Tragedy in Washington: Missing Girls Found Dead After Visit With Veteran Father
In a heartbreaking development that has shaken a Washington community, three young sisters—Paityn (9), Evelyn (8), and Olivia Decker (5)—were found dead at a remote campsite in Leavenworth, just 20 miles from their home. Their father, Travis Decker, a former Army Ranger and Afghanistan veteran, is the primary suspect in their deaths and remains at large.
Their mother, Whitney Decker, had sounded the alarm when Travis failed to return the girls after a scheduled visitation last Friday. Despite her pleas for an Amber Alert, authorities declined, claiming the situation didn’t meet the required criteria.
Whitney, a grieving mother of five, now mourns the loss of her daughters—and a system she believes failed them.
“I knew they were in substantial danger the moment he didn’t bring them back,” she said, through her attorney, Arianna Cozart.
“This tragedy could’ve been prevented.”
A Father's Mental Decline Ignored
According to court records, Whitney had previously expressed concern about Travis’s declining mental health. Diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and complex PTSD after serving in Afghanistan, he had reportedly stopped taking his medication and failed to comply with court-ordered mental health and anger management programs.
Despite this, he was granted visitation rights.
Whitney described troubling behavior leading up to the tragedy, including:
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Housing the girls overnight in an armory with other men while serving in the National Guard.
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Failing to respond to phone calls during visits.
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Letting the children stay with him in a tent or truck in extreme weather conditions.
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Olivia once calling Whitney in tears, unable to find her father.
Despite these alarming events, Whitney had continued to support Travis’s relationship with their daughters, stating in court filings:
“I do not want to keep Travis from the girls… But I cannot have them living in unsafe, unsupervised conditions.”
The Horrific Discovery
On Monday night, deputies with the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office located Decker’s truck at the Rock Island Campground. Nearby, they found the bodies of Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia.
According to court documents:
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The girls’ wrists were zip-tied.
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They had likely been suffocated using plastic bags.
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Two bloody handprints were found on the tailboard of Decker’s truck.
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The vehicle contained food, car seats, blankets, and a wallet left on the center console—suggesting Decker had intended to return.
There were signs of recent activity: a tent and cooler were found a short distance from the truck. But Decker was gone.
Who Is Travis Decker?
Decker, 32, enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2012 and served as an airborne paratrooper in Afghanistan. He later earned the elite Ranger title, indicating advanced training in wilderness survival and combat tactics.
In 2021, he transferred to the Washington Army National Guard and became a sergeant. However, he stopped attending drills in 2023 and was in the process of being discharged for disciplinary reasons.
Authorities warn that Decker is likely armed, dangerous, and highly skilled in evading capture.
Manhunt Underway
Decker is wanted on three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping.
Law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Marshals Service, Wenatchee Police, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Border Patrol, are collaborating in the manhunt.
A $20,000 reward has been offered for information leading to Decker’s arrest.
His last known appearance was captured on a Ring doorbell camera: wearing dark shorts, a light shirt, with long hair pulled back, and a goatee.
A System That Failed
Whitney’s attorney, Cozart, blames a broken system for ignoring clear warning signs:
“This was a tragedy that could’ve absolutely been prevented if authorities had intervened sooner.”
She emphasized that Travis’s mental instability, history of erratic behavior, and refusal to follow court-mandated treatment were all red flags.
“Even if he hadn’t made an overt threat, the combination of circumstances—his failure to return the girls, his mental health issues, and the custody history—should have been enough to act.”
Remembering the Victims
As the search continues, a community mourns the lives of three innocent girls who loved, laughed, and trusted.
Their mother is left not only with unimaginable grief—but with haunting questions of what could have been prevented.
“We may never know if an Amber Alert would’ve saved them,” Cozart said. “But it could have made a difference.”