Killer dad Travis Decker's ex-wife issues blistering statement after standing by him: 'Wanted dead or alive'
The ex-wife of alleged killer dad Travis Decker hopes he'll be found 'dead or alive', after a three week hunt for the fugitive accused of slaughtering his daughters.
Decker, 33, is accused of suffocating his three daughters, Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, who were found at a campsite on June 2 in Leavenworth, Washington.
Decker failed to return the girls home to their heartbroken mom Whitney after a short custody visit.
He is suspected of killing the three and has not been seen since, with speculation growing that he may have taken his own life in a remote location.
Speaking with Ashley Banfield on NewsNation, Whitney Decker's attorney Arianna Cozart said she was praying for a conclusion to the search for her ex-husband.
She said: 'She's just trying to cherish the memories of her babies and do what she can to advocate for change.'
When asked what a resolution looks like for Whitney, Cozart added: 'That he is found, dead or alive.
'That's a huge thing that she wants, that's very important to her. So she can have peace.
'She knows that if he is found alive, he'll never be able to answer the questions that she might have to a point where it would give her any peace.'
Decker, seen here, is suspected of murdering his three daughters and is on the run
Speaking at a memorial service for her girls last week, Whitney said: 'I know that Evie would have loved to ooh and ah over all of your outfits.
'She would have been amazed by all the color out there and just thought you guys look fantastic,' Whitney told the crowd who had gathered for the emotional service.
'Paityn would have sought each and every one of you out to try to find something to give you a compliment for.'
'Thank you everyone for being here tonight and the outpouring of love that you have shown me and my family over the past few weeks,' she said.
'I truly hope that the legacy of the girls lives in everyone's heart forever. They were incredible.'
On Monday night, the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office released a statement saying there was no evidence that he remains in the area or that he is alive at all.
A statement said: 'Seemingly strong early leads gave way to less convincing proofs over the last two weeks of searching.
'Still, we can't and won't quit this search; Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker deserve justice. And Decker remains a danger to the public as long as he's at large.'
Authorities are still focusing their efforts in the Teanaway Valley, Liberty, Lauderdale and Blewett Pass areas.
The U.S. Marshals Service is working to track down Decker if he managed to escape the region, the sheriff's office said, and extra patrols have been on duty.
The killings occurred in neighboring Chelan County, but backcountry trails link the area to Kittitas and to the Pacific Crest Trail, which runs from Canada to Mexico.
It would not be unprecedented for Decker to evade a search in the rugged, remote region for three weeks.
He has survival skills - although searchers have conceded he may have committed suicide in a remote area of wilderness that has not yet been searched.
The area is dotted with abandoned buildings as well as unoccupied vacation homes in which he might find shelter, as well as caves and former mines.
At the time of his disappearance and his daughters' deaths, Decker was living out of a white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup truck, police said.
On June 2, a search party led to the chilling discovery of the sisters' dead bodies near Rock Island Campground in Chelan County along with Decker's truck.
Deputies found the girls' bodies about 75 to 100 yards from Decker's truck.
An autopsy revealed the girls died from suffocation and police reported their wrists were zip-tied and plastic bags were over their heads when they were found, court documents said.
Police collected 'a large amount of evidence' from the truck, including male blood and non-human blood.
The alleged-killer's dog was found nearby as well and taken to an animal humane society, Fox 8 reported.
Chilling audio from just months before the harrowing murders captured the fugitive father begging for more custody time to go camping with his daughters.
In the recording from a September 2024 custody hearing, Decker makes an eerie promise that no harm would come to the girls if he's given more time to take them camping in Washington's wilderness.
With an extensive combat background, authorities and locals have been concerned about Decker being on the loose.
He joined the Army in 2013 and served in Afghanistan before transferring to the Washington National Guard in 2021.
He was a full-time member of the Guard until 2023 or 2024, when he switched to part-time.
Decker stopped attending mandatory monthly drills a little over a year ago, and the Guard was in the process of a disciplinary discharge.
He likely has advanced combat training and was an airborne paratrooper who earned the elite rank of 'Ranger,' indicating he would have excellent wilderness and survival skills, Fox 13 Seattle reported, citing social media posts.
Decker is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping.
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