NEED TO KNOW
- Travis Decker, the man accused of murdering his three young daughters, searched online about how to move to Canada on May 26, days before the girls went missing, according to authorities
- Decker searched the keywords “how to relocate to Canada” and “how does a person move to Canada”
- His three young daughters went missing on May 30 after a “planned visitation” and were found dead on June 2
Travis Decker, the man accused of murdering his three young daughters, reportedly conducted online searches about how to move to Canada days before the killings.
According to a U.S. Marshals Service affidavit obtained by Fox 13 Seattle, the Independent and NBC Right Now, Decker searched “how to relocate to Canada” and “how does a person move to Canada” on May 26. He also allegedly searched a Canadian job site.
Authorities, who have not yet located Decker, said they were worried that he was attempting to flee the U.S. into Canada.
“The location of the victims’ remains is relatively close to the Canadian border and approximately 11 miles from the Pacific Crest Trail, a well-established trail that leads directly to Canada,” the affidavit states, per Fox 13 Seattle.
The U.S. Marshals Service did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Saturday, June 7.
The manhunt continues for Decker, who has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of kidnapping in the deaths of his daughters Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5. Police have described him as posing “a significant risk, if approached” due to his prior military experience.
“We are searching anywhere and everywhere for him,” Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said.
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The three girls were last seen on May 30 during a “planned visitation” with their father. The following day, the Wenatchee Police Department issued an endangered missing persons alert, and said that the young girls were “believed to be missing and unable to return home on their own.”
Police said the girls headed out with their dad at around 5 p.m. local time on May 30 and hadn’t been heard from or seen since then. On June 2, authorities canceled the alert and revealed that they had found the bodies of the three children.
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Decker’s pickup truck was found near the Rock Island Campground in Leavenworth, Wash., where the three sisters’ bodies were discovered, Fox 13 Seattle reported. The cause of death for all three sisters is likely to be “asphyxiation,” according to a preliminary report seen by Fox 13 Seattle.
According to the outlet, investigators found two bloody handprints on Decker’s truck, while inside there were items including a blanket, food and car seats for the girls. Police also found a wallet on the center console of the vehicle.
Court documents obtained by the outlet also state that Decker’s cell phone activity showed “he drove to and left the same campground a day prior to the kidnapping.”
According to ABC News, police are offering a $20,000 reward for any information leading to Decker’s arrest.
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