On May 30, 2025, a tragic and deeply unsettling event began to unfold in the quiet community of Wenatchee, Washington. On that day, three young sistersâPaityn Decker, aged 9; Evelyn Decker, aged 8; and Olivia Decker, aged 5âleft their family home for what was supposed to be a routine custody visit with their father, Travis Decker. This visitation was arranged under a court-approved parenting plan that had been previously established to ensure that both parents maintained structured and consistent involvement in the childrenâs lives. The girls were expected to spend the day with their father and return home by the evening, as had been customary in prior custody exchanges. However, as hours passed and the evening drew on, the sisters did not return home, prompting their mother, Whitney Decker, to become alarmed and immediately report them missing to local law enforcement authorities.
The report of the missing children initiated a large-scale investigation by the Chelan County Sheriffâs Office and other partner agencies. Law enforcement quickly began tracing the girlsâ last known movements and coordinated with local residents, neighbors, and community members to gather any information that could lead to their safe return. Days of tense anticipation followed, as the community, friends, and family clung to hope while authorities worked tirelessly to locate the missing sisters. Unfortunately, this hope was shattered in the early hours of June 2, when a grim discovery was made that would confirm the worst fears of everyone involved.
On that day, authorities discovered a white 2017 GMC pickup
 truck, belonging to Travis Decker, abandoned near the Rock Island Campground in Chelan County, a remote and wooded area that is popular for outdoor recreation but also difficult to access quickly. Nearby, the bodies of the three sisters were tragically found. Details of the crime scene revealed that each of the young girls had been bound and had plastic bags placed over their heads, indicating a deliberate and horrifying act of violence. The circumstances of their deaths prompted an immediate homicide investigation, and law enforcement authorities ultimately ruled that each of the girls had died as a result of fatal suffocation.
Following this devastating discovery, authorities moved quickly to issue a warrant for the arrest of Travis Decker. The charges levied against him were severe: three counts of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and custodial interference. Law enforcement agencies described Travis Decker as a 32-year-old military veteran with advanced wilderness survival training, raising significant concerns about his ability to evade capture in the extensive forested areas surrounding Chelan County. He was also considered armed and dangerous, prompting urgent nationwide alerts. The U.S. Marshals Service joined the search effort and offered a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to his capture, appealing to the public to assist in bringing him to justice.
Investigative efforts at the crime scene quickly uncovered crucial forensic evidence linking Travis Decker to the deaths of his daughters. DNA analysis conducted on the plastic bags and zip ties used in the killings revealed a match exclusively to Deckerâs genetic profile, solidifying law enforcementâs case and confirming his direct involvement. Despite the accumulation of evidence, as of the latest updates, Travis Decker remains at large. Authorities have not been able to confirm whether he is alive or deceased, adding a further layer of uncertainty and urgency to the ongoing search and investigation.
