Travis Decker's neighbor recalls 'weird' encounter before WA murders
New pictures released in Travis Decker pursuit
As the manhunt for Travis Decker enters its fourth week, we're getting a closer look at the relentless effort to find the triple-murder suspect and bring him to justice.
WENATCHEE, Wash. - Authorities continue to search for Travis Decker, 32, who is wanted on suspicion of first-degree murder and kidnapping in connection with the deaths of his three young daughters, Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5.
The girls' bodies were discovered June 2 near Decker's abandoned pickup truck at Rock Island Campground in Chelan County.
The Decker girls and their mother Whitney Decker. (FOX 13 Seattle)
The discovery came three days after Decker failed to return his daughters to their mother’s home in Wenatchee following a scheduled visit.
What they're saying:
Binh Nguyen, a longtime next-door neighbor to the Decker family, told PEOPLE that Travis Decker had been an "enthusiastic 'girl dad'" who took his daughters on camping trips. Nguyen noted that the girls "loved him a lot, and he loved them too," according to PEOPLE.
How Travis Decker appeared the day he picked up his 3 girls
Nguyen recalled seeing Decker on Friday, May 30, the day he picked up his daughters for a three-hour visitation scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Nguyen, who was watering his lawn, told PEOPLE that Decker looked noticeably different.
"He was skinny. He had long hair and a beard. I said, 'Is that you, Travis?'" Nguyen recounted to PEOPLE.
The neighbor said Decker seemed distracted during their 10-minute conversation, asking how Nguyen had been three times. "It was kind of weird," Nguyen told PEOPLE, adding, "he had a sad face."
The backstory:
Calls to Travis Decker went to voicemail
When the scheduled 8 p.m. drop-off time passed, the girls' mother, Whitney Decker, became concerned. She told investigators that her calls to Travis Decker went straight to voicemail, which was uncharacteristic.
At 9:34 p.m., Whitney Decker reported her daughters missing to the Wenatchee Police Department, initiating a search by police.
Investigators with the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office found the girls' bodies a few days later after an Endangered Missing Person Alert was issued. A medical examiner later determined their cause of death to be asphyxiation.
Travis Decker was born into a military family
Travis Decker, a U.S. Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, was born into a military family. He met Whitney in 2014, and they married in 2015.
Whitney Decker’s attorney, Arianna Cozart told PEOPLE that Decker's issues "seemed to spiral" after he left the Army in 2021 and joined the Washington National Guard.
He reportedly sought help from the VA and the Veterans Crisis Line, but his condition did not improve. Two years after their legal separation, a court modified the couple's custody agreement, ending overnight stays for Decker, who was living in an RV and at shelters. The girls continued to spend days with their father every other weekend and reportedly enjoyed these visits.
Chelan County Sheriff gives update on Travis Decker manhunt
Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison, joins Seattle News Tonight with an update on the Travis Decker manhunt.
Has Travis Decker been found yet?
What's next:
The search for Travis Decker is now wrapping up its fourth week, with authorities shifting resources.
The Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office said June 23 there is "no certain evidence that Decker remains alive or in this area."
Early leads have become less convincing, but the search continues for "Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker [who] deserve justice. And Decker remains a danger to the public as long as he’s at large," the sheriff's office said in a social media post.
The Kittitas County Sheriff's Office noted that efforts now include using dogs trained to find human remains, acknowledging the increasing possibility that Decker may have died in the "rugged wilderness" while evading police.
The U.S. Marshals Service is tracking leads if Decker managed to escape the region. Federal authorities also claim Decker searched online for "how to relocate to Canada" days before he disappeared.
The area is known for its challenging terrain, with backcountry trails linking Chelan County to Kittitas County and the Pacific Crest Trail. Authorities are relying on public tips and ask individuals to be alert and check surveillance or game cameras.
Whitney Decker has expressed regret for the lack of Amber Alert
Whitney Decker has expressed regret that an Amber Alert was not issued for her daughters. She plans to advocate for improvements to the alert system and for more mental health services for veterans.
At a memorial service in Wenatchee on June 20, mourners wore purple, pink and green.
Whitney Decker addressed the crowd, saying, "I’m so thankful for the time that I had with the girls. They were incredible."
Public memorial held for Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker
A community memorial was held in Wenatchee for Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia, who investigators believe were killed by their father, Travis Decker, who remains at large. Hundreds gathered, dressed in the girls' favorite colors, to hear tributes from family, including their mother, and honor their lives with songs, prayers, and a candlelight vigil.
What are authorities urging the public to do if they spot Travis Decker?
What you can do:
Tips can be submitted to the US Marshals Service at 1-800-336-0102 or via usmarshals.gov/tips. The Marshals are offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to Decker’s arrest.
Decker is described as 5' 8" tall, 190 pounds with black hair, brown eyes and was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts.
Travis Decker headshot (left), two surveillance images of Decker before his planned visitation (right). (Chelan County Sheriff's Office)
The Source: Information in this story came from PEOPLE, The Associated Press, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office, the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Marshals Service.
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