A federal helicopter searched in Kittitas County, Washington, overnight for Travis Decker, a man accused of killing his three daughters at a campground near Leavenworth earlier this month.
Between 8:30 p.m. Monday and 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, a UH-72A Lakota Eurocopter flew repeated search patterns north of the intersection of State Route 97 and State Route 970, in the Teanaway Valley foothills area, My NorthWest reports.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, the Wenatchee Police Department said officers discovered 9-year-old Paityn Decker, 8-year-old Evelyn Decker, and 5-year-old Olivia Decker dead near the Rock Island Campground on June 2.
Police suspect that Decker killed them during a planned visitation and then fled the area.
Investigators found the girls roughly 75 to 100 yards down an embankment, with zip ties and plastic bags scattered nearby. Court documents stated that the girls’ wrists were or appeared to be zip-tied, and each had a bag over her head, indicating they had been suffocated.
Courtroom audio released earlier this week revealed that Decker pleaded for visitation rights to his child during a September cour hearing.
“Every time I’ve had the girls, we have been in campsites and national forests and paid campsites that have campers. We’ve never done anything that was unsafe or anything I wouldn’t want to put myself in,” Decker said in the audio.
Decker didn’t have a permanent home, and would often sleep in his truck, or at campgrounds and motels
“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. “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.”
A judge then allowed Decker to see his children every other weekend, and only during the day. Decker then allegedly kidnapped and killed the children during one of the custody visits. Their mother reported them missing on May 30 after he failed to return them, NewsNation reports.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Marshals Service announced a reward of up to $20,000 for information that leads to Decker’s arrest. He’s wanted on three counts of murder.
Decker is described as a white male who stands 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs around 190 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes, and was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts.
“Due to safety concerns, do not attempt to contact or approach Decker,” police previously said of Decker, a former Army ranger with extensive military training.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact the CCSO tip line at 509-667-6845 or submit information online at https://www.co.chelan.wa.us/sheriff/forms/submit-a-tip.
Check back for updates.
[Feature Photo via Whitney Decker/Facebook]
