Authorities search for Washington state father accused of killing 3 daughters

A man in central Washington state is wanted on suspicion of murder after his three young daughters were reported missing and then found dead.

Authorities asked the public Tuesday for help finding Travis Decker, 32, who is wanted for three counts of murder and kidnapping, according to police in Wenatchee, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of Seattle.

Police said it was unknown whether Decker, a former Army soldier with “extensive training,” was armed.

On Friday the mother of the girls, ages 9, 8 and 5, reported that their father did not return them after a planned visit, police said.

Over the weekend authorities looked for the children and for Decker, who was believed to be living out of a white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup with Washington plates.

Police said Decker’s unoccupied truck was found Monday near a campground west of the city of Leavenworth, which is about 20 miles (30 kilometers) northwest of Wenatchee. According to an affidavit, Chelan County Sheriff’s Office deputies found the girls’ bodies about 75 to 100 yards (68 to 91 meters) away from the truck, The Seattle Times reported. Police believe the girls died from asphyxiation and reported that their wrists were zip-tied, court documents said.

Anyone who may have seen Decker since Friday or knows his current location was asked to call 911.

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“Due to safety concerns do not attempt to contact or approach Decker,” police said.

The Wenatchee School District said the girls were students of Lincoln Elementary and that counseling services were available.

The mother told police that Decker picked the girls up around 5 p.m. but had not returned them by 8 p.m., and his phone went straight to voicemail, court documents said.

The detective said she “expressed concern because Decker reportedly has never done this before and … is currently experiencing some mental health issues.”

“What prompted her to call us was that ... he was late returning the girls and had not communicated to her that he was going to be late, which was his typical fashion and so this was out of the ordinary,” Capt. Brian Chance said.

Washington State Patrol was contacted Friday night to request an Amber Alert, but it did not meet the required criteria, Wenatchee police said. The following day Wenatchee detectives contacted the patrol with additional information that led to the issuance of an Endangered Missing Person Alert.

The lacking criteria was suspected abduction and imminent peril of death or serious injury, said Chris Loftis, director of public affairs for the state patrol.

“In this case, it was a parent with custodial privileges, and the children had not been returned home on time. But that’s a rather common occurrence and not something where you just automatically assume abduction,” he said, adding that there was no indication Decker, a custodial parent who had the children for a visit, would harm them.

“We’re people too, you know, so the loss of a child, the loss of two children, the loss of three children is ... devastating,” Loftis said. “Everybody always looks to how we can improve.”

Associated Press writer Lisa Baumann in Bellingham, Washington, contributed.