Particle.news

Download on the App Store

DNA Fingerprint Links Travis Decker to Daughters' Deaths as Sheriff Weighs If He Perished

Confirmation of a bloody handprint linking Decker to the campsite raises doubts over his survival in the rugged search area.

Olivia, Paityn and Evelyn Decker were found dead near Leavenworth after their father Travis Decker failed to return them after a scheduled visitation. (Nick Wagner/The Seattle Times/TNS)
Image
Image

Overview

  • A DNA profile from a bloody handprint collected July 1 matched Decker, confirming him as the sole suspect in his daughters’ asphyxiation at Rock Island Campground.
  • Authorities have deployed drones, K9 teams, swift-water rescue units and human remains detection dogs across rugged forests and waterways in Chelan County and nearby areas.
  • Sheriff Mike Morrison has suggested that Decker may have died from an untreated wound infection or drowning after a likely fall in the remote terrain.
  • Decker, wanted on first-degree murder and kidnapping charges, has not been seen since mid-June despite intensified search efforts.
  • A $20,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to Decker’s location or confirmation of his status.