Federal Authorities Lead Massive Manhunt for Washington Dad in Triple Homicide

Travis Decker, a 32-year-old Army veteran, is the suspect in the suffocation murders of his three daughters, Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia, whose bodies were found at a Washington state campground. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office confirmed the cause of death as suffocation and ruled the manner as homicide, with evidence including blood samples from the scene, some male and some nonhuman, undergoing further analysis. After a week-long manhunt, the search operations have been handed over to federal authorities to allow local agencies to rest, while the criminal investigation remains under local command. Decker is considered dangerous and possibly armed, with authorities releasing new photos showing his distinctive tattoos and ponytail, and noting his history of going off-grid for extended periods. The National Guard has joined the extensive search, which spans land, water, and air, and Decker's dog was found at the crime scene and is now in a humane society's care. Family members and legal representatives describe Decker as a troubled man, with recent erratic behavior leading to a protection order petition filed by the girls' mother prior to the murders.