Chelan County Sheriff’s, Coroner’s Offices Respond To U.S. Marshals Service Filing That Travis Decker Is Dead

Both the Chelan County Sheriff's and Coroner's Offices are providing their input about a recent declaration by the U.S. Marshals Service that accused triple murderer Travis Decker is dead.

Both offices released statements Wednesday in response to a court filing by the Marshals Service this week that declared the 32-year-old Wenatchee man as "deceased".

The Marshals Service made the statement as part of its request in U.S. District Court in Spokane to have the case against Decker dismissed and his arrest warrant cancelled.

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The motion was filed in response to the discovery of human remains that the Sheriff's Office described as "likely belonging to Decker" last week near the scene where his three young daughters were found dead from manual asphyxiation at Rock Island Campground 17 miles west of Leavenworth on June 2.

While the Sheriff's Office said it is "not in a position to make a positive identification or confirmation of Decker's status," at this time, Coroner Wayne Harrison remarked that his office does not have the luxury of declaring Decker dead based on circumstantial evidence, and must rely on "scientific methods to establish a positive identification," including DNA, fingerprints, dental and skeletal radiographs, and additional visual processes.

The remains found during last week's search are currently being analyzed by the state's forensic anthropologist, and the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab is in the process of expediting DNA samples taken from the remains to see if they match Decker's profile.

Both the Coroner's Office and the Sheriff's Office say that even if the remains are, in fact, Decker's, his exact cause and manner of death may never be known.