CHELAN COUNTY, Washington — New evidence from the crime scene is expanding the investigation into the deaths of three young girls and the search for their father.
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The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday that forensic analysis of crime scene evidence is beginning to yield important insights into the search for Travis Decker, who is accused of killing his three young daughters, our Seattle Sister Station, KIRO-7 reported.
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The search for Decker now spans hundreds of square miles, including land, water, and air searches.
As of 6 p.m. Sunday, local teams stepped back for rest, and command of the ongoing search efforts was handed over to federal authorities.
“We had reached a point where we need to rest our local resources,” CCSO said in a statement obtained by KIRO-7, noting that its command staff remains actively engaged in federal-led search operations.
Investigators have recovered a significant amount of evidence from the crime scene, including many of Decker’s personal items found inside his truck.
Decker’s dog was also found and has since been turned over to the local humane society, KIRO-7 reported.
Forensic testing confirmed that blood samples collected from the scene included one that matched a male and another that did not come from a human.
Additional testing on DNA and fingerprint evidence is still underway.
The Chelan County Coroner completed an autopsy on Friday that confirmed the cause of death of Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker as suffocation and ruled the manner of death a homicide, KIRO-7 reported.
The coroner also confirmed the girls died the night deputies say Decker picked them up.
The sheriff’s office acknowledged the public frustration over the limited release of information, KIRO-7 reported, but they said some investigative details must be kept confidential to protect the integrity of the case.
“We appreciate the public’s patience, understanding, and cooperation during this complex and emotional investigation,” the statement read.
As federal search crews continue to work leads on Decker’s whereabouts, CCSO investigators said they will relay any new developments that could point to the suspect’s location.
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