HAUNTING details have emerged about the campground crime scene where three young girls were found murdered.
Travis Decker, 32, left his dog behind when he went on the run after allegedly killing his daughters on a planned custody visit.
The official cause of death for Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, was confirmed to be suffocation in their autopsies, according to the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office.
They were found at a campground in Washington state on June 2. The girls had plastic bags over their heads and their wrists were zip-tied, cops said.
Decker still hasn’t been found as the manhunt for the suspect has now lasted for over a week.
Police released new details about the case to the public on Monday as they announced they’re handing the search over to the federal authorities.
A man’s blood was found at the crime scene, along with animal blood, cops said.
Officials also said they found Decker’s dog.
“The suspect’s dog was recovered and turned over to the humane society for safe care,” the CCSO said.
It’s unclear where the dog was located.
Police didn’t say whether the non-human blood found at the scene belonged to the pet.
Officials previously said in court documents that they found “two hand prints of blood” on the tailgate of Decker’s truck, which was also recovered at the campground.
It’s unclear if the handprints were Decker’s, or if the blood samples collected belonged to him.
“We have collected a large amount of evidence, many of the suspect’s personal items, from the truck recovered on scene,” cops said.
Authorities said they’re still testing DNA and fingerprints from the scene.
“Our investigators have begun to receive more analysis information back from evidence found at the crime scene,” CCSO said.
“While this does assist in the investigation and later prosecution, it also creates more questions and information for investigators to continue to pursue.”
DOG REFERENCED IN COURT DOCS
Decker’s dog has been mentioned in court documents before.
The veteran was homeless in the months before the alleged killings, living out of his truck and motel rooms.
His ex-wife, Whitney Decker, said his housing and financial instability led him to consider getting rid of the dog.
She told investigators how important his pet was to him in questioning after she reported her daughters missing.
Whitney called police on May 30 when Decker didn’t return them on time after what was supposed to be a three-hour custody visit. The girls were found dead three days later.
Before their bodies were found, Whitney told cops that Decker’s daughters and his dog “are the two big positives in his life,” she said, according to a police affidavit.
Whitney and Decker were married for seven years before divorcing in 2022, and she told cops he’s been mentally unstable since their divorce.
The girls’ mom told cops Decker has PTSD from his time in the military, as well as diagnosed borderline personality disorder.
In September 2024, Whitney submitted a filing so that the girls could no longer stay with their dad due to his homelessness and mental instability.
The dog came up in those court documents again as she mentioned the girls were often scared when he disciplined his pet on their visits to him.
It’s unclear how Decker disciplined his dog.
Authorities have searched hundreds of square miles around Washington state so far as the manhunt for Decker continues.
Federal authorities are now leading the search as cops previously warned he has extensive military skills due to his years in the Army and the Washington National Guard.
Decker has previously survived for two and a half months in the wilderness alone, leading cops to believe he can stay hidden outside for weeks.
He’s believed to be hiding near the Pacific Crest Trail, which passes through Canada.
It comes as cops revealed Decker searched “how to relocate to Canada” days before the alleged killing.
Police recently shared new pictures of Decker showing his tattoos and hair, which is kept in a ponytail.
Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14437169/travis-decker-dog-blood-crime-scene-search-daughters/
