A manhunt for an army veteran wanted on suspicion of the kidnap and murder of his three young daughters has entered its second week.
Sisters Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia Decker, 5, were found dead close to their father Travis Decker’s unoccupied pickup truck near the Rock Island Campground in Chelan County, 120 miles east of Seattle, last Monday.
All three victims were found with their wrists zip-tied and a bag over each of their heads, apparently suffocated, Wenatchee Police Department said.
Decker, a 32-year-old described by authorities as having “extensive tactical training”, vanished and is still at large. The U.S. Marshals Service says that he is not known to be armed but should be considered dangerous.
Below is everything we know about what happened to the girls and the ongoing manhunt.
What happened to Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia?
The three young sisters were last seen around 5 p.m. on May 30, according to police.
They had been visiting their dad, who at the time had been living in his 2017 GMC Sierra pickup. Their mother called authorities to notify the police that her children had not returned following the planned visitation.
Three days later, when Chelan County deputies located Decker’s truck near the Rock Island Campground the girls’ bodies were found.
On Friday, Chelon County SO said an autopsy determined that the girl’s cause of death was “suffocation, and the manner of death was determined to be homicide.”
A GoFundMe fundraiser page, set up on behalf of the girl's mother, Whitney Decker, has so far received over $1.2 million in donations.
“The pain of this loss is immeasurable,” a statement on the page said. “We are heartbroken to share that the girls have passed. Their light touched so many, and the pain of this loss is immeasurable.”
What do we know about Travis Decker?
Decker is homeless and had been living in his car or motels. He once spent 2.5 months in the backwoods living off the grid, deputy U.S. marshal Keegan Stanley said, and in the days before the girls’ deaths, he searched online for how to relocate to and find a job in Canada.
He was an infantryman in the Army from March 2013 to July 2021 and deployed to Afghanistan for four months in 2014, according to Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Ruth Castro. From 2014 to 2016, he was an automatic rifleman with the 75th Ranger Regiment at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington.
Last September, his ex-wife wrote in a petition to modify their parenting plan that his mental health issues had worsened and that he had become increasingly unstable, often living out of his truck. She sought to restrict him from having overnight visits with the girls until he found housing.
Initially, a warrant for Decker’s arrest was obtained by the Wenatchee Police detectives for three counts of custodial interference in the first degree.
After the three girls' bodies were discovered, the East Cascade SWAT team was activated and began searching for Decker. He is now wanted on first-degree murder and kidnapping charges.
What is known about Decker’s whereabouts?
The Chelan County Sheriff's Office, the Wenatchee Police Department, and the FBI are desperately trying to track down Decker, as the manhunt enters its second week.
Decker had searched the internet days before the incident for information on how to quietly slip across the border into Canada, according to a U.S. Marshals Service affidavit.
But early Tuesday, Chelan officials said they suspected Decker was in the area of Ingalls Creek and Valley High.
“Law enforcement is searching for suspect Travis Decker in the hiking area of Ingalls Creek and Valley High as he is believed to potentially be in this area. Please secure your homes and vehicles, stay alert, and report any suspicious activity to 911,” a statement read.
The Ingalls Creek Trail is a 16-mile stretch that features a varied terrain with tall pine trees, boulder fields, granite cliffs, old-growth, and views of the rocky pyramid, Stuart Range.
Decker’s Sierra pickup was picked up as traveling westbound on Highway 2 from Wenatchee on the day the girls were last seen.
On Monday, police said they had “collected a large amount of evidence, including many of the suspect’s personal items, from the truck recovered at the scene.”
Decker’s dog was recovered and taken to the humane society for safe care, they said. Blood was also found inside the truck.
“Blood samples taken from the scene have come back positive for belonging to a male, and another was not human blood,” the Chelon County Sheriff’s Office said. Further DNA and fingerprint testing is underway.
A reward of up to $20,000 was available for information leading directly to his arrest.
What have cops said?
“It is unknown whether Decker is currently armed, but he may pose a significant risk if approached,” Washington state police warned.
Last week, police released Ring camera footage of Decker taken days before a court-ordered visitation. They have also released pictures of his truck.
Members of the public who believe they may have seen Decker are urged to call 911 and report the sighting to the authorities. By no means should they engage with the alleged fugitive, cops added.
On Saturday, Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson offered his condolences to the family.
“As a parent, my heart goes out to Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia’s mom, Whitney, and all those who love them,” he said. “The brutal murder of these young children has shocked our state. I’m committed to supporting law enforcement as they seek justice for Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia.”
