DNA Evidence Pins Travis Decker to Washington Murders of Three Daughters, Police Say

DNA testing by the Washington State Crime Lab has found that the only genetic material on plastic bags placed over the heads of Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia Decker and on cable ties left near their bodies matches that of their father, Travis Decker, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office said. No foreign DNA profiles were detected, reinforcing investigators’ belief that Decker acted alone. The three sisters—aged 9, 8 and 5—were discovered dead on 2 June near Rock Island Campground in central Washington after failing to return from a court-approved visitation that began on 30 May. Autopsies determined suffocation as the cause of death. Court documents describe two girls with two plastic bags over their heads and the third with three; zip ties were recovered at the scene, and a bloody handprint on Decker’s abandoned pickup also matched his DNA. Authorities have searched the surrounding wilderness since early June, but Decker, a former Army soldier with survival training, remains at large. Investigators say they lack evidence indicating whether he is alive or dead, and recent weeks have seen a reduction in leads despite continued coordination among local, state and federal agencies. Decker faces three counts each of first-degree murder and kidnapping and is considered armed and dangerous. The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to his arrest, and officials urge anyone who sees him to call 911 immediately and avoid contact.