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Three girls in Washington state were found dead after days of searches, and their father is wanted for their murders.
A massive manhunt is underway for Travis Decker, 32, the man wanted for the deaths of his daughters Paityn Decker, 9, Evelyn Decker, 8, and Olivia Decker, 5, according to NBC Seattle affiliate KING-TV. The sisters were scheduled for an agreed-upon parental visit with their father in Wenatchee — about 115 miles north of Yakima — and when Travis Decker failed to bring them home on Friday, May 30, 2025, the mother called local authorities at around 9:45 p.m.
The children’s bodies were discovered three days later, as confirmed by the Wenatchee Police Department.
Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said at a press conference, “We will not rest until Travis is located,” as reported by Yakima’s NBC affiliate KNDO.
Here’s what we know:
Authorities reveal the girls’ cause of death
Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia died by asphyxiation, per a preliminary report filed in Chelan County Superior Court and obtained by Seattle’s Fox affiliate, KCPQ.
On Monday, June 2, 2025, amid searches for the missing Deckers, Chelan County deputies found Travis Decker’s 2017 white GMC Sierra pickup truck abandoned in Leavenworth, Washington, roughly 22 miles northwest of Wenatchee. Police stated the vehicle was found at around 3:45 p.m., “near Rock Island Campground accessed by Icicle Road.”
The children’s bodies were discovered about 100 yards from the truck, per KING-TV.
According to the Seattle outlet, investigators found plastic bags and zip-ties within the area, plus a pair of bloody handprints left on the vehicle’s tailgate. Court documents cited by KCPQ reported that other items were found with the pickup, including blankets, car seats, food, and a wallet left on the center console.
It appeared as though someone had set up camp nearby, as indicated by a tent and cooler a short distance away, per the Fox affiliate.
“We want to express our sincere and deep heartfelt condolences to the family at this time,” police stated. “We have been in close communication with the family at each step of the investigation.”
The initial search
The girls’ mother pressed for state officials to issue a federal AMBER Alert, which would have notified the public of the missing children, according to NBC News. However, the girls’ absence didn’t meet the criteria for such an urgent measure, said Chris Loftis, a spokesperson for the Washington State Patrol.
“In a situation where a custodial parent is late returning children to another parent, law enforcement does not automatically have clear indication that the children are in danger,” Loftis told NBC News.
Additionally, there wasn’t evidence the victims were in imminent danger.
An E.M.P.A. (Endangered Missing Persons Alert) was issued on Saturday, May 31, one day after the mother filed a civil complaint, when Wenatchee authorities contacted state officials a second time with “additional information,” according to police.
Police stated, “based on information developed over the weekend,” the FBI joined Wenatchee Police and the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office in their searches.
Who is Travis Decker?
Travis Decker is the sole suspect in the murders of the Decker sisters. Prior to the discovery of the bodies, an arrest warrant had been issued for custodial interference, the Wenatchee Police Department stated.
Those charges have been upgraded to three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping.
Police noted Travis Decker is “former military with extensive training.”
“It is unknown whether Decker is currently armed, but he may pose a significant risk if approached,” police stated.
The girls’ mother stated she and Travis Decker divorced several years ago, and the couple reportedly had a visitation plan in which the father could see his girls every other weekend during outlined hours, according to the court documents cited by KCPQ. The suspect reportedly lived with borderline personality disorder, and he was allegedly required to be in treatment for mental health and anger management as part of the parents’ agreed arrangement.
The wife said she believed Travis Decker had stopped taking his medication, according to KCPQ. She also said he seemed “quieter than usual” when picking up Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia.
Where is Travis Decker now?
Searches continue for the suspect, now with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force, which has joined forces with the FBI, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Border Patrol, the Washington State Department of Corrections, and the Wenatchee Police Department.
A $20,000 reward is in place for information directly leading to Travis Decker’s arrest, according to a press release from the U.S. Marshals Service.
Anyone with information about Travis Decker’s whereabouts is urged to contact the U.S. Marshals Service at 1-800-336-0102 or via their website.
