Authorities in Idaho say that a family that reported seeing accused child murderer Travis Decker “accurately” described Travis Decker’s tattoos, and additional tips have since corroborated that family’s potential sighting.
Decker is accused of killing his three young daughters, leaving them dead in a Washington state campground where he had appparently taken them on a planned visitation, as CrimeOnline previously reported.
He had lost the right to overnight visits, but on May 29, he didn’t bring the children back to their mother’s that evening. She reported them missing the next day, but police didn’t put out an Amber Alert despite the concerns about Decker’s behavior.
On June 2, the bodies of 9-year-old Paityn, 8-year-old Evelyn, and 5-year-old Olivia were found, but Decker was in the wind, leaving behind his truck. A massive manhunt has been under way since.
US Marshals released information about the potential sighting in Sawtooth National Forest in Idaho earlier this week. Speaking to KCPQ, Surpervisory Deputy US Marshal Michael Leigh said the tipster “described his tattoos pretty accurately, and it’s believed they had not seen previous pictures of those tattoos.”
“And since putting out the media releases, we received additional tips — corroborate the eyewitnesses’ encounter with potentially Travis Decker,” he added.
Leigh said that the man now believed to have been Decker “didn’t make eye contact.”
“He was on an ATV/ UTV trail,” he said. “It’s not frequented by a lot of foot traffic and hikers. And so it was his demeanor and the area that he was in that made it seem a little suspicious. Tipsters also described his long ponytail, and un-groomed facial hair.”
Leigh said a multi-agency search is now focusing on the Idaho area where the tip came in, and authorities are asking people
Transcript of KCPQ’s interview with Leigh:
David Rose, FOX 13 Seattle: There is a fresh lead in the search for Travis Decker, the man accused in the horrific murders of his three daughters near a Leavenworth campground. Some have reported a possible sighting in Idaho. A family reported the tip on July 5th after visiting the Bear Creek Campground in the Sawtooth National Forest, east of Boise. Authorities now confirm they do believe Decker is armed and should be considered dangerous. I spoke with Michael Leigh, Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal, who is in Idaho. What can you tell us about this tip that came in over the weekend about the sighting that you believe is Travis Decker?
Michael Leigh, Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal: Well, this weekend on Saturday we had a tipster report seeing someone who matched the description of Travis Decker. They described his tattoos pretty accurately, and it’s believed they had not seen previous pictures of those tattoos. And since putting out the media releases, we received additional tips, corroborate the eyewitnesses encounter with potentially Travis Decker.
Rose: What did they say about his behavior in the tip? How was he acting?
Leigh: He didn’t make eye contact. He was on an ATV, UTV trail. It’s not frequented by a lot of foot traffic and hikers. And so it was his demeanor and the area that he was in that made it seem a little suspicious. Tipsters also described his long ponytail, and un-groomed facial hair.
Rose: I thought it was interesting in your description that you said he has a history of hitchhiking. That’s the first time I’d heard that. Can you tell us more about that? Do you think that’s how he (could have) got to Idaho from Washington state?
Leigh: That’d be hard to speculate. I think it’s more of a general caution for those that are in that area just as a public service announcement to be vigilant and not pick up any hitchhikers. I can’t, there’s nothing that’s telling me, and I’m not there. As you know, Dave, I’m a couple hundred miles from Boise, not on scene, and so my information could be a little delayed. But we are cautioning those around there not to pick up anybody – any strangers and to report and just to be mindful of those around them. What kind of terrain are we talking about in that area? Oh, Sawtooth? it’s pretty rugged. It’s going to be hard for anybody to navigate those areas, especially for longer distances and for longer durations. It’s going to present challenges just like over in Chelan County.
Rose: What kind of resources are you flooding into that area? I know time is of the essence. He’s had a couple of days since the tip, so what’s the best chance of catching him now?
Leigh: So we have a multi-agency response, similar to what you saw in Chelan County in Wenatchee. We have US Forest Service officers, the Camas County Sheriff’s Office, and then our task force made up of multiple different agencies. And we also have Customs Border Patrol out with us, multiple air assets and resources, and additional U.S. Marshals Service aerial assets are also inbound to include our Special Operations Group. They’re standing by to deploy. Now they’re set up for more rural operations and manhunts based on their training and the equipment and gear and things of that nature to sustain in that environment over the long haul.
Rose: We’ll keep putting this photo out there and asking for tips. Send tips to the U.S. Marshals hotline. I know you’re offering that $20,000 reward. Thank you for your time today. We’ll catch back with you in a couple of days, see how things are going. U.S. Supervisory Deputy, U.S. Marshal Michael Leigh.
The U.S. Marshals Service urges anyone with information on Decker’s whereabouts to contact their nearest U.S. Marshals office, the U.S. Marshal Service Communication Center at 1-800-336-0102, or submit tips online at www.usmarshals.gov/tips.
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[Featured image: Decker children/Facebook]
