A devastating case has gripped the country, as authorities race to find the man believed responsible for a crime that has left an entire community in mourning.
Paityn (9), Evelyn (8), and Olivia Decker (5) were on what should have been a safe, court-approved visit with their father, 32-year-old Travis Decker, when they vanished. Days later, their bodies were found at a secluded campground in Rock Island, Washington — roughly three hours from Seattle.
Investigators say Decker, a military veteran with a documented history of mental illness, is now the prime suspect. He is still on the run, and police warn the public not to approach him, citing his combat skills and unstable mental state.
The girls were last seen Friday evening after Decker picked them up for a scheduled three-hour visitation. When they failed to return and he became unreachable, their mother, Whitney, grew frantic.
“I never imagined he’d hurt them,” she told KIRO 7. “His mental health was unpredictable, but he adored those girls.”
Court documents, however, reveal a troubling past. Decker had been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder but refused treatment and failed to follow court-ordered parenting rules. Whitney had previously raised alarms over unsafe living conditions during visits — including sleeping in cars, tents, and around strangers. In one incident, young Olivia phoned her mother crying because she couldn’t find her father. Another time, Evelyn returned with unexplained injuries.
“I’ve fought to preserve their relationship,” Whitney wrote in court filings. “But I couldn’t let them live without safety or stability.”
The grim discovery came Monday afternoon, when officers located Decker’s truck near the Rock Island site. Not far away lay the bodies of all three girls — each with a plastic bag over her head and wrists bound by zip ties. Blood marked the truck’s tailgate, and inside were chilling reminders of their last trip: blankets, snacks, and child car seats.
Decker now faces three counts of aggravated first-degree murder and one count of abduction. A nationwide manhunt is underway, with the FBI and U.S. Marshals assisting. Search teams and drones are combing rugged Cascade Mountain terrain, particularly around the Icicle Road area.
Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison made a direct appeal:
“Travis, please surrender. Take responsibility. We will not stop searching.”
The Wenatchee community is in deep mourning. More than 300 people gathered in Memorial Park Tuesday night for a candlelight vigil. Children released bubbles into the summer sky as soft music played. Messages of love and grief covered tables — one, from a child named Grace, read: “I’m so sorry. You didn’t deserve this.”
Pastor Mike Wilson led prayers for the family and investigators. A GoFundMe created by Whitney describes the sisters as “three bright lights” whose lives were cut short. By Tuesday night, donations had surpassed $350,000, with condolences flooding in from across the nation.
Decker is described as 5’8”, 190 pounds, with brown eyes and long black hair in a ponytail. Authorities believe he may be staying in parks or motels and stress that anyone who spots him should call police immediately.
This tragedy serves as a haunting reminder of the dangers when warning signs go unheeded — and of a mother’s desperate fight to protect her children.
As night fell over Wenatchee, a single voice rose above the silence:
“Fly high, sweet girls.”
