Police are confident Travis Decker will be brought to justice soon.
After the fugitive’s daughters Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, were found dead in a Washington state campground June 2, and he was subsequently charged with three counts of murder and three counts of kidnapping, authorities gave an update on their investigation.
“Every single day Travis is out there, he’s going to have to aim for perfection,” Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said during a June 12 press conference. “He’s not going to be able to make a mistake because all we need is one mistake and one day to go in our favor and he’s going to be in custody.”
The sheriff went on to emphasize that he hopes Decker, 32, was tuning in to the press conference.
“I hope he knows that we haven’t given up,” he continued. “We have not stopped our investigation.”
Later, Morrison shared where the investigation stood.
The Chelan County officials also reiterated that they are still hoping for more tips from civilians.
“We need as much information and help from the public as we can get,” Morrison continued. “As we’ve seen in the past with other manhunts, it’s going to take a group effort in the community in order to bring this to a conclusion.”
Decker was last seen by his ex-wife Whitney Decker May 30 when the former couple was doing a regularly scheduled custody visit. Following the hand-off, Whitney expected her husband to bring their three children back to her residence by 8 p.m. and called the police when he did not show up and her subsequent phone calls to him went straight to voicemail.
Following a two-day search, the young girls were found dead with plastic bags over their heads near Decker’s abandoned truck at Rock Island Campground in Wenatchee National Forest. Their cause of death was determined as suffocation by matter of homicide in autopsy results provided in a June 9 press release by the County of Chelan.
Whitney’s lawyer, Arianna Cozart, told CNN June 8 that Whitney and Decker had maintained a “friendly” relationship since their divorce many years ago, but she understood he suffered from mental health issues. However, Cozart emphasized to the outlet, “He never displayed any sort of ‘red flags’ to Whitney.”
In several press releases, Chelan law enforcement has reminded the public to not approach Decker if they see him, as the fugitive is trained in military combat and poses a threat.
Keep reading for everything know about the search for Travis Decker.
Who is Travis Decker?
Travis Decker has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping after allegedly killing his daughters Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5.
Authorities revealed that Travis—who shared his daughters with ex-wife Whitney Decker—was believed to have been living out of a white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup truck, various motels and local campgrounds.
The former Army soldier has a history of mental health struggles, which he was expected to manage in order to spend time with his daughters. In a September 2024 temporary parenting plan obtained by NBC News, he was court-ordered to complete an anger management program and attend individual counseling sessions at least biweekly.
Per the plan, Travis was given visitation opportunities every other weekend, where he was expected to drop off his daughters at 8 p.m. on Fridays, 7 p.m. on Saturdays and 5 p.m. on Sundays to his ex-wife.
When Did Travis Decker and Whitney Decker’s 3 Daughters Go Missing?
Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia were last seen May 30 when Travis had picked them up at Whitney’s home for a planned visitation, according to an affidavit filed June 3 in Chelan County Superior Court.
Whitney alleged, per the docs, that the exchange had “occurred without issues,” but Travis—who Whitney noted had been experiencing mental health issues—was “quieter than usual, which was out of character.”
After Travis failed to return the girls at 8 p.m., Whitney attempted to contact her ex multiple times before calling the police.
What Happened to Travis Decker and Whitney Decker’s 3 Daughters?
The Wenatchee Police Department shared May 31 that they were searching for Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia. However, just three days later, the department confirmed Travis and Whitney’s three daughters were found deceased at the Rock Island Campground near Travis’ abandoned car, which had two bloody handprints.
Autopsies performed by the Chelan County Medical Examiner found that the girls’ cause of death was suffocation and the manner of death was homicide.
The Chelan County Sheriff's Office revealed in an August press release that "two of the victims each had two separate bags over their heads and the third victim had three separate bags over their head. In addition, several cable ties were located on the ground in the immediate area of the bodies."
After examincation, the Washington State Crime Lab determined that DNA profiles matching Travis' were found on both the plastic bags and cable ties, leading authorities to believe that he is "the only suspect involved in committing these homicides.”
Has Travis Decker Been Found?
Local authorities, the US Marshal Service and the WA Army National Guard are searching for Travis, who disappeared into the forest near the Rock Island campground, according to Chelan County officials. While the efforts continue, the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office shared in a June 23 press release that “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,” the statement continued. “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.”
In their August statement, the sheriff's office noted that “Decker’s whereabouts remain unknown,” though they are continuing with their search.
What Has Whitney Decker Said About the Deaths of Her Daughters?
Whitney shared an emotional tribute honoring her daughters, who she said came “into the world with open hearts and kindness.”
She told the crowd at the June 20 memorial service, “You all look beautiful, and I know Evy would have loved to ooh and ah over all your outfits," adding that Paityn would've complimented "each and every one of you … She did that for everyone, whether it was at a grocery store or at school or with me."
Whitney shared how, following her and Travis’ divorce, she would often ask her girls what three emotions they felt each day.
"For Paityn, she always had more than three, consistently eager to tell me about every minute of her day," Whitney shared. "She was always interrupting her sisters to make sure I knew every single one. For Ev, we would talk about her feelings one-on-one right at bedtime because she wasn't always ready to share them with her sisters."
Meanwhile, she and Olivia were "still working on how to describe her feelings," but that "one was always 'happy.'"
What Are the Next Steps In the Search For Travis Decker?
The Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office shared that they are shifting their strategy.
The office announced in a June 23 press release that as they continue to search for the fugitive, they are also directing some efforts to recover Travis’ body if he died in the wilderness. Meanwhile, the office added that the US Marshals have “turned their fugitive-finding resources to the task of finding Decker if he’s left our area.”