The police in central Washington State on Tuesday stepped up their search for a man who they say killed his three young daughters and left them near a campground, where each body was found with a plastic bag over her head.
A preliminary examination suggests the likely cause of death was asphyxiation, according to an affidavit from the police in Wenatchee, where the girls lived with their mother. Their wrists had also apparently been zip-tied, records showed.
Olivia Decker, 5, and her sisters Evelyn, 8, and Paityn, 9, were reported missing last week. The police said they were found dead on Monday near a campground in Chelan County, around 70 miles east of Seattle, prompting a manhunt for their father, Travis Decker, 32.
As of Tuesday night, the authorities had no leads on his location and believed “he could be anywhere within the nation,” Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said at a news conference. “We are searching anywhere and everywhere for him.”
He added that the authorities were unsure if Mr. Decker was currently alive, “but we are taking it that he still out there.” The F.B.I. and the U.S. Marshals Service are helping the local authorities in their search, the police said.
Mr. Decker is facing three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of kidnapping.
The girls’ mother — who is divorced from Mr. Decker — reported them missing around 9:45 p.m. Friday after they did not return from a scheduled visitation with their father. Mr. Decker had picked up the girls at about 5 p.m. Friday and was supposed to have returned them by 8 p.m., according to court documents.
“It was late enough that she felt the need to call police because it was out of the ordinary,” Capt. Brian Chance of the Wenatchee Police Department said.
The girls’ mother told the police that she was concerned because Mr. Decker was “currently experiencing some mental health issues,” according to the affidavit. His wife also told investigators that he had been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and that she believed he was currently not taking medication for it.
Officers searched for Mr. Decker’s last known vehicle, a pickup truck. He was living out of the truck and, at times, in hotels and motels, the police said.
On Monday, the authorities found the truck near the Rock Island campground. A subsequent search led to the discovery of the girls’ bodies nearby, according to court documents.
On Tuesday, officers from several law enforcement agencies continued their search for Mr. Decker, focusing on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. He was last seen driving on a highway on Friday.
Captain Chance said that Mr. Decker’s Army experience makes him dangerous and could help him evade capture. It is unclear whether Mr. Decker is armed, he said, warning against attempts to contact or approach him.
On Friday, the Wenatchee Police Department had requested that an Amber Alert be issued to help find the girls. The Washington State Patrol denied the request, concluding there was not enough evidence to warrant the alert. Mr. Decker had no history of domestic violence, and there were no reports of abuse involving the children. A request requires reasons to believe the children were in imminent danger, the state patrol said.
“We just didn’t have that,” said Chris Loftis, a spokesman for the Washington State Patrol. “Everyone wishes we could turn back the clock.”
An endangered missing person alert — less urgent than an Amber Alert — was issued the next day.
“Were we frustrated?” Captain Chance said. “Yes, probably quite a little bit.”
Asked whether an Amber Alert would have made a difference in the search, Captain Chance declined to speculate.
Susan C. Beachy contributed research and Yan Zhuang contributed reporting.
Mark Walker is an investigative reporter for The Times focused on transportation. He is based in Washington.
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