New leads in Travis Decker manhunt prompt massive search efforts near Pacific Crest Trail

Authorities expanded the search for Travis Decker, a father charged with murdering his three daughters, to Okanogan County, focusing on the Pacific Crest Trail. The girls, aged 5, 8, and 9, were found dead down an embankment, with investigators noting zip ties and plastic bags at the scene, indicating possible suffocation. The search began when Decker failed to return the children to their mother as per a court-ordered visitation plan. Multiple agencies, including the FBI and Homeland Security, are involved in the manhunt due to Decker's extensive military and outdoor survival training, which poses challenges for search efforts. Citizens in affected counties have been urged to secure their homes and report any suspicious activity.

Prosecutors charged Decker with three counts of first-degree aggravated murder and three counts of first-degree kidnapping. The urgency of the search is heightened as authorities consider Decker armed and dangerous, with a detailed description released to the public. This tragic case has drawn significant media attention and raised awareness about the safety of children in custody situations.