Investigators reveal cause of death for murdered Wenatchee sisters

By Melissa Luck

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    Wenatchee, Washington (KXLY) — This story contains details about the way three children were murdered and will likely be disturbing for readers

Three young girls who weren’t returned to their mother after a visit with their dad were likely zip-tied, then killed by having plastic bags placed over their heads.

Those details are part of a probable cause document used to obtain a warrant for the arrest of their father Travis Decker.

Decker is wanted for three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of first-degree kidnapping for the deaths of 9-year-old Paityn, 8-year-old Evelyn and 5-year-old Olivia.

Decker was supposed to be visiting the girls for a few hours Friday night, but failed to bring them back to their mother. That launched a missing persons alert and a search that led investigators to a campground west of Leavenworth, Washington Monday.

Investigators used resources including cellphone records and license plate readers, eventually finding Decker’s truck near the Rock Island Campground.

Law enforcement officers found the bodies of the three girls 75-100 yards from the vehicle down a small embankment.

Each girl had a plastic bag over her head and there were signs their wrists had been zip tied.

Investigators found other zip ties and bags in the area and the tail gate of the pickup truck had what appeared to be two handprints of blood, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

They also found evidence that Decker had been in the area Thursday, then returned the next day with his daughters.

Chelan County Sheriff’s Office says anyone with information about Decker or his whereabouts should call 911 and not approach him.

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