DNA Confirms Travis Decker’s Remains, Closing Tragic Case of Daughters’ Murders in Washington

WENATCHEE, Wash. – Forensic tests have definitively confirmed that human remains discovered earlier this month in a remote Washington mountain region belong to Travis Decker, the former soldier wanted in connection with the tragic killings of his three young daughters last spring. Officials announced the DNA match on Thursday, bringing a definitive end to a more than three-month-long manhunt.

Decker’s remains were located on a steep, wooded slope on Grindstone Mountain in central Washington, less than a mile from the campsite where the bodies of 9-year-old Paityn, 8-year-old Evelyn, and 5-year-old Olivia Decker were found on June 2. The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office had previously announced the discovery of suspected human remains last week, pending forensic verification.

Sheriff Mike Morrison expressed hope that the confirmation would bring some solace to the girls’ mother, Whitney Decker, stating, “I hope you can rest easier at night knowing that Travis is accounted for.” He also apologized for the time it took to resolve the case, emphasizing the investigators’ commitment to honoring the girls’ memory.

Travis Decker, 32, had failed to return his daughters after a scheduled visit. Autopsies later revealed the girls had been suffocated. Decker, an Army infantryman with survival training, had been the subject of an extensive search involving over 100 officials from various state and federal agencies across hundreds of square miles of challenging terrain. The U.S. Marshals Service had offered a reward for information leading to his capture.

The coroner’s office is continuing its work to determine the exact cause and time of Decker’s death.

阅读中文版 (Read Chinese Version)

Disclaimer: This content is aggregated from public sources online. Please verify information independently. If you believe your rights have been infringed, contact us for removal.