Local officials have announced that Travis Decker, a suspect in a child murder case, has been found, though they stress it is based on “circumstantial evidence.” The confirmation of his “death” was made during a trial on Tuesday, which subsequently dismissed a related case involving a homeless father.
This declaration relies on the discovery of two feet, femurs, and vertebrae found on September 18, situated near the clothing of a missing father, within a forested area roughly a mile away from where the body of the girl was discovered back in June.
The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office noted that recent reports indicated the matter was closed, with officials stating that the body belonged to a troubled Army veteran. They mentioned their need to exercise caution in confirming Mr. Decker’s status.
The statement from the agency indicated that they were not in a position to definitively affirm Decker’s identity. While DNA testing had confirmed that Decker’s clothing was found, there was no conclusive evidence linking him to the nearby bones.
Coroner Wayne Harris relayed to a news outlet that “there is no scientific confirmation that that is” Decker. He expressed concerns about relying on circumstantial evidence in this case, emphasizing that scientific evidence is essential for any formal identification. The DNA testing process is still ongoing.
The remains were located less than a mile from where Decker’s three daughters were discovered on June 2, situated close to his father’s vehicle at the Rock Island campground.
Tragically, the three Decker girls—Paichin, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5—were found with plastic bags over their heads and zip ties around their wrists just days after their father took them for what was supposed to be a custody visit. Their deaths triggered a significant three-month manhunt for Decker.
