An undated photo of Travis Decker, the Washington state father who is wanted for murder after his three young daughters were reported missing and then found dead.
Wenatchee Police Department/AP
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Wenatchee Police Department/AP
Federal authorities have taken over the search for Travis Decker, the father accused of kidnapping and murdering his three young daughters at a campsite in Washington state.
The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office has been looking for Decker since the evening of May 30. That’s when his ex-wife, Whitney Decker, alerted police that their three daughters — Olivia, 5; Evelyn, 8; and Paityn, 9 — had not returned from a planned visitation with him.
On June 1, after a weekend of searching, law enforcement discovered Decker’s empty vehicle near a campground in central Washington state — and the bodies of his daughters nearby. Decker, 32, was nowhere to be found.
The large-scale search for Decker has grown to involve state, local and federal law enforcement agencies. On Saturday, Gov. Bob Ferguson announced he was “tapping emergency funds” and ordering Washington National Guard resources to support the search, including by providing helicopter transportation for law enforcement.
“As a parent, my heart goes out to Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia’s mom, Whitney, and all those who love them,” Ferguson wrote on Facebook. “The brutal murder of these young children has shocked our state.”
The U.S. Marshals are offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to Decker’s arrest. They describe Decker — a resident of Wenatchee, Wash. — as a “former military member with extensive tactical training.”
“New information has revealed Mr. Decker is well versed in wilderness survival and capable of spending days or even weeks in the wilderness on his own and with very little equipment,” the sheriff’s office said Wednesday.
Authorities say while it’s not clear whether Decker is armed, he should be considered dangerous. They are warning people to call 911 immediately if they spot him, and not to approach.
The sheriff’s office is also asking people who live or own cabins in remote areas of Chelan, Kittitas King, Snohomish and Okanagan counties to lock their doors, leave their window blinds open and outdoor lights on. It’s urging people to review their doorbell and security cameras for signs of Decker.
As of Monday night, authorities warned that Decker was potentially believed to be in the area of Ingalls Creek and Valley High in Chelan County.
The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office says it has gotten more than 500 tips from the public, gathered new electronic leads and searched “hundreds of square miles … by land, water, and air” as of Monday. It then handed search operations over to federal authorities, saying, “We had reached a point where we need to rest our local resources.”
What we know about Decker
Decker was an infantryman in the Army from March 2013 to July 2021, Army spokesperson Maj. Travis Shaw confirmed to NPR. He served in Afghanistan from March to July 2014, and left active duty as a staff sergeant.
According to an affidavit filed last week in Chelan County Superior Court, Whitney Decker told police that she and her ex-husband had three children together before divorcing several years ago, after about seven years of marriage.
Whitney Decker said the two have followed a court-ordered parenting plan, the most recent of which allows him visitation every other weekend. She said Decker had a good relationship with their kids and there were no issues with recent visitation or communication.
“Whitney expressed concern because Decker reportedly has never done this before and further noted he is currently experiencing some mental health issues,” the affidavit reads.
She said Decker was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder toward the end of their marriage and did not believe he was taking medication for it.
She also said Decker is considered homeless and has stayed at hotels, motels and campgrounds. She explained that their parenting plan was updated to prohibit overnight stays after he lost housing.
Whitney Decker told police that there were no issues during her last interaction with Decker on May 30, though she noted he was “quieter than usual which was out of character.”
She said he had recently talked about getting rid of his dog due to housing and financial concerns, including garnished wages over unpaid child support.
“Whitney stated his children and his dog are the two big positives in his life,” the affidavit reads.
What we know about the alleged murders
Decker’s abandoned vehicle and daughters’ bodies were found in an area of Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest near Leavenworth, in a remote campground .
According to the affidavit, Decker’s pickup truck had blankets, car seats, food, a wallet and other items inside, and “what appears to be two hand prints of blood” on the tailgate. Authorities found an abandoned camp “with signs of recent activity” nearby.
Law enforcement discovered the three children’s bodies down a small embankment some 100 yards past the truck, with zip ties and plastic bags strewn around that whole area. Each of the girls had a plastic bag over their head, and their “wrists were zip tied or showed signs of being zip tied,” according to the affidavit.
The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office said Monday — more than a week after the grisly discovery — that blood samples taken from the scene came back positive for belonging to a male, while another “was not human blood.” It said it had recovered some of Decker’s personal belongings — including his dog, which it turned over to the humane society for safe care.
Also on Monday, the sheriff’s office said an autopsy had determined the girls’ cause of death to be suffocation, and the manner of death determined to be homicide.
What we know about the manhunt
Authorities have released videos and photos taken of Decker in the days leading up to May 30, interviewed his known associates and visited local sites he was known to frequent — while also acknowledging the possibility that he has left the area.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we have been given notice to, and are working in conjunction with our surrounding counties in the event Mr. Decker moves through the forest into their jurisdiction,” the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office said Friday.
Late Monday, the sheriff’s office announced Decker was believed to be in the area of Ingalls Creek and Valley High, about 10 miles south of Leavenworth. It said there would be a visible increase in law enforcement as a precaution.
“Please secure your homes and vehicles, stay alert, and report any suspicious activity to 911,” the sheriff’s office warned on Facebook. “If you see something say something.”
