Washington police said U.S. Marshals hastily declared a missing fugitive dead after unidentified remains were discovered last week.
Chelan County Sheriff’s Office told KIRO that U.S. Marshals “jumped the gun” by filing paperwork on Tuesday which deemed Travis Decker deceased. The filing sought to drop the criminal case against Decker, who allegedly killed his three daughters and fled.
On September 19, decomposed remains were reportedly found on Grindstone Mountain, in a wooded area south of Leavenworth. Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison reportedly requested various forensic tests from the Washington State Patrol’s crime lab — including tests on a partial spinal column, two femurs, two feet, and clothing discovered alongside the human remains. The clothes undergoing testing are Army Ranger shorts, a shirt, and a bracelet.
The unidentified remains were discovered in a wooded area less than a mile from the Rock Island Campground, where 9-year-old Paityn Decker, 8-year-old Evelyn Decker, and 5-year-old Olivia Decker’s bodies were found on June 2.
All three girls had plastic bags over their heads — two of the girls had two bags over their heads, and the third had three bags.
Police suspect that Decker killed his three daughters during a planned visitation and then fled. DNA analysis confirmed the former Army soldier was the only suspect in the slayings — as the DNA on the bags only belonged to him or his daughters.
Near the crime scene, Decker’s truck was found abandoned with bloody handprints on the tailgate. Decker’s cellphone allegedly placed him in the vicinity when his daughters were last seen.
U.S. Marshals said a dive team discovered a key fob in Icicle Creek, hundreds of yards downstream from where the three girls’ bodies were located. The key fob resembled a fob belonging to Decker’s truck, according to KIRO.
An arrest warrant was issued for Decker in June. At the time, he was wanted for three counts of first-degree aggravated murder and three counts of first-degree kidnapping.
Police said DNA results are expected in the next few days.
* Additional reporting by Leigh Egan
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[Feature Photo: Wenatchee police]
