Nearly three months after girls were killed, sheriff shares latest on manhunt for Travis Decker
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WENATCHEE, Washington — It’s been nearly three months since Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker were killed and law enforcement agencies continue their search for Travis Decker, their father and the man accused of murdering them.
In an extensive interview with EastIdahoNews.com Wednesday, Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison confirmed that more than 100 personnel participated in a recent two-day operation, led by the FBI with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, Yakima Police, Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Forest Service, and local deputies.
“We initially expected to cover a quarter-mile radius, but extended to about a one-mile by half-mile area,” Morrison said. “Several items were recovered and sent to the FBI crime lab and Central Washington University’s Anthropology Department for analysis.”
Decker is charged with murdering the three girls not long after he picked them up from their mother for the custody visit on May 30. His truck was found abandoned in the area of Rock Island Campground on June 2. His daughters’ bodies were nearly 100 yards away down a small embankment, along with zip ties and plastic bags found strewn throughout the area, according to a police affidavit.
The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office revealed in a social media post last week that each victim, 5-year-old Olivia, 8-year-old Evelyn and 9-year-old Paityn, was found with multiple plastic bags over their heads. Two of them had two separate bags over their heads, while the third had three bags over her head, the post said.
In the weeks since, local, state and federal officials have searched for Decker – an Army veteran skilled in wilderness survival – without knowing whether he is still alive.
This week, crews deployed specialized resources, including a mobile cell tower from AT&T and Starlink communications for the command post, enabling coordinated grid-pattern searches in the rugged terrain.
Decker was unemployed and living out of his truck at the time of the murders. His VA benefits had been cut off, leaving him with few financial resources, according to Morrison. Despite reported sightings in Canada, Texas, and Idaho, authorities say he remains unaccounted for.
“There’s always a probability he could be alive,” Morrison explained. “But if he is, at some point he’ll run out of money or food.”
While Decker has military training, Morrison doubts he has the skills to survive indefinitely in the Cascade wilderness. Harsh conditions, including steep slopes, dense forests, caves, mine shafts, and fast-moving rivers, make the region dangerous and with winter coming, a large amount of snow is possible.
The killings have shattered the girls’ mother, Whitney Decker, who remains in close contact with investigators. Morrison describes her as “an amazing, resilient woman” who continues to demonstrate remarkable strength despite her grief.
“She’ll never fully recover,” Burnett said. “But she wants the voices of Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia to be heard, and we want to make sure that happens.”
Morrison asks the public to continue to report any possible sightings Decker and he has a message for the man accused of killing his daughters.
“Travis, if you’re out there, understand this: we will find you. You were supposed to be your daughters’ protector, and you failed. It’s time to take responsibility,” Morrison says. “We are not going to give up. We’re not to relent. We’ll continue to pursue. We are going to look for you because not only does our community expect that, but Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia, your daughters, would expect you to take responsibility.”
Watch our complete interview with Morrison in the video player above.