Sheriff Confirms Identity Of Remains Found In Chelan County

The Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison announced Thursday the remains and personal items found on Grindstone Mountain near Leavenworth last Thursday have resulted in a positive identification of Travis Decker

At a press conference in Wenatchee, Morrison confirmed human remains and articles of clothing and personal possessions discovered less than a mile from where his 3 young daughters were found murdered, are indeed those of the 32 year old Wenatchee man.

Travis Decker had been the focus of the largest manhunt in county history after his 3 children were found on June 2nd at a campsite west of Leavenworth.

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Morrison says the Chelan County Coroner will try to establish a time, manner and cause of death but the findings may take several months and may not be conclusive.

The Sheriff thanked all of the partner agencies including U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Marshals Service, Kittitas and Spokane County Sheriff's Department, and the Washington State Patrol for their contributions in the search for Decker. Morrison said the search and investigation of the murders would have bankrupted Chelan County without the collaborations.

Finally, Morrison said the tireless work of local investigators from Wenatchee Police and his deputies and investigators was invaluable. He cited the role of the media and national coverage for helping raise awareness of the manhunt for Decker.

The remains found during last week's search on Grindstone Mountain were analyzed by the state's forensic anthropologist, and the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab.