A Washington state father is wanted for murder after his three young daughters were reported missing and then found dead.
Police on Tuesday asked the public for help in finding the father of the girls, Travis Decker, 32. He is wanted for three counts of murder and kidnapping, the Wenatchee Police Department said.
Police said it was unknown whether Decker, a former Army soldier with “extensive training,” was armed.
The mother of the girls — who were identified by CBS affiliate KIRO-TV as 9-year-old Paityn, 8-year-old Evelyn and 5-year-old Olivia — reported to police on Friday that their father didn’t return them after a planned visit, police said.
Wenatchee Police Department 
Over the weekend, police looked for the children and Decker, who was believed to be living out of a white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup truck with Washington plates.
Decker’s unoccupied truck was located Monday near a campground, police said. During a search, officers found the bodies of the three girls.
A search began for Decker.
Anyone who may have seen Decker since Friday or knows his current location is asked to call 911.
“Due to safety concerns, do not attempt to contact or approach Decker,” police said.
In an exclusive interview with KIRO-TV , the girls’ mother, Whitney Decker, said there have never been any problems with visitations with Travis Decker in the past.
Wenatchee Police Department 
According to documents filed for custodial interference, Whitney and Travis were married for seven years but had been divorced for several years. She told KIRO-TV the divorce was civil.
Toward the end of the marriage, he was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, and Whitney did not believe he was on any medications for that, KIRO-TV reported, citing court filings. Travis Decker was supposed to seek mental health treatment and anger management counseling under the parenting plan, but never did, court filings showed.
The Wenatchee School District said the girls were students at Lincoln Elementary. Counseling services are available for children and staff who need support.
“To allow our students, staff and families the space and privacy they need to mourn and begin healing, we respectfully ask that you do not come to the school campus except for regular school business,” the district said.
Decker joined the Army in 2013 and transferred to the Washington National Guard in 2021, Washington Military Department spokesperson Karina Shagren told The Associated Press. He was a full-time member of the Guard until 2023 or 2024, when he switched to part-time.
Decker stopped attending mandatory monthly drills a little over a year ago, and the Guard was in the process of a disciplinary discharge for him, Shagren said.
“This is an absolute tragedy,” Shagren said. “We are mourning along with the community.”
The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, which found the truck, was leading the search in the Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest area while other teams followed up on “potential credible information and tips” regarding Decker’s location, the agency said in a statement.
The agency was working with U.S. Marshals to locate and apprehend Decker and the search continued Tuesday evening. A reward of up to $20,000 was available for information leading directly to his arrest.