Warning
SICK SLAYINGS
Harrowing cause of death for 3 girls revealed as bloody handprints & zip ties found in hunt for wanted dad Travis Decker
The dad's cell phone activity revealed his movements the day before the gruesome crime
GRAPHIC details have emerged about the killing of three young sisters, whose bodies were found in a rural campground on Monday.
Travis Decker, 32, has been charged with kidnapping and killing his daughters and is still on the run after police found his bloody truck near their remains.
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Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, were found three days after their mom reported them missing when their dad didn't drop them off after a scheduled custody visit.
The Decker sisters likely died of asphyxiation.
The girls' bodies were found at around 5 pm on Monday down a small embankment near the Rock Island Campground in Washington state, about two hours east of Seattle.
Their wrists had been zip-tied, and plastic bags had been placed over their heads, according to a police court affidavit obtained by .
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They were wearing the same clothes they had on when they left their mom's home on Friday.
About 100 yards away from where the girls' bodies were found, cops located Decker's white 2017 GMC Sierra truck, which he was reportedly living out of at the time of the gruesome crime.
His car was found abandoned with two bloody handprints on the tailgate, police records show. It's unclear who left the handprints.
Personal items like car seats, blankets, food, and a wallet were left on the center console of the truck.
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Police also found a tent and a cooler at the campsite, suggesting it had been recently used.
Decker's cell phone activity showed he went to the same campground a day before the kidnapping and again on Saturday, police records showed.
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'UNUSUAL' CUSTODY VISIT
Decker picked up his daughters from their mom and his ex-wife, Whitney Decker, in Wenatchee at around 5 pm on Friday for a scheduled three-hour visit.
In interviews with police, Whitney recalled that her ex-husband was "quieter than usual" during the exchange, which was "out of character" for him, according to police records.
She also told cops that he had been considering getting rid of his dog due to housing and financial struggles.
Decker, a former soldier in the US Army and Washington National Guard, and Whitney had been divorced since 2022 and had a parenting plan in place for the three young girls.
Timeline of the missing Decker girls
Paityn Decker, 9, Evelyn Decker, 8, and Olivia Decker, 5, were found dead at a campground after they were last seen on a custody visit to their dad.
Below is a timeline of events:
Thursday, May 29
Cell phone activity shows that the girls' dad, Travis Decker, drove to the Rock Island Campground and left.
Friday, May 30
5 pm - Travis Decker picks the three girls up from their mom, Whitney Decker.
8 pm - Travis Decker is supposed to return the girls but doesn't. Whitney Decker calls him and it goes to voicemail.
9:45 pm - Whitney Decker calls the Wenatchee Police Department to report her daughters missing.
Travis Decker's truck is seen driving westbound on Highway 2.
Washington State Patrol is contacted for an Amber Alert but said the situation didn't match their criteria.
Saturday, May 31
WPD issues an Endangered Missing Persons Alert.
Monday, June 2
3:45 pm - Travis Decker's truck is found empty at Rock Island Campground with two bloody handprints and items inside.
5 pm - Cops search the area and find the bodies of the three girls.
Tuesday, June 3
9:30 am - Cops notify the public that they are still searching for Decker.
2 pm - WPD tells the public that the three girls were found dead and that Travis Decker is still on the loose.
Police first planned to arrest Decker on custodial interference charges on Monday.
The warrant was then superseded by the murder charges on Tuesday.
Before the girls' bodies were found, Whitney told local media that there had never been any problems with visitation in the past.
"Travis has really struggled since he left the military and his mental health can be hard sometimes," Whitney told Seattle CBS affiliate on Monday before the girls' bodies were found.
"I think this is an effect of that, and I don’t personally think that he’s dangerous."
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She added, "I think that he is impulsive and he loves his children very much."
Decker had been homeless and living out of his truck and hotels and is mentally unstable, cops said.
When he didn't return the girls at the scheduled time on Friday, Whitney called his cell phone, but it went straight to voicemail.
She called the Wenatchee Police Department at around 9:45 pm that night and reported her daughters missing.
Cops are still unable to contact Decker.
Anyone who has seen him since Friday is asked to call 911 immediately.
Police warned the public not to approach him because he might be violent and has extensive military training. It's unclear if he's armed.
UNIMAGINABLE TRAGEDY
On Tuesday, more than 300 people gathered in Wenatchee to remember the sisters at a candlelight vigil.
The girls were known in the community for participating in sports as well as attending church with their mom.
All three of the girls played soccer.
What to do if you see Travis Decker
Police are asking the community for help finding Travis Decker, 32, who is accused of murdering his three daughters.
Decker is 5 feet 8 inches tall.
He has black hair and brown eyes.
He was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts.
He is a former military member with extensive skills. It's unclear if he's armed.
Anyone who sees him, or has seen him since Friday, is urged to call 911 immediately and to not approach him.
Tips may be .
Paityn participated in track, basketball, and baseball while Evelyn took dance.
"She was really nice. She was a really good dancer. I really think she was a really good friend," Evelyn's friend from dance, Lilly Jones, told NBC affiliate .
"I really miss her and I just think it was too early."
The three girls attended Lincoln Elementary School in the Wenatchee School District.
"I understand how distressing this news is, and the questions many of you undoubtedly have," the Wenatchee School District said in a statement.
"Our immediate and utmost priority is the well-being of the Lincoln Elementary community.
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"We are focusing all our efforts on providing comprehensive support to their students, staff, and families during this unimaginable time."
A to support Whitney has raised more than $380,000 as of Wednesday morning.
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