People who live or own cabins in remote areas of several Washington state counties have been urged to lock their doors — including locking up sheds — while a search for a dad accused of murdering his three daughters continues in the area.
The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office wants residents in Chelan, Kittitas, King, Snohomish and Okanagan counties to be aware that Travis Decker, 32, remains missing. They also asked people in remote areas to leave their blinds open and keep outside lights turned on while authorities conduct their searches.
“Please know that law enforcement professionals are patrolling at all hours, in all spaces throughout this region,” the sheriff’s office said.
Police said earlier that Decker is well-versed in wilderness survival and is able to spend days at a time off the grid with little equipment.
Decker, a former Army soldier, is accused of killing his three girls, ages 9, 8 and 5. Their bodies were found near a campground in central Washington on Monday, three days after the girls’ mother reported to Wenatchee police that Decker had not returned the girls on time following a planned visit. Decker’s unoccupied pickup truck was also found.
The girl’s mother told police she had tried to call Decker multiple times and said the calls went straight to voicemail.
Authorities have executed search warrants around the area, as well as on Decker’s electronic devices, the sheriff’s office said Thursday. Investigators did not say what they found, but noted that “new information” has provided more leads to follow up on.
Recent Ring camera footage and photos of Decker have also been released. The search has led to the closure of the Enchantments — a region in the Cascade Mountain Range with hiking and stunning landscapes. The region and surrounding areas are closed until at least June 18 or further notice, the sheriff’s office said.
Decker is described as 5 feet, 8 inches, tall and 190 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts, according to authorities. Police said earlier that it wasn’t clear if Decker was armed.
Leave a Reply