After a weekslong manhunt, authorities in Washington state said they don’t have evidence that a man accused of killing his three young daughters “remains alive or in this area.”
Despite this, the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office said they will continue looking for the suspect, Travis Caleb Decker, according to a Monday press release. Decker is wanted on three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping.
“At this time, there is no certain evidence that Decker remains alive or in this area. Seemingly strong early leads gave way to less convincing proofs over the last two weeks of searching,” the sheriff’s office said, noting that detectives have looked into dozens of potential sightings and leads. “Still, we can’t and won’t quit this search; Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker deserve justice. And Decker remains a danger to the public as long as he’s at large.”
“Some search resources are being redirected to find and recover Decker if he died in the rugged wilderness during this intense search—a possibility that increases every day,” the sheriff’s office added.
Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia Decker, 5, were found dead on June 2, days after their mother, Whitney Decker, reported them missing when they didn’t come back from a “planned visitation” with their dad.
