The Federal Bureau of Investigation said Friday that it found bones during a search operation in Washington state amid the manhunt for Travis Decker, the father accused of killing his three daughters before disappearing into the wilderness.
The FBI said on Monday that it was conducting a two-day grid search near Rock Island Campground in Leavenworth, Washington, an area that has extremely heavy vegetation. Nearly 100 personnel members, including specialty search teams, took part in the search, the agency said.
In an email Friday evening, FBI spokesperson Ted Halla confirmed to CBS News that some bones were collected earlier this week “around the Rock Island Campground.”
Halla said the bones were being analyzed to determine if they are human or animal.
FBI Seattle Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington said in a news release earlier Friday that “potential evidence” had been found during the search.
Herrington said the goal of the search was to locate Decker, find signs of his whereabouts or gather more evidence. Crews searched about 250 acres, Herrington said, even going beyond the planned perimeter and using electronic mapping to track their efforts.
Herrington said the teams found “several items” that are being analyzed to determine whether they are connected to the case.
“Finding this potential evidence emphasizes the value in having various teams search an area multiple times, especially in such challenging conditions,” Herrington said. He didn’t give any details about the recovered items.
Decker is wanted for three counts of murder in the first degree and three counts of kidnapping. He has been wanted since he failed to return his daughters — Paityn, 9; Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5 — after a planned visitation, prompting their mother to call police. The girls’ bodies were found in his truck near the Rock Island Campground on June 2. DNA testing has confirmed Decker is the sole suspect in their murders.
Decker, a former Army soldier and wilderness survivalist, has not been seen since. Chelan County Sheriff Michael Morrison said in a statement on Monday that there is no conclusive evidence to indicate whether Decker is alive or dead. Photos showing how he may have changed his appearance have been released. A reward of up to $20,000 is being offered for information leading to his arrest.
