A missed drop-off and tragedy at a campground. How a manhunt for a father accused of killing his 3 daughters is unfolding
By Alaa Elassar, CNN
(CNN) — The last time Whitney Decker saw her three daughters, she gave them each a hug and kiss goodbye, not realizing it would be the last time she saw them alive.
The sisters, 5-year-old Olivia, 8-year-old Evelyn and 9-year-old Paityn Decker, were found suffocated to death at an abandoned campsite in Washington state on Monday, police said, sparking an intense manhunt for their father, Travis Decker.
Whitney had handed the girls over to Decker, 32, for their regularly scheduled custody visit on May 30, the Friday before the devastating discovery. Though the couple had been divorced for several years, they maintained communication as co-parents and friends, her attorney Arianna Cozart told CNN.
“We’ll see you at eight,” he last told Whitney, Cozart said. Whitney noticed he was quieter than usual, but the exchange took place without any problems, and she didn’t think much of it – until the sun slipped behind the hills, dusk spilling across the sky, and the girls still weren’t home.
Decker wasn’t supposed to keep his daughters out after 8 p.m. and their custody plan specified no overnight visits, Whitney told the Wenatchee police when she reported the girls missing.
His phone was going straight to voicemail, she told police.
The mother appeared to have been crying when she arrived at the police station, police said, telling them Decker “has never failed to return the kids” and typically lets her know when he is running late, according to a police affidavit filed in the Chelan County Superior Court.
Whitney told police that while he had a “good relationship” with his daughters and they enjoyed their time together, she believed he was experiencing mental health issues, according to the affidavit.
“But he never displayed any sort of ‘red flags’ to Whitney,” Cozart said.
After speaking with Whitney, police checked the hotels and motels in Wenatchee as well as the camping roster at the state park, and then the wider area. Decker’s name was not listed anywhere.
The Wenatchee Police Department requested the Washington State Patrol issue an Amber Alert the day the girls went missing, but because “there was no current evidence” the girls were at risk of serious injury or death, an alert was not issued, according to the police affidavit.
The following day, when Decker and the girls did not show up to a running event scheduled at the park, police provided more information to the Washington State Patrol, which then issued an Endangered Missing Person Alert, seeking the community’s help in locating Olivia, Evelyn and Paityn.
Their disappearance kicked off an intensive search that grew as friends, family and volunteers came out to look for the girls. Then, on Monday the father’s pickup truck was found unoccupied at a Chelan County campground with two bloody handprints on the tailgate, according to the affidavit.
The girls’ bodies were about 75 yards away, down a small embankment.
Authorities are now searching by land and air for Travis Decker – wanted for three counts each of murder and kidnapping – across the county, sweeping through local forests and wilderness areas, according to the Chelan County Sheriff’s office.
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson on Saturday announced he’s tapping emergency funds and ordering Washington National Guard resources to support the multi-agency search for Travis Decker, warning area residents to keep their doors and windows locked and to avoid restricted areas.
Meanwhile, a portrait of Travis Decker is emerging: an Army veteran and National Guardsman experiencing homelessness, skilled in wilderness survival, an involved father and, according to his ex-wife, a man struggling with mental health issues.
The hunt for Travis Decker
Nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Range, Wenatchee lies between Seattle and Spokane, where rugged peaks give way to rolling orchards and breathtaking views of the Columbia River as it winds through the valley – a scenic view now punctured by tragedy.
The sisters were found about 30 minutes northwest, in the Wenatchee River Ranger district, a remote, mountainous region of Washington that encompasses approximately 696,000 acres. The girls had plastic bags over their heads, and their wrists were zip-tied, according to police.
The discovery of their bodies triggered a closure of the Enchantments, an area popular for backcountry hiking and camping, as law enforcement combs the forest for any signs of the tattooed Army veteran. Authorities have released photos and a video clip of Travis Decker from the days before his custody visit with the girls. He was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts and had his dark hair pulled back into a ponytail.
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” which will likely make the search more difficult, the sheriff’s office said in a news release on Wednesday.
The former military member also has “extensive tactical training,” according to the US Marshals, which is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to Decker’s arrest.
Travis Decker is a former US Army infantryman and staff sergeant with eight years of service, including five months in Afghanistan, according to a US Army spokesperson. He is currently a member of the Washington National Guard but is in the midst of a disciplinary process of being discharged because of missed drills, the National Guard confirmed to CNN.
As the manhunt continues, the sheriff’s office has advised residents in neighboring counties to lock their doors, including on outbuildings and sheds, and leave their outdoor lights on and their blinds open.
Travis Decker was experiencing homelessness, living in his car, motels or camping locally, his ex-wife told police. His dog and daughters “are the two big positives in his life,” she said, according to the affidavit.
“He was very active with their extracurricular activities, their dance, their soccer games, all of those things. He was very involved,” Cozart said.
But there were concerns. Whitney told police that near the end of their marriage, her ex-husband was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, and she did not think he was taking his medication, according to the police affidavit.
In September 2024, a judge granted Whitney and Decker a parenting plan with limitations after an incident in which Decker kept the girls overnight at a homeless shelter and allowed them to go to a corner store unsupervised, according to Cozart.
The new parenting plan included a psychiatric evaluation for Travis Decker, mandatory mental health counseling, and a domestic violence evaluation, according to court documents. He was permitted to see the children every other weekend.
Travis Decker had “displayed some volatile behaviors that seemed concerning towards Whitney, never towards the girls,” Cozart said.
His ex-wife believes the tragedy may have been prevented if Travis Decker had better access to mental health support as a veteran, Cozart said, pointing to well-documented barriers to accessing adequate resources for veterans struggling with issues including post-traumatic disorder.
Central WA Veterans Counseling, a local agency serving veterans, believes that if Travis Decker had sought their help, he would have been redirected elsewhere or placed on a waitlist due to a lack of funding and a shortage of alternative resources to adequately support veterans in the region.
“This isn’t a hidden crisis—we’ve been vocal about it in the media and with local, state, and federal officials,” the group said in a statement.
It’s unclear whether Travis Decker was seeking help for the mental health issues outlined in the police report. CNN has reached out to the US Department of Veterans Affairs for information.
‘Living every mother’s worst nightmare’
The flag at the Chelan County Courthouse now flies at half-staff in memory of Olivia, Evelyn and Paityn.
The killings of the three sisters – remembered by loved ones and in their community as beacons of light and joy – have deeply impacted Wenatchee and touched the hearts of parents across the country.
“Whitney is living every mother’s worst nightmare. The hole in her heart is immeasurable. There are no words that can capture the weight of this loss. Right now, she is surrounded by friends, family, and neighbors doing everything they can to hold her up,” Amy Edwards, a friend of Whitney’s, said in part in a statement released through Cozart.
She remembered Olivia, Paityn and Evelyn as performers and dancers and said, “their laughter, curiosity, and spirit left a mark on all of us.”
“They were the kind of children everyone rooted for, looked forward to seeing, and held close in their hearts. They are cherished – not just by their family, but by an entire community who watched them grow, perform, learn, and love. We ache with the love we still carry for them – and always will.”
A GoFundMe launched by Edwards has raised more than $1.1 million as of Sunday to support Whitney through the loss.
“We are heartbroken by the loss of three of our shining stars from the Short Shakespeareans family,” the Music Theatre of Wenatchee said in a statement.
“Their joy, creativity, and spirit lit up our stage and our hearts. Though their time with us was far too short, their impact will forever be part of our story. May their light continue to shine in every performance we give. We carry them with us—always.”
The three sisters attended Lincoln Elementary School in the Wenatchee School District.
“My heart, and the hearts of the entire Wenatchee School District leadership, remain with the Decker family, the Lincoln Elementary community, and all who knew and loved these precious girls,” district superintendent Kory Kalahar said in a statement. “Every school, every classroom, and every family within our district may be touched by this tragedy in some way.
As the community grieves, no sorrow runs deeper than Whitney’s – a mother devastated by unimaginable loss yet determined to ensure that her daughters are known for the light, laughter, and love they brought into the world.
“The girls were amazing little humans,” Cozart said. “I know Whitney wants the world to remember them that way.”
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