New evidence has emerged in the ongoing manhunt for Travis Decker, the fugitive accused of a violent crime that triggered a nationwide alert. Law enforcement officials now believe Decker may still be alive, following a credible sighting in rural Idaho earlier this month.
The U.S. Marshals Service revealed that a family near Bear Creek, in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, reported encountering a man they now believe could have been Decker on July 5. The man asked for water and briefly interacted with them before vanishing into the woods. The family later came forward after seeing media coverage of the manhunt. Crucially, they described the man’s tattoos in vivid detail.
“They described his tattoos pretty accurately. It’s believed they had not seen previous pictures of those tattoos,” Supervisory Deputy Mike Leigh of the U.S. Marshals Service said in an interview with Fox 13 Seattle. “And since putting out the media releases, we’ve received additional tips that corroborate the eyewitness’s encounter with, potentially, Travis Decker.”
This marks a critical development in the search for Decker, who has been missing since late May.
The Travis Decker case: a brief recap
The tip described his tattoos ‘pretty accurately’. @fox13seattle #manhunt #TravisDecker #idaho #USMarshals pic.twitter.com/LFyzWTPx5I
— Rose (@901Lulu) July 8, 2025
Decker, 32, is wanted for the murders of his three young daughters, reported missing on May 30, 2025, after a scheduled custody visit, and tragically found dead on June 2 near Rock Island Campground in Chelan County, Washington. Their bodies were found zip-tied with plastic bags over their heads, and their father’s abandoned truck—containing a bloody handprint—was located nearby.
Decker, a former U.S. Army infantryman with survival training and diagnosed mental health issues, has been on the run since the discovery. Investigators found his DNA on the truck’s tailgate, confirming no other suspects are involved
Decker has a history of living off the grid and has previously survived in remote wilderness areas. His extensive tattoos—including visible ink on his arms and neck—were among the few identifiers law enforcement hoped would lead to a credible sighting. The Idaho tip marks the first instance a civilian has publicly and accurately described those tattoos.
Hitchhiking warning issued to public
Travis Decker has a history of hitchhiking. ‘We would like to encourage the public to not pick up any hitchhikers’. #manhunt pic.twitter.com/9r1COVayo0
— Rose (@901Lulu) July 7, 2025
Following the Idaho sighting, U.S. Marshals issued an urgent warning to the public: do not pick up hitchhikers in the region. Officials say Decker has a documented history of hitchhiking and could use this tactic again to travel discreetly.
According to Fox 13 Seattle, law enforcement is “actively following up” on additional leads sparked by the initial tip. The rural terrain and dense wilderness of the Sawtooth area have made the manhunt logistically difficult.
Decker is considered potentially dangerous. The public is urged not to engage but instead to call 911 or submit tips to the U.S. Marshals Service at www.usmarshals.gov.
Is Travis Decker still alive?
While officials have not confirmed the man spotted in Idaho was Decker, the combination of tattoo matches and multiple corroborating tips has reignited efforts to locate him. The Bear Creek tip is now considered a “high-priority lead,” and resources have been redirected to canvass the region more thoroughly.
As Supervisory Deputy Leigh emphasized in his statement, the investigation is far from over, and public vigilance could be key in bringing the case to a close.
