Travis Decker search hits 100-day mark: Here’s what we know

Travis Decker, the Wenatchee man accused of murdering his three elementary school-aged daughters, has evaded authorities for 100 days.

It remains unclear if he’s alive or dead.

Here’s what we know.

An overview of the case

The search for Decker, 32, began in late May when his three daughters – Olivia, 5; Evelyn, 8; and Paityn, 9 – were not returned to their mother after a scheduled visit. The girls were found dead June 2, west of Leavenworth at the Rock Island Campground near Decker’s 2017 GMC Sierra pickup.

A judge issued a warrant for Decker’s arrest in June, ordering no bail. Chelan County prosecutors charged Decker with three counts of first-degree aggravated murder and three counts of first-degree kidnapping.

Autopsies confirmed the girls died from asphyxiation. The truck’s tailgate had bloody handprints, and Decker’s cellphone records showed him in the area around the time. The girls were found wearing the same clothes Decker picked them up in.

The girls’ mother, Whitney Decker, had sought a protection order due to Decker’s deteriorating mental health. Whitney Decker also filed for divorce in 2024, citing Travis’ instability. She wrote in the divorce paperwork that Decker had borderline personality disorder and narcissism.

Divorce documents reveal contentious interactions between the mother, the girls and Travis Decker. He allegedly took the girls to Montana without informing their mother, left them unattended and missed scheduled visits.

The mother, her family and her ex-husband’s family are all cooperating with investigators but have requested privacy.

What’s being done to find Decker?

Decker, a U.S. Army veteran, is described as a skilled outdoorsman who has spent weeks in the woods at a time. The search has spanned several states and involved law enforcement agencies. Despite the copious resources dedicated to the search, he’s still at large. Possible sightings were reported in forests around the Pacific Northwest. None have been confirmed.

The Chelan County sheriff’s office pledged to keep searching until Decker is found.

“You will be brought to justice,” Sheriff Mike Morrison said in June. “Those young ladies deserve it.”

What’s next?

After months of false sightings and dead ends, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Seattle branch conducted a two-day, 250-acre grid search at the Rock Island Campground in late August.

Federal investigators found bones near the campground, but later determined they weren’t human.

“This extensive search was just one step in a three-month process by a variety of agencies to locate Travis Decker, discover signs of his whereabouts, or find any other evidence of the murder of his three daughters,” the FBI’s Seattle field office reported in a news release Sept. 3.

Morrison told the Wenatchee World that another federal agency would be joining the search effort in September, but wouldn’t specify which agency.

The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a $20,000 reward for information that leads to Decker’s arrest. Decker is about 5-foot-8 and 190 pounds, with black hair, a mustache and brown eyes. He was last seen in a light shirt and dark shorts. If you see him, call 911. He’s considered dangerous, though it’s unclear if he’s armed.

Those with information on the case are encouraged to contact the U.S. Marshals Communications Center at 800-336-0102 or submit a tip at usmarshals.gov/tips.

What’s being done to memorialize the Decker girls?

Hundreds gathered for a memorial service in Wenatchee in June. Memorial attendees wore the girls’ favorite colors: purple, pink and green. Attendees remembered the girls as loving, sweet and kind. The girls attended Lincoln Elementary School in the Wenatchee School District.

Whitney Decker delivered unplanned remarks during the memorial. In tears, she said Evelyn would’ve oohed and aahed at everyone’s outfits, while Paityn would’ve complimented everyone like she did at the grocery store. Their grandfather told attendees that Olivia was a “beautiful, loving, Category 5 hurricane.”

A GoFundMe to support Whitney Decker has raised $1.2 million, with donations from over 27,000 people.

There’s also a Facebook group, “Remembering Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia! that Whitney Decker helps oversee.