COPS hunting for fugitive dad Travis Decker have reportedly found bones as they searched a campground near to where he allegedly killed his daughters.
Former military man Decker has been at large for three months, with cops no closer to finding him.
FBI Seattle agents and other cops seen searching a Washington campground in the hunt for fugitive Travis Decker[/caption]
Police closed off trails as part of the two-day search[/caption]
He’s accused of killing his three children during a custody visit in late May.
Investigators do not know if he’s dead or alive, compounding his mystery disappearance further.
This week, FBI investigators combed the Rock Island Campground in Leavenworth, Washington – an area which is around four miles from where Decker allegedly carried out the killings.
His daughters Paityn, nine Evelyn, eight and Olivia, five, were found dead zip-tied with plastic bags over their heads.
Cops from different agencies – federal, state and local – combed around one million square meters.
The FBI has taken over the expansive search for Decker.
The two-day search was reportedly the largest ever carried out in the Leavenworth area.
And, more than 100 officers were involved in the search effort.
Bones were reportedly spotted in an area of the forest, as reported by Source One News.
But, it’s not known if the bones were human. They will be examined by analysts.
Cops also found remains of what appeared to be an overdose victim, Wenatchee World reporter Jenni Rodas told the Fox affiliate KCPQ-TV.
Several items were recovered from the campground, according to W. Mike Herrington, of the FBI Seattle field office.
But, it’s not known if they are linked to Decker.
“Finding this potential evidence emphasizes the value in having various teams search an area multiple times, especially in such challenging conditions,” Herrington said.
Barriers blocking off trails were erected as investigators carried out the search.
The area outside the campground has since reopened.
Cops are not giving up their hunt to find Decker.
Mike Morrison, the Chelan County Sheriff, warned investigators will not “relent.”
And, he warned Decker must be perfect to avoid capture.
“He’s got to be perfect every single day,” Morrison said.
“We just have to be perfect once.”
The top cop said investigators want to bring “closure” to the case.
Morrison also said the alleged killer must be “pretty tired” if he’s still alive.
Timeline of the missing Decker girls
Paityn, 9; Evelyn, 8; and Olivia Decker, 5, were found dead at a campground after they were last seen on a custody visit to their dad.
Below is a timeline of events:
May 29: Cell phone activity shows that the girls’ dad, Travis Decker, drove to the Rock Island Campground and left.
May 30: 5 pm – Travis Decker picks the three girls up from their mom, Whitney Decker.
8 pm – Travis Decker is supposed to return the girls but doesn’t. Whitney Decker calls him and it goes to voicemail.
9:45 pm – Whitney Decker calls the Wenatchee Police Department to report her daughters missing.
Travis Decker’s truck is seen driving westbound on Highway 2.
Washington State Patrol is contacted for an Amber Alert but said the situation didn’t match their criteria.
May 31 : WPD issues an Endangered Missing Persons Alert.
June 2: 3:45 pm – Travis Decker’s truck is found empty at Rock Island Campground with two bloody handprints and items inside.
5 pm – Cops search the area and find the bodies of the three girls.
June 3: 9:30 am – Cops notify the public that they are still searching for Decker.
2 pm – WPD tells the public that the three girls were found dead and that Travis Decker is still on the loose.
June 8: Federal authorities take over search efforts.
June 9: Autopsy results confirm three girls were murdered by suffocation.
June 13: An affidavit revealed Whitney described Travis as having “recent mental health concerns.”
“She provided the examples of randomly leaving or waking her up by screaming at her in the middle of the night,” it read.
“She also said near the end of the marriage he was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder that she believes he currently does not take medications for.”
June 17: New audio of Travis in court fighting for custody of his daughters is released.
“I understand that my current position when I’m by myself isn’t ideal, but my daughters aren’t a part of that,” he said in September 2024.
“I only get to see them over the weekends and camping is something that the four of us have done since the three of them were in diapers.”
June 20: Memorial is held where Whitney speaks publicly about girls for first time.
July 5: A family spotted a man believed to be Travis Decker in the Sawtooth National Forest in Idaho.
July 9: US Marshals call off the search in Sawtooth National Forest after locating and questioning the man believed to be Travis Decker and confirming it isn’t him.
August 25: FBI agents announce they are conducting a two-day grid search of the heavily wooded area near Rock Island Campground.
“If it’s not me wearing this uniform, it’s another Chelan County Sheriff. We will find him, in one fashion or another,” the sheriff said.
Before cops searched the campsite, police revealed they had evidence that linked Decker’s DNA to the bags his children were found in.
The Decker girls were found dead – days after they were collected by Travis for a planned custody visit.
The trio was collected on May 30 at around 5pm but failed to return to their mom Whitney hours later.
On June 2, cops found Decker’s empty truck at the campsite with two bloody handprints and items inside.
They then discovered the Decker girls’ bodies.
Coroners later revealed that the victims died from suffocation.
Decker has been on the run ever since and cops probed alleged sightings.
But, the alleged sightings failed to result in a conclusive lead.
Cops released fresh images of Decker in July, but this didn’t lead to a capture.
Amid police’s growing frustration, Morrison speculated that Decker may have a helper which has allowed him to avoid capture.
“Certainly, [there’s the] potential that he could have someone that was just more sympathetic to him and is providing him assistance,” he told People earlier this month.
“We put the message out that we don’t think that’s a wise decision, but we get that everyone’s going to make their own choices.”
Decker faces charges of kidnapping and murder.
Cops have confirmed he is the only suspect in the case.
There is a $20,000 reward on offer for information leading to his arrest.
He should still be considered armed and dangerous, according to cops.
Decker remains at large – 3 months after allegedly killing his daughters[/caption]
Olivia, Evelyn and Paityn Decker’s bodies were found in a rural Washington campground – days after a planned custody visit[/caption]
The girls were found with plastic bags on their heads[/caption]
