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Triple murder suspect dad seen in police footage days before daughters found dead

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Triple murder suspect dad seen in police footage days before daughters found dead

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Newly released police dashcam footage shows the military-trained Washington father accused of murdering his three daughters just days before the girls’ bodies were discovered.  

Travis Decker is wanted for his alleged involvement in the brutal killings of his three daughters – Olivia, 5, Paityn, 9, and Evelyn, 8 – before disappearing into the nearby wilderness, sparking a weekslong manhunt that remains ongoing as authorities search for the father. 

In the footage obtained by Fox 13, Decker can be seen wearing a blue shirt and shorts, calmly interacting with police after receiving a ticket following a minor car accident. 

MANHUNT FOR SUSPECTED WASHINGTON KILLER DAD GOES COLD IN IDAHO AFTER FALSE ALARM SIGHTING

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Travis Decker is seen speaking with an officer from the Wenatchee Police Department after rear-ending another vehicle three days before his three daughters were allegedly murdered.  (Wenatchee Police Department)

The incident occurred on May 27, three days before the three girls failed to return home to their mother after a court-mandated custody visitation with Decker. 

An officer from the Wenatchee Police Department arrived on the scene to find Decker and another man – who is not related to the case – standing in a local Safeway parking lot. 

Decker had rear-ended another vehicle that had slowed for traffic, damaging his truck’s front bumper, according to the police report obtained by Fox 13. He was subsequently issued an infraction via mail for driving without insurance and following too closely. 

The Wenatchee Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

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TRAIL GROWS COLD IN MANHUNT FOR SURVIVALIST FATHER AS AUTHORITIES REACH BREAKING POINT: ‘I’M STILL ANGRY’

Travis Decker is accused of murdering his three daughters before disappearing into the Washington wilderness.  (Chelan County Sheriff’s Office)

In the video, Decker appears to look relaxed as he leans against the back of his truck while speaking with the officer. 

Three days later, the father of three was reportedly “quieter than usual,” appearing out of character as he met his daughters for the planned visitation, according to the local outlet. 

Days after Decker’s ex-wife reported the three girls missing on the evening they were supposed to return home from their visit, the young children were found asphyxiated to death in a local camping ground just feet away from Decker’s abandoned truck. 

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MANHUNT FOR FATHER ACCUSED OF KILLING 3 DAUGHTERS TAKES GRIM TURN IN WILDERNESS

This undated photo provided by Whitney Decker shows Paityn, Olivia and Evelyn Decker.  (Whitney Decker via AP)

Authorities from local, state and federal agencies – including the U.S. Marshals Service – subsequently launched an extensive manhunt for Decker, who authorities have described as a military-trained survivalist. 

On July 5, authorities received a tip from a family reporting seeing a man fitting the description of Decker in the Bear Creek area of Idaho’s Sawtooth National Forest. However, the lead proved to be false after police announced they located the man believed to be Decker and confirmed the father was not spotted in the wilderness.

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Officials warn Decker should be considered armed and dangerous, but insist there is no reason to believe he poses a threat to the public. He is charged with three counts of aggravated first-degree murder and kidnapping. 

The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a $20,000 reward for any information leading to Decker’s arrest. 

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Utah

Utah man dies of injuries sustained in avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon

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Utah man dies of injuries sustained in avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon


A man died after he was caught in an avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon over the weekend.

A spokesperson for the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Thursday that Kevin Williams, 57, had died.

He, along with one other person, was hospitalized in critical condition after Saturday’s avalanche in the backcountry.

MORE | Big Cottonwood Canyon Avalanche

In an interview with 2News earlier this week, one of Williams’ close friends, Nate Burbidge, described him as a loving family man.

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“Kevin’s an amazing guy. He’s always serving, looking for ways that he can connect with others,” Burbidge said.

A GoFundMe was set up to help support Williams’ family.

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Wyoming

Casper veteran David Giralt joins race for Wyoming U.S. House seat

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Casper veteran David Giralt joins race for Wyoming U.S. House seat


CASPER, Wyo. — David Giralt, a Casper-raised military veteran and conservative Republican, has announced his candidacy for Wyoming’s lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. The congressional seat is being vacated by Republican Rep. Harriet Hageman, who launched a campaign in December for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by retiring Sen. Cynthia Lummis. […]



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Registered sex offender’s city council bid sparks fury as officials explore blocking his path

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Registered sex offender’s city council bid sparks fury as officials explore blocking his path

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A registered sex offender convicted in a child sex abuse material case is seeking elected office in California — launching a campaign for Fresno City Council amid fierce backlash and renewed questions about whether someone with his record should hold public office.

Rene Campos, a Fresno native required to register as a sex offender, has announced plans to run for the District 7 seat on the Fresno City Council.

Campos was charged in 2018 with possession of child sex abuse material, according to court records. He has said he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge and is now a registered sex offender.

His opponent, Nav Gurm, says the campaign has transformed what should be a local race focused on infrastructure and public safety into a national controversy.

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Rene Campos in a 2018 booking photo related to a child sex abuse material possession case. Campos, now a registered sex offender, has launched a campaign for Fresno City Council. (State of California Department of Justice)

“His candidacy is a slap in the face to families and children in Fresno,” Gurm told Fox News Digital. “They deserve a councilmember who can show up at their schools and in their neighborhoods without restriction.”

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Campos defended his candidacy, arguing he has met all legal requirements.

“I satisfied every legal obligation imposed under the laws this state enacted for accountability and rehabilitation,” Campos said.

CONVICTED KILLER KEPT IN POLICE OVERSIGHT ROLE AS CITY COUNCIL DISMISSES CONCERNS OVER PUBLIC SAFETY

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The entrance to Fresno City Hall in Fresno, California. The District 7 City Council seat is up for election amid controversy surrounding a registered sex offender candidate. (James Ward, Visalia Times-Delta via Imagn Content Services, LLC)

“If those same laws can be set aside when politically inconvenient, then we are not debating one candidacy — we are testing whether the rule of law is stable or selective. Democracy depends on consistent standards. When eligibility shifts under pressure, public confidence weakens. Voters decide elections — not political preference.”

Under California law, registered sex offenders are not automatically barred from seeking or holding local office as long as they meet voter registration and residency requirements.

But Gurm argues that legality does not equate to fitness for office.

CHILD PREDATOR DUBBED ‘MONSTER PARENTS FEAR MOST’ CLEARED FOR RELEASE THROUGH CALIFORNIA PAROLE PROGRAM

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“While it may not be a legal disqualification, it’s a disqualification in practice,” he said. “If you can’t fully participate in school events, youth gatherings and community activities, you can’t fully do the job.”

Gurm is urging state lawmakers to amend eligibility standards.

“I urge the Fresno City Council and the California State Legislature to push forward legislation making lifetime sex offender registration an explicit disqualification for holding public office,” he said.

NEW JERSEY POLICE SERGEANT, FORMER DEM MAYOR ALLEGEDLY DRUGGED, SEXUALLY ASSAULTED CHILD HE MET ONLINE

Nav Gurm, a candidate for Fresno City Council District 7, has called on his opponent to withdraw from the race amid controversy. (Nav Gurm for Fresno City Council Campaign Team)

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The backlash has extended beyond campaign opponents.

Fresno City Council President Mike Karbassi said he believes voters will reject Campos and suggested he would oppose him taking office if elected.

“When it comes to the safety and welfare of our children, your past matters,” Karbassi said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “So long as I am Council President, I will not permit him to be seated on the Fresno City Council.”

VICTIM FEARS FOR OTHERS AFTER CALIFORNIA PAROLE BOARD APPROVES RELEASE OF CONVICTED CHILD PREDATOR

It remains unclear what legal authority, if any, the council president would have to prevent an elected candidate from assuming office.

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Outgoing Councilman Nelson Esparza, who currently represents District 7 and is termed out, also criticized the campaign.

“Regardless of any rehabilitation, he needs to find a different line of work,” Esparza told Fox News Digital. “So much of what I do in this district is for and with respect to our children and youth. I don’t see any reasonable way someone with registered sex offender status could effectively do this job.”

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Esparza noted that councilmembers regularly participate in school initiatives and that children frequently visit City Hall for tours and meetings. He said councilmembers are examining possible municipal policy changes and urging legislative action at the state level.

The District 7 seat will open when Esparza’s term expires. Candidates face a filing deadline in early March, and the primary election is scheduled for June.

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Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.

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