Washington state: Authorities find remains believed to be fugitive Travis Decker near Leavenworth on Thursday

Authorities in Washington state found human remains believed to be those of Travis Decker, the fugitive father accused of killing his three daughters earlier this year, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday evening.

The Sheriff’s Office stated that “while positive identification has not yet been confirmed, preliminary findings suggest the remains belong to Travis Decker.” The remains were discovered in a remote wooded area south of Leavenworth, and the scene was still being processed, officials said, adding that DNA analysis will be conducted to confirm the identity.

Decker, 32, a former Army soldier with extensive survival skills, was accused in May of killing his daughters—9-year-old Paityn Decker, 8-year-old Evelyn Decker and 5-year-old Olivia Decker. A search began on May 30 after the girls’ mother reported he had not returned them to her home in Wenatchee, Washington, following a planned visit. Three days later, the girls’ bodies were found down an embankment at a campsite in the Cascade Mountains; their wrists were bound with zip ties, and an autopsy determined they died from suffocation, authorities said. DNA testing confirmed Decker was the sole suspect in their murders.

The remains found Thursday were on Grindstone Mountain, a few miles from where the girls’ bodies were located, according to CBS Seattle affiliate KIRO-TV. Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison told the station that items found near the remains, such as clothing, were similar to what Decker was wearing when he was last seen. Crews also found “personal items,” Morrison said, without specifying what they were. Drones and cadaver dogs were used in the latest search, KIRO reported.

Photos showing how Decker might have changed his appearance were released in June, and a reward of up to \$20,000 was offered for information leading to his arrest. Earlier this month, the FBI said it had found bones that might be Decker’s, but it was later determined the bones were not human.