Travis Decker: How a manhunt for a father accused of killing his 3 daughters is unfolding

The final time Whitney Decker noticed her three daughters, she gave them every a hug and kiss goodbye, not realizing it could be the final time she noticed them alive.

The sisters, 5-year-old Olivia, 8-year-old Evelyn and 9-year-old Paityn Decker, have been discovered suffocated to demise at an deserted campsite in Washington state on Monday, police mentioned, sparking an intense manhunt for his or her father, Travis Decker.

Whitney had handed the women over to Decker, 32, for his or her frequently scheduled custody go to on Might 30, the Friday earlier than the devastating discovery. Although the couple had been divorced for a number of years, they maintained communication as co-parents and pals, her lawyer Arianna Cozart informed CNN.

“We’ll see you at eight,” he final informed Whitney, Cozart mentioned. Whitney observed he was quieter than ordinary, however the change happened with none issues, and he or she didn’t assume a lot of it – till the solar slipped behind the hills, nightfall spilling throughout the sky, and the women nonetheless weren’t dwelling.

Decker wasn’t supposed to maintain his daughters out after 8 p.m. and their custody plan specified no in a single day visits, Whitney informed the Wenatchee police when she reported the women lacking.

His cellphone was going straight to voicemail, she informed police.

The mom appeared to have been crying when she arrived on the police station, police mentioned, telling them Decker “has by no means did not return the youngsters” and sometimes lets her know when he’s working late, in response to a police affidavit filed within the Chelan County Superior Courtroom.

Whitney informed police that whereas he had a “good relationship” along with his daughters they usually loved their time collectively, she believed he was experiencing psychological well being points, in response to the affidavit.

“However he by no means displayed any type of ‘purple flags’ to Whitney,” Cozart mentioned.

After talking with Whitney, police checked the motels and motels in Wenatchee in addition to the tenting roster on the state park, after which the broader space. Decker’s title was not listed anyplace.

The Wenatchee Police Division requested the Washington State Patrol concern an Amber Alert the day the women went lacking, however as a result of “there was no present proof” the women have been susceptible to critical damage or demise, an alert was not issued, in response to the police affidavit.

The next day, when Decker and the women didn’t present as much as a working occasion scheduled on the park, police offered extra info to the Washington State Patrol, which then issued an Endangered Lacking Particular person Alert, in search of the group’s assist in finding Olivia, Evelyn and Paityn.

Their disappearance kicked off an intensive search that grew as pals, household and volunteers got here out to search for the women. Then, on Monday the daddy’s pickup truck was discovered unoccupied at a Chelan County campground with two bloody handprints on the tailgate, in response to the affidavit.

The ladies’ our bodies have been about 75 yards away, down a small embankment.

Authorities at the moment are looking out by land and air for Travis Decker – wished for 3 counts every of homicide and kidnapping – throughout the county, sweeping by native forests and wilderness areas, in response to the Chelan County Sheriff’s workplace.

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson on Saturday introduced he’s tapping emergency funds and ordering Washington Nationwide Guard assets to help the multi-agency seek for Travis Decker, warning space residents to maintain their doorways and home windows locked and to keep away from restricted areas.

In the meantime, a portrait of Travis Decker is rising: an Military veteran and Nationwide Guardsman experiencing homelessness, expert in wilderness survival, an concerned father and, in response to his ex-wife, a person combating psychological well being points.

Nestled within the foothills of the Cascade Vary, Wenatchee lies between Seattle and Spokane, the place rugged peaks give technique to rolling orchards and breathtaking views of the Columbia River because it winds by the valley – a scenic view now punctured by tragedy.

The sisters have been discovered about half-hour northwest, within the Wenatchee River Ranger district, a distant, mountainous area of Washington that encompasses roughly 696,000 acres. The ladies had plastic luggage over their heads, and their wrists have been zip-tied, in response to police.

The invention of their our bodies triggered a closure of the Enchantments, an space in style for backcountry mountain climbing and tenting, as legislation enforcement combs the forest for any indicators of the tattooed Military veteran. Authorities have launched images and a video clip of Travis Decker from the times earlier than his custody go to with the women. He was final seen sporting a light-colored shirt and darkish shorts and had his darkish hair pulled again right into a ponytail.

Decker is “nicely versed in wilderness survival and able to spending days and even weeks within the wilderness on his personal and with little or no tools” which can doubtless make the search tougher, the sheriff’s workplace mentioned in a information launch on Wednesday.

The previous army member additionally has “intensive tactical coaching,” in response to the US Marshals, which is providing a reward of as much as $20,000 for info resulting in Decker’s arrest.

Travis Decker is a former US Military infantryman and employees sergeant with eight years of service, together with 5 months in Afghanistan, in response to a US Military spokesperson. He’s at present a member of the Washington Nationwide Guard however is within the midst of a disciplinary technique of being discharged due to missed drills, the Nationwide Guard confirmed to CNN.

Because the manhunt continues, the sheriff’s workplace has suggested residents in neighboring counties to lock their doorways, together with on outbuildings and sheds, and go away their out of doors lights on and their blinds open.

Travis Decker was experiencing homelessness, dwelling in his automotive, motels or tenting domestically, his ex-wife informed police. His canine and daughters “are the 2 large positives in his life,” she mentioned, in response to the affidavit.

“He was very energetic with their extracurricular actions, their dance, their soccer video games, all of these issues. He was very concerned,” Cozart mentioned.

However there have been issues. Whitney informed police that close to the tip of their marriage, her ex-husband was identified with borderline character dysfunction, and he or she didn’t assume he was taking his treatment, in response to the police affidavit.

In September 2024, a decide granted Whitney and Decker a parenting plan with limitations after an incident through which Decker saved the women in a single day at a homeless shelter and allowed them to go to a nook retailer unsupervised, in response to Cozart.

The brand new parenting plan included a psychiatric analysis for Travis Decker, obligatory psychological well being counseling, and a home violence analysis, in response to courtroom paperwork. He was permitted to see the youngsters each different weekend.

Travis Decker had “displayed some unstable behaviors that appeared regarding in the direction of Whitney, by no means in the direction of the women,” Cozart mentioned.

His ex-wife believes the tragedy might have been prevented if Travis Decker had higher entry to psychological well being help as a veteran, Cozart mentioned, pointing to well-documented boundaries to accessing sufficient assets for veterans combating points together with post-traumatic dysfunction.

Central WA Veterans Counseling, a neighborhood company serving veterans, believes that if Travis Decker had sought their assist, he would have been redirected elsewhere or positioned on a waitlist resulting from a scarcity of funding and a scarcity of different assets to adequately help veterans within the area.

“This isn’t a hidden disaster—we’ve been vocal about it within the media and with native, state, and federal officers,” the group mentioned in an announcement.

It’s unclear whether or not Travis Decker was in search of assist for the psychological well being points outlined within the police report. CNN has reached out to the US Division of Veterans Affairs for info.

The flag on the Chelan County Courthouse now flies at half-staff in reminiscence of Olivia, Evelyn and Paityn.

The killings of the three sisters – remembered by family members and of their group as beacons of sunshine and pleasure – have deeply impacted Wenatchee and touched the hearts of oldsters throughout the nation.

“Whitney resides each mom’s worst nightmare. The opening in her coronary heart is immeasurable. There aren’t any phrases that may seize the burden of this loss. Proper now, she is surrounded by pals, household, and neighbors doing every part they’ll to carry her up,” Amy Edwards, a pal of Whitney’s, mentioned partly in an announcement launched by Cozart.

She remembered Olivia, Paityn and Evelyn as performers and dancers and mentioned, “their laughter, curiosity, and spirit left a mark on all of us.”

“They have been the type of kids everybody rooted for, regarded ahead to seeing, and held shut of their hearts. They’re cherished – not simply by their household, however by a whole group who watched them develop, carry out, study, and love. We ache with the love we nonetheless carry for them – and all the time will.”

A GoFundMe launched by Edwards has raised greater than $1.1 million as of Sunday to help Whitney by the loss.

“We’re heartbroken by the lack of three of our shining stars from the Brief Shakespeareans household,” the Music Theatre of Wenatchee mentioned in an announcement.

“Their pleasure, creativity, and spirit lit up our stage and our hearts. Although their time with us was far too quick, their impression will ceaselessly be a part of our story. Might their mild proceed to shine in each efficiency we give. We feature them with us—all the time.”

The three sisters attended Lincoln Elementary Faculty within the Wenatchee Faculty District.

“My coronary heart, and the hearts of your complete Wenatchee Faculty District management, stay with the Decker household, the Lincoln Elementary group, and all who knew and liked these valuable ladies,” district superintendent Kory Kalahar mentioned in an announcement. “Each faculty, each classroom, and each household inside our district could also be touched by this tragedy indirectly.

Because the group grieves, no sorrow runs deeper than Whitney’s – a mom devastated by unimaginable loss but decided to make sure that her daughters are identified for the sunshine, laughter, and love they introduced into the world.

“The ladies have been superb little people,” Cozart mentioned. “I do know Whitney desires the world to recollect them that method.”