In what can only be described as a gut-wrenching tragedy, law enforcement continues a statewide manhunt for Travis Caleb Decker, a 32-year-old Army National Guardsman accused of kidnapping and murdering his three young daughters during a scheduled custody visit last weekend.
The bodies of Paityn (9), Evelyn (8), and Olivia Decker (5) were discovered Monday afternoon, just 75 yards from their father’s abandoned pickup truck near the Rock Island Campground in the remote Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest—70 miles east of Seattle.
Decker, who served as an infantryman in the U.S. Army and deployed to Afghanistan, is said to be trained in wilderness survival and capable of going off-grid for extended periods. Authorities warn he may be armed and is considered extremely dangerous.
Surveillance video and Ring camera footage released Tuesday show Decker in the days leading up to the murders, wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts—appearing calm and unassuming. The footage provides the most recent look at Decker, whose last known appearance came before he picked up his daughters on Friday, May 30.
He was expected to return the girls to their mother, Whitney Decker, by 8 p.m. Instead, he vanished. His phone went straight to voicemail.
Court records paint a chilling portrait of a veteran slowly unraveling under the weight of mental illness, homelessness, and failed treatment orders. Diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and exhibiting signs of narcissism and emotional instability, Decker was living out of his truck and staying in the Wenatchee Armory alongside other men.
The children’s mother had pleaded with the court to limit his custody, noting disturbing incidents—such as the girls sleeping on bare mattresses in the armory, FaceTime calls filled with screams, and Decker hitchhiking with strangers while trying to visit his daughters.
Despite these red flags, Decker retained weekend visitation. Now three children are dead—and a trained combat veteran with nothing to lose has disappeared into the woods.
Decker served nearly a decade, from 2013 to 2021, before transitioning to part-time status with the Washington National Guard. He reportedly stopped attending drills about a year ago.
“I’m afraid Travis will kill himself and the girls,” Whitney warned in a March 2024 court declaration. “He has made comments about it.”
In that same court filing, Whitney described her ex-husband as “homeless” and stated that he was “staying at the Wenatchee National Guard Armory, with the girls sleeping on mattresses in an open bay alongside other men.”
“He has made huge sacrifices for our country and loves his girls very much. But he has got to get better for our girls.”
That call for help never materialized.
What’s left now is a trail of heartbreak, a shattered family, and a community demanding answers. Wenatchee School District has begun mobilizing grief counseling for classmates and staff, while local businesses and a GoFundMe campaign have raised over $65,000 to support the girls’ mother.
Decker is 5’8″, 190 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. His military training and survival experience suggest he may be navigating remote terrain with limited gear. Law enforcement urges anyone with tips to call 911 immediately or submit information to the Chelan County Sheriff’s tip line at 509-667-6845.
Tonight, a press conference will be held on the steps of the Chelan County Courthouse at 6 p.m. to update the public on the ongoing investigation.
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