Travis Decker: New US Marshals photos show high-stakes manhunt in WA
New photos released in manhunt for Travis Decker
The U.S. Marshals Service released new photos detailing the challenging and extensive search for Travis Decker, accused of killing his three daughters.
KITTITAS COUNTY, WASH - The U.S. Marshals Service has released new photographs offering a glimpse into the challenging and extensive search for Travis Decker, the military-trained survivalist accused of kidnapping and murdering his three young daughters.
US Marshals Special Operations Group. (U.S. Marshals Service)
The images underscore the rugged terrain and specialized efforts involved in tracking Decker, who has managed to evade capture for weeks in the Washington wilderness. Multiple agencies have been searching for over three weeks in Chelan and Kittitas counties.
(U.S. Marshals Service)
What do the new Travis Decker search images show?
The U.S. Marshals Special Operations Group or SOG is working with the Border Patrol Tactical Unit and the King County Sheriff's Office to try to locate Travis Decker. Photos on X and Instagram this week show them searching in the Colchuck Lake area.
The USMS SOG is the same team who located Eric Frein in Pennsylvania after 7 weeks of searching in the woods. He had killed one state trooper and wounded another. Likewise, the search for Decker could go on for weeks and weeks.
One photograph shows a U.S. Marshal in full camouflage, including a boonie hat, lying prone on a rocky outcrop. He appears to be observing the mountainous, snow-dusted landscape through a spotting scope or binoculars, with a blue lake in the distance. The image highlights the detailed surveillance being conducted in the remote and difficult environment.
(U.S. Marshals Service)
Another photo depicts a marshal in similar camouflage, poised with a long-range precision rifle mounted on a bipod. He is in a seated position on a rocky, uneven surface, with jagged mountain peaks behind. This image suggests the presence of specialized tactical units involved in the search.
(U.S. Marshals Service)
Two additional photos reveal the critical role of air support in the manhunt. One shows two U.S. Marshals on a snowy, rocky plain, looking up and pointing towards a King County Sheriff's Office helicopter visible in the clear blue sky.
King County has been using their helicopter to airlift the teams into the rural areas.
(U.S. Marshals Service)
The other aerial shot provides a broader view, with a helicopter flying low over a turquoise lake and a snow-dusted landscape, with two people on the ground below. This photo illustrates the vast and diverse terrain that authorities are meticulously searching.
These newly released images from the U.S. Marshals Service provide a stark visual representation of the scale and intensity of the operation to apprehend Decker, who remains a high-priority fugitive.
The bodies of the three girls, Paityn, 9; Evelyn, 8; and Olivia, 5, were discovered earlier this month near Decker’s abandoned vehicle after an Endangered Missing Persons Advisory was issued.
What are authorities urging the public to do if they spot Travis Decker?
Authorities continue to urge the public to report any suspicious activity as the search continues in areas like Teanaway Valley and Blewett Pass.
What you can do:
Residents and cabin owners along Highway 97 and Blewett Pass are encouraged to lock their doors, monitor trail cameras and report any unusual activity immediately.
Tips can be submitted to the US Marshals Service at 1-800-336-0102 or via usmarshals.gov/tips. The Marshals are offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to Decker’s arrest.
Decker is described as 5' 8" tall, 190 pounds with black hair, brown eyes and was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts.
Public memorial held for Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker
A community memorial was held in Wenatchee for Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia, who investigators believe were killed by their father, Travis Decker, who remains at large. Hundreds gathered, dressed in the girls' favorite colors, to hear tributes from family, including their mother, and honor their lives with songs, prayers, and a candlelight vigil.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Chelan County Sheriff's Office, the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office and the US Marshals Service.
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