Travis Decker's cause of death will 'most likely never be known', WA coroner says

Travis Decker's cause of death will 'likely never be known'

Travis Decker's torso and skull have not yet been located, which could provide the necessary clues to prove a cause of death, the Chelan County Coroner said.

WENATCHEE, Wash. - While DNA analysis proved that Travis Decker is dead, his cause of death will likely never be identified due to the condition and limited recovery of his remains.

The backstory:

Travis Decker is accused of kidnapping and killing his three daughters — 9-year-old Paityn Decker, 8-year-old Evelyn Decker and 5-year-old Olivia Decker — and dumping their bodies at a campground outside Leavenworth, Washington. Decker remained missing after the murders, and law enforcement agencies searched for him for months.

Travis Decker and his three daughters Paityn, Olivia and Evelyn Decker.

That was until Sept. 18, when a search team came across a set of human remains that they believed to be Travis Decker's body. Evidence included Decker's shirt, shorts, a bracelet and chewing tobacco, which were found on Grindstone Mountain, less than a mile from where the murders occurred.

Several bones were collected from the scene and underwent DNA analysis at the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab, which confirmed the remains belonged to Travis Decker, finally bringing a close to the months-long triple-murder case.

DNA match confirms Travis Decker is dead

The Chelan County Sheriff's Office holds a press conference to announce that a set of human remains found were confirmed by DNA analysis to belong to Travis Decker, the Washington man suspected of kidnapping and murdering his three young daughters.

However, the Chelan County Coroner says Decker's cause of death will "most likely never be known" based on the limited skeletal remains that were recovered.

What they're saying:

Decker's torso and skull have not yet been located, which could provide the necessary clues to prove a cause of death, the coroner said.

Additionally, Decker's remains became severely decomposed over time, to the point that there was no biological tissue or material left. 

The coroner also disclosed that the remains were spread out across five different areas, located several hundred yards from each other. This is most likely due to animal activity in the area.

Search for Travis Decker on Grindstone Mountain (Spokane County Sheriff's Office)

Of the bones that were obtained, the state anthropologist determined there were no fractures that would indicate Decker died from a fall.

What's next:

While many details regarding Decker's autopsy will likely remain undetermined, the DNA confirmation of the remains belonging to him was enough to bring an end to the case.

"The greatest hope is now the Decker family and the community can begin to heal," the Chelan County Coroner concluded.

FULL: Authorities announce Travis Decker is dead, DNA confirms

The Chelan County Sheriff's Office holds a press conference to announce that a set of human remains found were confirmed by DNA analysis to belong to Travis Decker, the Washington man suspected of kidnapping and murdering his three young daughters.

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