Travis Decker manhunt: 5 key updates you may have missed

The manhunt for Travis Decker intensifies as authorities believe the Army veteran is hiding in the Chelan County wilderness.

The manhunt to find Travis Decker has turned into one of the most talk of the town in recent memory, after his three young daughters were found dead in Washington state.

Travis Decker is the focus of a massive manhunt following the murders of his three daughters in Washington. (Wenatchee Police Department via AP)(AP)

Decker, a 32-year-old Army veteran, is wanted in connection with the murders of 9-year-old Paityn, 8-year-old Evelyn, and 5-year-old Olivia. The girls were found dead on 2 June at Rock Island Campground, three days after they failed to return home from a court-approved visit with their father.

Where is Travis Decker now?

Authorities believe Decker fled into the rugged wilderness of Chelan County, using his military background and survivalist skills to avoid capture.

“We’re dealing with a highly capable survivalist who may be using the terrain to his advantage,” Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison acknowledged in a press conference.

5 things you may have missed in Travis Decker manhunt

1.  The U.S. Marshals Service has activated its Rapidly Advancing Manhunt (RAM) program to help track down Decker. 

Since then, more than 100 officers from federal, state, and local agencies have joined the effort to locate him. The U.S. Marshals Service has activated its elite Rapidly Advancing Manhunt (RAM) program to support the search, offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to Decker’s arrest.

2.  On June 10, a group of hikers reported seeing a lone man near the Enchantments area who seemed unprepared and was actively avoiding others. Authorities believe this could have been Decker. A helicopter later spotted someone matching his description near Colchuck Lake, who fled upon sight. K9s then tracked that trail to Ingalls Creek roughly 30 miles from the campground where the girls’ bodies were found.

3.  The 32-year-old is a former Army infantryman with off-grid living experience. Authorities believe he’s using the challenging wilderness terrain to his advantage. “This is someone with military training, someone who’s lived off-grid before,” said Morrison.

4.  “He's going to have to aim for perfection. He is not going to be able to make a mistake, because all we need is one mistake and one day to go in our favor, and he's going to be in our custody. So, I hope he's watching. I hope that he knows that we haven't given up,” Morrison warned.

“Our intent is not to hurt or injure him. It is to bring him to justice and make sure that he's in good shape so he can face the trial.”

5. So far, there’s no confirmed evidence that Decker has a firearm. Still, police are treating him as dangerous. “We do not just deploy dogs just to deploy dogs,” Morrison said. “They're there to assist us in the tracking process and, of course, to protect the handlers.” The search continues.

For now, tactical teams are equipped with less-lethal tools and K9 units are assisting in the search. “We’ve encouraged him time and time again to give up – do so peacefully,” Chelan County Sheriff concluded.