3 missing sisters found dead in Washington state, father wanted for murders

Three young sisters reported missing from Washington state have been found dead and now the search is on for their father, who is suspected of the murders.

The news of the deaths of nine-year-old Paityn Decker, eight-year-old Evelyn Decker and five-year-old Olivia Decker came Tuesday morning, a day after Washington State Patrol called off an endangered missing persons alert for the siblings.

They were last seen on May 30, after leaving their home in Wenatchee for a “planned visitation” with their father, 32-year-old Travis Decker, who police have said is “homeless and living in his vehicle or at various hotels/motels or at campgrounds in the area.”

According to NCWLIFE, a local news station, Decker picked up the girls around 5 p.m. Friday. He reportedly did not share where he planned to take them.

The following day, Washington State Patrol issued an endangered missing person alert, declared the girls and their father “at-risk/missing,” and shared a photo of their dad’s 2017 white GMC Sierra pickup truck.

“The visitation was part of a parenting plan, but he has since gone outside the parameters of it, which is not normal and cause for the alarm,” officials said at the time, adding that the father did not return his daughters on time and could not be contacted.

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After scouring local motels, law enforcement turned their attention to a local campground near Leavenworth. Decker’s truck was discovered in the area, unoccupied.

A subsequent search led to the discovery of the girls’ bodies.

Decker remains at large. A warrant has been issued for his arrest on multiple charges, including three counts of first-degree murder. Wenatchee police say it’s unknown if Decker is armed but he is a military veteran with extensive training.

Decker is described at five feet, eight inches, 190 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts.