In brief
Human remains found in Washington state are thought to belong to Travis Decker, who is accused of murdering his three daughters earlier this year. The search for Decker began after his daughters were reported missing, and the grim discovery raises further questions about the case.
Human remains, believed to be of a man wanted on suspicion of murdering his three daughters, aged nine, eight, and five, have been found in the US state of Washington.
Police had been searching for Travis Decker since officers discovered his phone and the bodies of his girls, Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia, in a remote campground on June 2. His truck was also found nearby.
While positive identification has not yet been confirmed, preliminary findings suggest the remains belong to Travis Decker, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office stated on Thursday.
The remains were discovered in a wooded area south of Leavenworth, Washington.
Decker, 32, was wanted on kidnapping and first-degree murder charges, according to Wenatchee Police. Officials believed he had been hiding in remote mountainous areas.
The girls' mother reported them missing on May 30 after Decker did not return them following a visit. Authorities indicated they died from apparent suffocation, with their wrists bound with zip ties.
Decker was an ex-soldier possibly trained in mountain survival tactics, making the search efforts challenging.
The remains were found on Grindstone Mountain, a few miles from where Decker's daughters' bodies were discovered in June. A $20,000 reward had been offered for information leading to his capture, and extensive closures of national forests in the area were implemented during the search.
