Discovery of wanted man's remains confirmed
Recently, human remains were unearthed on a secluded mountainside in Washington state. After extensive forensic testing, the remains have been conclusively identified as those of Travis Decker. Decker, a former military man, had been sought after for the tragic murders of his three little daughters last year.
The remains were discovered on a remote wooded area, located halfway up Grindstone Mountain in the heart of Washington. The location was less than a mile from the campsite where the bodies of three innocent children, 9-year-old Paityn, 8-year-old Evelyn, and 5-year-old Olivia, were tragically found last June.
Search for Decker
For more than three months, law enforcement agencies were tirelessly searching for Decker. The announcement of the discovery of human remains, believed to be Decker's, was made by the sheriff's office last week. The sheriff, Mike Morrison, confirmed on Thursday that DNA tests from clothing at the scene and the remains matched Decker.
Sheriff Morrison expressed the investigators' determination to bring closure to the case, in memory of the three little girls. He extended a heartfelt apology to their mother, Whitney Decker, expressing regret for the time it took to locate Decker. "I hope you can rest easier at night knowing that Travis is accounted for," Morrison stated.
Decker was supposed to return his daughters to his ex-wife after a scheduled visit but failed to do so. His ex-wife had previously voiced concerns about his deteriorating mental health and his increasingly unstable behavior. Decker was often homeless, living out of his truck, leading her to seek legal measures to prevent him from having overnight visits with the girls.
The tragic end of a search
Three days after the girls were not returned to their mother, a deputy located Decker's truck and the bodies of the children. Autopsy reports revealed the girls had been suffocated.
Decker served as an infantryman in the Army from March 2013 to July 2021 and was deployed to Afghanistan for four months in 2014. He was trained in navigation, survival, and other skills, and had once lived in the wilderness for over two months.
Over a hundred officials from various state and federal agencies covered hundreds of square miles in their search for Decker. The rugged and remote terrain was combed by land, water, and air. A reward of up to $20,000 was offered for information leading to his capture. At one point, a tip from hikers led authorities to believe they had spotted Decker near a remote alpine lake.
Work is ongoing to determine the cause and time of Decker's death. With the identification of his remains, one can only hope that the victims' family can start the healing process.