The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office confirmed through DNA analysis that the remains found last week on Grindstone Mountain near Leavenworth, Washington, belong to Travis Decker.
Decker had been wanted in connection with the killings of his three daughters — Olivia Decker, 5, Evelyn Decker, 8, and Paityn Decker, 9. The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office said that the girls’ cause of death was suffocation.
“We’re looking forward to closing this case out, and to Whitney, certainly hope you know that we never gave up," said Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison. "And Paityn, Evelyn and Oliva, their memories will live on forever.”
Travis Decker’s remains were found less than a mile from where his daughters’ bodies were discovered in early June.
Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said crews had to rappel to the site from a helicopter to recover the remains. Once they were recovered, the remains and items found at the scene, including clothing, were sent to Washington State Patrol’s Crime Lab for DNA testing.
“This has been a very dark chapter,” Morrison said. “You’re looking at one of the largest manhunts in Chelan County history, one of the most horrific crimes we’ve seen in Chelan County, and we’re glad to put it behind us.”
The three girls were first reported missing after Travis Decker did not return them to their mother, Whitney Decker, after a scheduled visit on May 30. She contacted police that night.
The announcement from the sheriff’s office comes after the U.S. Marshals Service said Travis Decker was dead. That news came after a motion was filed on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington to dismiss his arrest warrant and criminal case.
Over 100 personnel were on the ground searching for Decker, the sheriff said, adding that search costs could have “bankrupted our county” if not for the money other assisting law enforcement agencies contributed.
Morrison said it was important for his office not to rush through the investigation.
“I did not want to take any chance of just coming back with samples from the clothing,” he said. “I wanted samples from the remains that were also located there. I know this was an unusual request for the state patrol. I appreciate them humoring me on this.”
An operational psychologist also assisted law enforcement in the final search.
“Her insight and guidance led us to an important area to search where we did eventually locate Mr. Decker,” Morrison said. “We couldn’t have done this by ourselves.”
Morrison said it is not yet known how Travis Decker died.
Shortly after the Decker girls’ bodies were found, Wenatchee Valley businesses put out donation jars to raise money to support Whitney Decker. Community members also tied pink, purple and green bows to trees and poles to honor the girls’ memory.
“For Whitney, her loved ones, and this community, this development brings a measure of closure, though the grief of losing Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia will always remain,” wrote Amy Edwards in an update on a GoFundMe fundraiser to support Whitney Decker. Edwards organized the fundraiser and is a family friend.
Morrison said they had thousands of tips coming in through their tip line to find Decker. He said they received tips saying Decker was in Canada, Mexico, Montana, Idaho and Texas. The sheriff’s office also had support from the U.S. Marshals Service to help track down leads.
“Without all of you, we could not have done this. This is a team, truly team family endeavor. That’s why this was successful,” said Jerome Brown, with the U.S. Marshals Service. “So remember that when you go home, we were supported with food (and) roofs to accomplish our mission as a law enforcement community.”
