The police in Washington State on Tuesday stepped up their search for a 32-year-old Wenatchee man who they say killed his three young daughters and left them near a campground in Leavenworth, where each was found with a plastic bag over her head.
“Preliminary examination suggests the likely cause of death” was asphyxiation, according to an affidavit prepared by the Wenatchee Police Department. Their wrists had also apparently been zip-tied, records show.
The three girls — Olivia Decker, 5, and her sisters Evelyn 8, and Paityn, 9 — who were reported missing last week, were found dead on Monday near a campground in Chelan County in Washington State, prompting a manhunt for their father, Travis Decker, who the authorities say is now wanted on murder and kidnapping charges.
The discovery of the bodies came hours after the authorities had narrowed the search based on information they collected over the weekend about their father’s whereabouts.
The girl’s mother — who is divorced from Mr. Decker, who the authorities say is homeless — reported they were missing around 9:45 p.m. Friday after they did not return from a scheduled visitation with their father. Mr. Decker 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.
Officers searched for Mr. Decker’s last known vehicle, a 2017 white GMC Sierra. Mr. Decker was living out of his car and, at times, in hotels and motels, the police said.
The girl’s 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.
On Monday, the authorities found Mr. Decker’s vehicle empty near the Rock Island campgrounds. A subsequent search led to the discovery of the girls’ bodies about 75 to 100 yards from the truck, 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 while investigators pursued leads and credible tips regarding his possible whereabouts. He was last seen driving on a highway on Friday.
Mr. Decker is facing three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of kidnapping.
Captain Chance said that Mr. Decker’s Army experience makes him dangerous and could help him evade capture. It’s unclear whether Mr. Decker is armed, he said, warning against attempts to contact or approach Mr. Decker.
On Friday, the Wenatchee Police Department 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.
In a letter on Tuesday to staff members and students’ families, Superintendent Kory Kalahar of the Wenatchee School District noted that the three girls who were killed had attended Lincoln Elementary School.
“Our thoughts are with the family, the entire Lincoln Elementary community and everyone touched by this situation,” Mr. Kalahar wrote.
Susan C. Beachy contributed research.
Mark Walker is an investigative reporter for The Times focused on transportation. He is based in Washington.
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