The federal government has taken over the manhunt for a Washington state man suspected of killing his three young daughters at a campsite near Leavenworth last week.
The U.S. Marshals Service, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol have all been previously named as federal agencies participating in the search. The Chelan County Sheriff’s office said that while it is retaining command of the criminal investigation, it had turned over control of the search efforts to federal authorities to give its personnel time to rest. Officials have searched hundreds of square miles, much of it mountainous and remote, by land, water and air.
According to a news release from the sheriff’s Office, autopsies were completed Friday and determined the girls died from suffocation and their deaths were ruled homicides.
Decker is described as 5’8’ tall, weighing 190 pounds with black hair that may be in a pony tail, and brown eyes. Anyone who sees Decker is advised not to approach him and call 911 immediately.
