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Published 12:54 24 Jul 2026 GMT
New information surfaced in the case of the deaths of the Decker sisters, and it's all to do with their alleged killer father, Travis Decker.
Human remains were found near a remote wooded area after the father was accused of murdering his three daughters near a Washington state campground this summer.
The remains were believed to be those of the father, according to the coroner in Chelan County.
The bodies of three sisters, Paityn, nine, Evelyn, eight, and Olivia, five, were found near a campground in Wenatchee, Washington, on June 2, 2025.
Just three days after their father took them for what was meant to be a “planned visitation," the girls were found with plastic bags over their heads and zip ties around their wrists.
It is believed that the three girls likely died from asphyxiation.
Despite the discovery of the father's remains, the coroner revealed that an autopsy could not be carried out on Travis Decker's body for one reason.
The suspect's body cannot undergo an autopsy due to how little remains of the father, as reported by ABC 7.
This means that the question of when and how he died will likely never be known, following the gruesome murders.
According to officials, Travis' torso and cranium were never found, with no biological tissue remaining.
The coroner explained that based on the length of time he was dead, in addition to the summer weather and animal activity, not much of his bones remained.
They were found in five different areas and hundreds of yards apart, with a state anthropologist determining that no bone fractures indicated a fall, but they will likely never know how the suspected killer dad died.
The DNA on clothing and human remains found in September last year was confirmed as a "positive match for Travis Decker," according to Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison.
He stated: "We hope that you can rest easy at night knowing that Mr. Decker is accounted for."
The attorney for Decker's ex-wife said that the family was "praying that the remains found are confirmed to be Travis's."
"We continue to be grateful for law enforcement's efforts in this case and are forever appreciative of the entire world's love, compassion, and support for Whitney," Whitney Decker's attorney, Arianna Cozart, said in a statement.
The Army veteran was wanted for three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of first-degree kidnapping prior to the discovery.
The US Marshals Service, which was offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to Decker's arrest, confirmed his death.
They declared him to be dead in a court filing made last September, stating: "The United States Marshals Service has advised the Defendant TRAVIS CALEB DECKER is deceased."
The document was filed to dismiss the case and halt the arrest warrant for Decker.
Cozart had told ABC News that the father had some "mental health issues and some instability in his life," which led to restrictions on overnight visitation and taking his daughters out of the area.
She noted that he struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder, having been unable to receive help through veterans' resources.
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Published 14:32 25 Jun 2025 GMT
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Published 13:00 11 Jun 2025 GMT
Published 08:41 19 Sep 2025 GMT
Authorities in Washington say remains believed to belong to a man accused of killing his three young daughters earlier this summer have been discovered in a remote forest.
The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Thursday that human remains, believed to be those of 32-year-old Travis Decker, were located south of Leavenworth during an ongoing search.
Officials said DNA testing will be conducted to confirm the identity.
Travis Decker had been the subject of a manhunt since June 2, when his daughters — Evelyn, 8, Paityn, 9, and Olivia, 5 — were found dead near a campground east of Seattle. His white pickup truck was discovered at the site.
According to court documents, the children were zip-tied and had plastic bags over their heads.
A preliminary examination determined they most likely died from asphyxiation. Investigators also noted two bloody handprints on Decker’s abandoned truck.
Decker, described by authorities as a military veteran, National Guardsman, and longtime outdoorsman, had not been seen since.
Three weeks into the search, law enforcement acknowledged they believed he may have died in the wilderness.
The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office previously reported that someone matching Decker’s description was spotted by helicopter after a hiking group saw a man “who appeared unprepared for the trail and the weather and appeared to be avoiding others.”
He fled when seen but was later tracked by dogs to a nearby trailhead.
Travis Decker’s ex-wife, Whitney Decker, told investigators he was homeless and dealing with mental health struggles at the time of the killings.
The pair had divorced after seven years of marriage, and a parenting plan filed in September 2024 required Decker to undergo counseling for mental health and domestic violence — conditions he refused to meet.
When Decker failed to return the girls after a scheduled visit, Whitney contacted Wenatchee police. That call triggered the search that ended in the discovery of their bodies.
In the days following, she called for reforms to the Amber Alert system, criticizing the decision not to issue one when police first raised concerns.
Whitney later addressed thousands of mourners at a public vigil, telling them per KGNS News: "They were incredible. I truly hope that the legacy of the girls’ lives lives in everyone’s heart."
Authorities say DNA testing on the newly discovered remains could take several weeks.
Published 10:27 19 Sep 2025 GMT
The tragic cause of death of three sisters has been revealed as remains, believed to be those of their alleged killer father, Travis Decker, have been discovered.
The bodies of three sisters, Paityn, nine, Evelyn, eight, and Olivia, five, were located near a campground in Wenatchee, Washington, on June 2, three days after their father took them for what was supposed to be a “planned visitation".
The girls were found with plastic bags over their heads and zip ties around their wrists, and preliminary investigations revealed they likely died from asphyxiation.
Authorities had been searching for the sisters and their father, Decker, after he failed to return them to their mother, Whitney Decker, on May 30 after a court-sanctioned visit.
Whitney immediately reported her children missing after calls to her ex-husband's phone went unanswered.
When police reached the scene, they discovered the girls’ bodies 75 to 100 yards down an embankment, near Decker’s abandoned 2017 white GMC Sierra.
The father, who is a former National Guardsman with military training, was soon labeled as the prime suspect in the deaths of his daughters.
This week, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office uncovered human remains believed to be those of the 32-year-old.
“We are waiting for further confirmation tomorrow,” said Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison. “But it seems to be consistent with (clothing) we believe he was last seen in.”
The final identification of the remains, which were located south of Leavenworth, will be made by the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab.
Authorities believe that Decker, who had extensive survival skills after attending mountain survival school and living in remote areas for extended periods, may have been using the wilderness to evade capture.
Court documents disclosed that he had searched online for information on relocating to Canada and job opportunities there in the days before he disappeared with his daughters.
His truck was located only 11 miles from the Pacific Crest Trail, which leads directly to Canada, further fueling suspicions that he was trying to flee the country.
“It sounds like at times he would go out and leave off-grid for sometimes up to two and a half months,” Sheriff Morrison said, highlighting Decker’s ability to survive in the wild, per The New York Post.
The dad-of-three's mental health had reportedly deteriorated in the years leading up to the tragedy.
His ex-wife, Whitney Decker, explained that after their divorce, Decker’s stability deteriorated, leading to a reduction in his custody rights.
According to her attorney, Arianna Cozart, Decker had received little mental health support after leaving active duty in the US Army Rangers, despite seeking emergency services for veterans.
"It’s obvious something broken him. He’s a broken human, like anybody who could commit such a heinous act is, you know, I don’t know the better way to put it," Cozart said, adding that Whitney believed that if the US veteran system had better resources, her daughters might still be alive.
“There is not one instance that shows that Travis did not love those girls and was not a loving, active father. He struggled with mental health, yes, we knew that. Whitney knew that he had struggled with it their entire marriage," the lawyer added.
In the wake of the tragedy, the heartbroken mom has called for changes to Washington’s Amber Alert system.
She is advocating for reforms as she believes the alarm could have played a crucial role in finding her daughters alive, as officials did not issue an alert immediately after she reported her children missing.
Our thoughts continue to be with Whitney.
Published 15:27 05 Jun 2025 GMT
Travis Decker is wanted for allegedly murdering his three young daughters. Here is everything we know about him.
Paityn, nine, Evelyn, eight, and Olivia, five, were reported missing on the night of May 30. Their mother, Whitney Decker, contacted police after their father failed to return them following a scheduled visit.
“What prompted her to call us was that… he was late returning the girls and had not communicated to her that he was going to be late, which was his typical fashion and so this was out of the ordinary,” Capt. Brian Chance told NBC4 Washington.
A massive search followed. By June 2, Chelan County deputies discovered Decker’s white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup truck abandoned near Rock Island Campground, about 18 miles west of Leavenworth.
Roughly 100 yards away, the bodies of the three girls were found hidden down an embankment.
Court documents say they had plastic bags over their heads and signs of having been zip-tied. Two bloody handprints were discovered on the tailgate of Decker’s truck.
Inside the vehicle, officers found disturbing items, including zip ties, plastic bags, blankets, food, car seats, and Decker’s wallet, per Fox 13 Seattle.
Preliminary investigations indicate the girls most likely died from asphyxiation.
In a newly released video, Decker was seen days before the murders on a Ring doorbell camera approaching a stranger’s home, knocking, and oddly sliding his hand up and down the door surface.
The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the video was captured before the killings and remains the most recent footage of Decker, per the New York Post.
He is described as 5'8", 190 pounds, with black hair, brown eyes, and multiple arm tattoos. In some photos, he is seen with a ponytail, bushy mustache, and goatee. He was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts.
Authorities warn: “It is unknown if he is armed at this time but he should be considered dangerous and should not be contacted or approached.”
Decker, 32, is a former U.S. Army member who transferred to the Washington National Guard in 2021. He stopped attending mandatory drills about a year ago and was in the process of being discharged.
According to FOX 13 Seattle, multiple social media profiles and posts show Decker with elite infantry combat training, including earning a Ranger tab and training as an airborne paratrooper.
A separate account suggests he also qualified as an instructor at the US Army’s National Guard Warrior Training Center at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Karina Shagren, a spokesperson for the Washington Military Department, confirmed Decker had gone from full-time to part-time status between 2023 and 2024 and had been absent from service.
Sheriff Mike Morrison said Decker is capable of surviving “off-grid” for long periods: “We understand that at times, he would do caching… put some supplies out there, and has the ability and knowledge to survive for long periods of time.”
As of this week, authorities are continuing an expansive search across Chelan County.
Aerial and ground teams - including two helicopters from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office - are combing national forests and wilderness areas. Federal agencies, including Homeland Security, are now involved.
A reported sighting in McCall, Idaho, is under investigation, though Sheriff Morrison later said it “likely wasn’t Decker.” The focus remains on the Leavenworth area.
Decker’s ex-wife told police their divorce had been civil, and prior visitations had been without incident.
However, court documents show he refused to sign a final parenting plan that required him to seek mental health and anger-management counseling, services he never followed through on.
Decker had been living out of his truck and was reportedly homeless at the time of the incident.
Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said in a press conference: “The girls are a motivating force for us” as investigators continue to hunt for Decker.
A GoFundMe campaign organized to support their mother, Whitney, has raised over $788,000 to help cover funeral expenses and offer emotional support.
Police have shared a major update in the search for Travis Decker, the former soldier accused of killing his three young daughters during a scheduled visit in Washington state.
As previously reported, Decker, 32, failed to return nine-year-old Paityn, eight-year-old Evelyn, and five-year-old Olivia Decker to their mother after a court-approved custody exchange.
Their bodies were discovered shortly after at a remote campsite near Leavenworth, along with Decker’s truck, triggering a state-wide manhunt and a flurry of public tips.
Roughly a week later, hikers in the area reported seeing a man who resembled Decker, prompting a surge of search efforts across the rugged terrain of Washington’s backcountry.
But now, authorities say that those early leads have grown cold, and they no longer believe there’s any solid evidence that Decker is still alive, The Independent reports.
In a sobering statement released via social media, the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office said (via KCBY): “There is no certain evidence that Decker remains alive or in this area.
"Seemingly strong early leads gave way to less convincing proofs over the last two weeks of searching.
"Still, we can’t and won’t quit this search; Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker deserve justice. And Decker remains a danger to the public as long as he’s at large.”
The terrain in question, steep, remote, and largely uninhabited, poses extreme survival challenges.
Police believe that even someone with Decker’s military background would struggle to remain hidden and alive for long.
“Because of the ruggedness, the remoteness of that country, and some of the conditions that we’ve observed,” said Sheriff’s Inspector Chris Whitsett, per CBS, “the longer anybody stays out there, the greater the chance that something’s going to happen, and whether he intends it or not, that he’s going to die.”
Decker served as an infantryman in the U.S. Army from 2013 to 2021. Authorities believe it’s possible he could have escaped the area, but acknowledge he was ill-equipped and likely on foot.
In case he did leave, the U.S. Marshals Service is actively involved in the manhunt, and extra patrols have been deployed throughout the region.
Search teams, now including cadaver dogs trained to detect human remains, have expanded their efforts into even more remote zones, including abandoned cabins, caves, and old mining sites, USA Today reports.
The area is laced with rugged backcountry trails, including access to the Pacific Crest Trail, which runs from Canada to Mexico.
Authorities have asked the public to remain vigilant, especially those living near wilderness areas or with remote properties.
They’ve urged residents to check trail cameras and report anything unusual.
“We’re relying on tips from the public,” the sheriff’s office added. “This search isn’t over.”
A massive manhunt is underway for Travis Decker, the Washington father accused of murdering his three young daughters before vanishing into the wilderness nearly two weeks ago. Authorities now say they may have spotted the fugitive in the rugged Cascade Range, but capturing him won't be easy.
On May 30, Decker, 32, failed to return his daughters, Paityn, nine, Evelyn, eight, and Olivia, five, to their mother, Whitney Decker, after a scheduled court-ordered visit. Whitney, alarmed by his uncharacteristic silence, immediately reported them missing. Despite her pleas, no Amber Alert was issued.
As previously reported, a three-day search ended in heartbreak on June 2, when Chelan County deputies discovered the girls’ bodies near Rock Island Campground, about 18 miles west of Leavenworth. Each reportedly had plastic bags over their heads and zip ties on their wrists. Autopsies confirmed the cause of death was suffocation, and investigators officially ruled the case a triple homicide.
Their bodies were located roughly 100 yards down an embankment from Decker’s abandoned white 2017 GMC Sierra. Inside the truck were zip ties, food, car seats, blankets, Decker’s wallet, and two bloody handprints. A non-human blood sample was also found, and Decker’s dog was recovered nearby.
Decker is a former U.S. Army infantryman who served from 2013 to 2021, including a deployment to Afghanistan. He later joined the Washington National Guard and was reportedly trained in elite combat tactics, survival skills, airborne operations, and even served as an instructor at Fort Benning, Georgia.
He’s described as 5'8", 190 pounds, with black hair, brown eyes, and tattoos on both arms and one ankle. In recently released images, he wears a tan shirt marked with the number 59, dark shorts, flip-flops, and has his hair pulled back. He may also have a ponytail, mustache, and goatee, as per a description released by Chelan County Sheriff's Office.
Authorities warn the public not to approach him. “He is considered dangerous and potentially armed,” officials said.
Court filings and family accounts paint a troubling picture of Decker’s mental health. In September, Whitney Decker petitioned to limit his overnight visits, citing instability and homelessness. He had been living out of his truck, missed mandatory military drills, and was being processed for discharge from the National Guard.
Attorney Arianna Cozart, representing Whitney, later told The Seattle Times: “Something broke inside of Decker... everything that had been bottled up inside of him for so long, as far as trauma, just won out.”
His employer also raised red flags, telling Whitney that Decker seemed “on the brink of something extreme” the day he vanished with the girls.
Now, nearly two weeks into the search, authorities believe they may have located Decker in the Enchantments region of the Cascade Mountains.
Hikers reported seeing a lone man “ill-prepared for the conditions” near Colchuk Lake. A helicopter later spotted someone off-trail who quickly fled. K-9 teams and trackers followed footprints to Ingalls Creek Trailhead, prompting a community alert in surrounding towns.
Officials say Decker’s extensive survival training makes him exceptionally difficult to track in this rugged, remote terrain. “He could have scoped out this area and cached supplies,” said Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison. “He has the ability and the knowledge to survive for a long period of time.”
Decker’s Google account history revealed search queries including “how does a person move to Canada” and “how to relocate to Canada.” The Rock Island Campground, where the girls were found, is just 11 miles from the Pacific Crest Trail, which extends into Canada.
Federal authorities, including the U.S. Marshals Service and Homeland Security, have now taken over the investigation. A $20,000 reward is being offered for information leading to Decker’s arrest.
A video recorded before the murders shows Decker behaving oddly on a stranger’s Ring doorbell camera, sliding his hand up and down the door without explanation. Authorities confirmed this is the last known footage of him before the tragedy.
As investigators continue to canvass national forests, review surveillance footage, and comb through potential tips, communities in central Washington remain on edge.
Despite the horror of the crime, those who knew Decker say the murders were unthinkable because they couldn’t imagine him turning on his children. “He would not have done what he did if he were himself,” Cozart said.
In the wake of this tragedy, a GoFundMe organized for Whitney Decker has raised over $1.2m to support funeral costs and provide emotional and financial support as she mourns her daughters.
Sheriff Morrison emphasized the personal stakes behind the manhunt: “The girls are a motivating force for us,” he said.
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