatchee. Officers told the mother to call law enforcement if Decker appeared.
On Saturday, a Wenatchee detective met with the mother, who told him she and Decker had been married for about seven years and had been divorced for a few years since then, according to the court documents.
The divorce was civil. At the time, Decker wasn’t homeless and had been granted overnight visits, according to the affidavit.
“However, when he lost housing, the parenting plan was readdressed to accommodate accordingly. [The girls’ mother] denied any domestic violence during their marriage, but did mention moments of power or control he used. She provided the examples of randomly leaving or waking her up by screaming at her in the middle of the night. She also said near the end of the marriage he was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder that she believes he currently does not take medications for,” the affidavit stated.
When he came to pick the girls up on Friday, their mother told detectives that “Decker was quieter than usual which was out of character,” according to an affidavit filed on June 2.
An updated affidavit filed on Tuesday noted the girls had been found in the afternoon on Monday after their father’s truck was found by law enforcement near the Rock Island Campground close to Leavenworth.
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The girls were found close to the truck and showed signs of being zip-tied before being asphyxiated by plastic bags, according to a preliminary examination reported in the affidavit.
Decker faces three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of first-degree kidnapping.
