Latest news with #PaitynDecker
Washington Post
10-07-2025
- Washington Post
Federal authorities end Idaho search for suspect in kids' deaths after finding look-alike hiker
BOISE, Idaho — Federal authorities in Idaho say they have ended a search in the Sawtooth National Forest after determining it was all case of mistaken identity. The search began Saturday after the U.S. Marshals Service Greater Idaho Fugitive Task Force said a family reported they saw a man who looked like Travis Decker, who is wanted in connection with the deaths of his three daughters in Washington state. Decker has been wanted since June 2, when a sheriff's deputy in Washington found his truck and the bodies of his three daughters — 9-year-old Paityn Decker, 8-year-old Evelyn Decker and 5-year-old Olivia Decker — at a campground outside Leavenworth, Washington. The discovery came three days after he failed to return the girls to their mother's home in Wenatchee, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of Seattle, following a scheduled visit. The family was near a Bear Creek area campsite when they saw a man who was the same height and roughly the same weight as Decker, and also had similar hair, beard and tattoos on his arm and calf. Additional tips followed, and federal, state and local law enforcement agencies joined the Marshals Service in the search. They found the man Wednesday afternoon, U.S. Marshals Service Supervisory Deputy Michael Leigh said in a press release, and determined he was not Decker. 'Investigators interviewed the cooperative man and confirmed he was hiking in the Bear Creek area this past weekend,' Leigh wrote. Authorities in Washington on June 10 said they believed they had spotted Decker, a former soldier, near a remote alpine lake in a popular backpacking area in the Cascade Range. Tracking teams followed up on a tip from hikers who reported seeing a lone hiker who appeared to be ill-prepared for the conditions, but he has not been found. The Marshals Service is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to Decker's capture.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Yahoo
Possible sighting of Washington man wanted in the deaths of his 3 daughters prompts search in Idaho
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Federal authorities in Idaho are following up on a possible sighting over the weekend of a Washington state man wanted in connection with the deaths of his three daughters. The U.S. Marshals Service Greater Idaho Fugitive Task Force said it had received a tip Saturday from a family recreating near a camping area in Idaho's Sawtooth National Forest that they saw a man whose description was consistent with that of Travis Decker. Decker has been wanted since June 2, when a sheriff's deputy in Washington found his truck and the bodies of his three daughters — 9-year-old Paityn Decker, 8-year-old Evelyn Decker and 5-year-old Olivia Decker — at a campground outside Leavenworth, Washington. The discovery came three days after he failed to return the girls to their mother's home in Wenatchee, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of Seattle, following a scheduled visit. Authorities in Washington on June 10 said they believed they'd spotted Decker, a former soldier, near a remote alpine lake in a popular backpacking area in the Cascade Range. Tracking teams followed up on a tip from hikers who reported seeing a lone hiker who appeared to be ill-prepared for the conditions. But he has not been found. Eric Toms, supervisory deputy U.S. Marshal with the District of Boise, said the agency was receiving more tips from the public following the statement the task force released Sunday. Toms in an email said the agency was evaluating each tip and that a search team involving the marshals service, the U.S. Forest Service and the Camas County Sheriff's Office set out Monday. He said authorities planned to speak with local residents and people camping or recreating in the area. He said Decker has a history of hitchhiking and encouraged motorists to not pick up any hitchhikers. Toms said search efforts Monday were being conducted by air and on the ground, including by dirt bike. He said he didn't have any additional information to immediately release. The forest area is nearly 600 miles (965 kilometers) from the lake where authorities were searching last month. The Marshals Service is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to Decker's capture.
CBS News
07-07-2025
- CBS News
Fugitive dad, Travis Decker, accused of killing 3 daughters possibly spotted in Idaho forest
Travis Decker, the Washington state man wanted in connection with the deaths of his three daughters, was possibly spotted in Idaho over the weekend, and federal authorities are following up on the new lead after the father has been missing for over a month. The U.S. Marshals Service Greater Idaho Fugitive Task Force said it had received a tip Saturday from a family recreating near a camping area in Idaho's Sawtooth National Forest that they saw a man whose description was consistent with that of Decker. Authorities asked anyone who was in the area over the Fourth of July weekend, specifically in the Bear Creek area in Idaho, to come forward with any tips, CBS affiliate in Seattle KIRO-TV reported. The Bear Creek area is between Sawtooth National Forest and Boise National Forest, about 100 miles east of Boise, Idaho. Decker has been wanted since June 2, when a sheriff's deputy in Washington found his truck and the bodies of his three daughters — 9-year-old Paityn Decker, 8-year-old Evelyn Decker and 5-year-old Olivia Decker — at a campground outside Leavenworth, Washington. Authorities found the girls' bodies down an embankment at a campsite in the Cascade Mountains. A man's blood discovered on the tailgate of Decker's vehicle was confirmed to likely be his, with the DNA profile matching the one found on his belongings, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office said last week. The discovery came three days after he failed to return the girls to their mother's home in Wenatchee, about 100 miles east of Seattle, following a scheduled visit. Photos from the Chelan County Sheriff's Office showing how Travis Decker may have changed his appearance. Chelan County Sheriff's Office Last month, investigators said there was no evidence that the father and ex-soldier remained in the area or that he is alive at all. They also released images of what Decker might look like after weeks on the run. Authorities in Washington on June 10 said they believed they'd spotted Decker near a remote alpine lake in a popular backpacking area in the Cascade Range. Tracking teams followed up on a tip from hikers who reported seeing a lone hiker who appeared to be ill-prepared for the conditions. But he has not been found. Eric Toms, supervisory deputy U.S. Marshal with the District of Boise, said the agency was receiving more tips from the public following the statement the task force released Sunday. Toms, in an email, said the agency was evaluating each tip and that a search team involving the marshals service, the U.S. Forest Service and the Camas County Sheriff's Office set out Monday. He said authorities planned to speak with residents and people camping or recreating in the area. He said Decker has a history of hitchhiking and encouraged motorists not to pick up any hitchhikers. The Marshals Service is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to Decker's capture.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Yahoo
Bloody handprints found on truck links Travis Decker to murder of 3 daughters
As the manhunt for Travis Decker -- the father accused of killing his three daughters near a Washington state campground -- reaches the one-month mark, DNA found at the scene of the crime now links the murders to the fugitive father, according to the Chelan County Sheriff's Office. Paityn Decker, 9; Evelyn Decker, 8; and Olivia Decker, 5, were killed after they left home for a "planned visitation" with Decker on May 30, and were found dead near the Rock Island Campground in Chelan County, Washington, on June 2, according to police. Decker's vehicle was discovered unoccupied near the girls' bodies, and officials revealed on Tuesday that bloody handprints found on the tailgate of his truck matches the DNA profile "that we believe is Decker's," the sheriff's office said in a press release. With this evidence, officials said they "do not have any reason to believe there are any other suspects." Authorities said they are continuing this multi-agency search for Decker, saying the National Park Service is also planning to send out "swift water search and rescue teams in the near future to conduct more searches of the bodies of water around the crime scene." MORE: Father who killed 3 daughters was 'active dad' but the 'system failed' him, ex-wife's attorney says Drones, cadaver and tracking dogs are also continuing to be used in the search efforts, officials said. The U.S. Marshals Service is also still offering a $20,000 reward for information leading directly to Decker's arrest, the sheriff's office said. "Until he is taken into custody, or recovered, we will continue these efforts. We are extremely grateful for the continued leadership, dedication and support from all of our search teams," the sheriff's office said. At this time, officials said they "do not have an evidence to suggest Mr. Decker is alive, or deceased." Todd McGhee, a law enforcement and security analyst and former Massachusetts state trooper, told ABC News last week he believes Decker is alive. Decker, who is described as 5 feet, 8 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes, was last seen wearing a light shirt and dark shorts, police said, and a new suspect flyer was released by authorities on June 16. He is currently wanted for three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of kidnapping, police said. Officials said anyone who has any information on Decker or knows of his whereabouts should call 911 immediately. For a timeline of what we know about the murder of the three sisters, click here.
Al Arabiya
24-06-2025
- Al Arabiya
Hunt for Travis Decker Looks at Whether He Left Washington Mountains — Or Died Evading Police
Authorities who have spent the past three weeks searching in the mountains of Washington state for an ex-soldier wanted in the deaths of his three young daughters say there is no evidence that he remains in the area or that he is alive at all. Travis Decker, 32, has been wanted since June 2, when a sheriff's deputy found his truck and the bodies of his three daughters–9-year-old Paityn Decker, 8-year-old Evelyn Decker, and 5-year-old Olivia Decker–at a campground outside Leavenworth. The discovery came three days after he failed to return the girls to their mother's home in Wenatchee, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of Seattle, following a scheduled visit. 'There is no certain evidence that Decker remains alive or in this area,' the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office said in a social media post late Monday. '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.' The post said resources were being shifted to focus on finding Decker's remains if he died in the rugged wilderness during this intense search–a possibility that increases every day. The US 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. It would not be unprecedented for Decker to evade a search in the rugged, remote region for three weeks; the area is dotted with abandoned buildings as well as unoccupied vacation homes in which he might find shelter. In 2020, Jorge Alacantara-Gonzalez, who was wanted in the killing of a turkey hunter, spent 23 days on the run in much of the same terrain. He was finally caught when someone called police to report seeing someone in a cabin that should have been unoccupied. Authorities looking for Decker say they are similarly relying on tips from the public to help find him. They have asked people to be alert in the backcountry and to check surveillance or game cameras on their properties. Earlier this month, hikers in a popular Cascade Range backpacking area called 'The Enchantments' reported seeing a lone person who appeared to be ill-prepared for the conditions and seemed to be avoiding others. A helicopter crew responded and spotted an off-trail hiker near an alpine lake. The person ran from sight as the helicopter passed, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office said. Authorities later found a trail, and K-9 teams tracked the person to the area of the Ingalls Creek Trailhead south of Leavenworth before the trail went cold. 'We still believe public awareness and help is our best tool–whether it comes from a cabin owner who finds something out of place, a hiker in the Enchantments who discovers evidence our searches missed, or anyone else,' the sheriff's office said. Decker was an infantryman in the Army from March 2013 to July 2021 and deployed to Afghanistan for four months in 2014. He has training in navigation, survival, and other skills, authorities have said, and he once spent more than two months living in the backwoods off the grid. Last September, Decker's ex-wife, Whitney Decker, wrote in a petition to modify their parenting plan that his mental health issues had worsened and that he had become increasingly unstable. He was often living out of his truck, and she sought to restrict him from having overnight visits with their daughters until he found housing. An autopsy determined the girls' cause of death to be suffocation, the sheriff's office said. They had been bound with zip ties and had plastic bags placed over their heads.
