Three sisters passed away after visiting their father!

WENATCHEE, WASHINGTON — What began as a routine custody visit ended in one of the most horrifying tragedies to strike Chelan County in recent memory. Three young sisters—Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia Decker, 5—were found dead near Rock Island Campground after visiting their father, 32-year-old Travis Decker. Authorities have since launched a nationwide manhunt, describing Decker as armed, dangerous, and possibly attempting to flee the country.

The case has shaken the entire Wenatchee community—a small, tight-knit town now struggling to comprehend how a father once described as “devoted” could commit such a monstrous act.

A Visit That Should Have Been Routine

On May 30, 2025, Travis Decker arrived at his ex-wife’s home to pick up the girls for a court-approved visitation. The plan was simple: he’d return them by 8 p.m. that evening. But when the time came and went, and his phone went straight to voicemail, their mother, Whitney Decker, immediately sensed something was wrong.

She contacted police that night, reporting the girls missing. Investigators noted early concerns over Travis’s mental health—records showed he was struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and had exhibited increasingly erratic behavior in recent months.

By the next morning, the Decker family’s nightmare was just beginning.

The Search Begins

On May 31, authorities issued an Endangered Missing Persons Alert, though it fell short of the criteria for an AMBER Alert. Local volunteers joined law enforcement in combing rural highways, rivers, and trails near the Decker residence. Whitney, desperate for answers, pleaded publicly for her daughters’ safe return, saying through tears, “If anyone sees them, please—just bring them home.”

Over the next two days, state police, the National Guard, and the U.S. Marshals Service joined the effort. Helicopters scoured wooded areas, while K9 teams tracked faint scent trails leading toward the Cascade foothills.

Then, on June 2, a hiker stumbled upon a grim discovery.

The Discovery at Rock Island

The hiker found an abandoned 2017 white GMC Sierra pickup near Rock Island Campground, about 20 miles north of Wenatchee. The vehicle’s doors were unlocked. Inside were Travis’s wallet, cellphone, and personal belongings—signs he’d left in a hurry.

A few hundred yards from the truck, search teams made a devastating discovery: the bodies of Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia. The girls were found side by side, bound with zip ties and plastic bags over their heads. The autopsy later confirmed homicidal suffocation as the cause of death.

Investigators believe Travis murdered the children sometime on May 31 before fleeing into the surrounding wilderness. Blood found on the truck’s tailgate matched his DNA. Disturbingly, search history retrieved from his laptop revealed he’d been researching “how to cross the border into Canada without a passport” just days before the murders.

The Autopsy and Aftermath

By June 6, the medical examiner officially ruled all three deaths as homicide by suffocation. Forensic teams combed through Travis’s abandoned vehicle, uncovering blood from both human and animal sources. Investigators later confirmed the animal blood came from Decker’s dog, which was found alive and malnourished nearby.

Authorities believe Travis may have attempted to stage the scene before escaping on foot into the Cascade Mountains. Given his military background—he served in Afghanistan in 2014 and later joined the Washington National Guard—investigators warn he could survive off-grid for extended periods.

“This individual knows the terrain,” said Chelan County Sheriff James Molnar. “He’s trained in wilderness survival, and that makes this manhunt uniquely challenging.”

A Portrait of a Troubled Man

Travis Decker was once regarded as a model father—outdoorsy, patient, and deeply involved in his daughters’ lives. But according to court documents, that image had begun to crumble in the months before the murders.

The couple’s divorce in 2023 had been contentious, with repeated disputes over custody. The court had mandated that Travis attend anger-management courses and mental health counseling after Whitney raised concerns about his emotional volatility.

Friends say he had struggled since returning from active duty. “Travis came back from Afghanistan different,” said one former colleague. “He wasn’t violent, but he was distant. You could tell something inside him had broken.”

Family members describe a man torn between love for his daughters and a growing paranoia that the world was against him. One friend recalled him saying, “If I can’t have them, nobody will.”

The Ongoing Manhunt

Since June, authorities have received dozens of potential sightings, most in remote areas around the Columbia River Basin and Okanogan National Forest. Drones, helicopters, and K9 tracking units have been deployed daily.

The FBI, U.S. Marshals, and National Guard have joined the search. Border Patrol agents are monitoring crossing points into Canada, and Interpol has been alerted.

A $20,000 reward has been issued for any information leading to his capture.

“We will not stop until Travis Decker is found,” said U.S. Marshal Carla Rios. “He took the lives of three innocent children. There is no hiding from justice.”

Despite the intense search, weeks have turned into months without a confirmed lead. Some investigators believe he’s hiding in the wilderness; others think he may have received help to cross the border.

The Family’s Grief

Back in Wenatchee, the Decker family continues to mourn. The sisters were laid to rest side by side at Riverbend Cemetery, their caskets adorned with flowers and handwritten notes from classmates and teachers.

Hundreds attended the funeral. The girls’ mother, Whitney, gave a tearful eulogy:

“They were sunshine. They loved music and painting and catching frogs in the garden. I want people to remember them laughing—not for what he did.”

Community members have rallied around her, raising over $200,000 through online fundraisers to support legal expenses and awareness campaigns for domestic violence and mental health intervention.

Lessons from a Tragedy

Experts say this case highlights deep flaws in how courts assess risk in custody disputes involving mental illness. Despite warnings about Travis’s instability, visitation was granted with minimal supervision.

“Too often, the system assumes that a parent’s biological right outweighs potential danger,” said Dr. Elena Hart, a child psychologist specializing in family trauma. “This tragedy exposes that blind spot—and it cost three lives.”

Advocates are now calling for legislative reform to require stricter psychological evaluations and supervised visitation in cases where one parent has a documented history of instability or violence.

Remembering the Sisters

Paityn loved gymnastics. Evelyn wanted to be a veterinarian. Olivia never went anywhere without her stuffed rabbit, Daisy. Teachers described them as inseparable—“three bright stars who lit up every room.”

Their school has dedicated a memorial garden in their honor, with a plaque that reads: “Love Never Forgets.”

A Father Turned Fugitive

As of October 2025, Travis Decker remains at large. Authorities believe he is likely armed and capable of surviving in harsh terrain.

The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office continues to urge the public: “Do not approach him. Report any sightings immediately. Someone, somewhere, knows something.”

Whitney still keeps a light burning in her window every night. Not for hope of reconciliation, but for justice.

Her message to other parents is simple:

“Trust your instincts. If something feels off, fight to protect your kids. Don’t wait for the system to catch up.”

The case of the Decker sisters will forever haunt Wenatchee—a story of love, loss, and the catastrophic consequences of a system that failed to see danger until it was too late.

And until Travis Decker is found, that small Washington town will remain suspended between heartbreak and fury—demanding answers, and waiting for justice.