Police hunt for father who they say killed 3 daughters near campground

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The bodies of three girls, aged 5, 8, and 9, were discovered near a campground on Monday. Police indicated that they appeared to have been suffocated.

Written by Mark Walker, New York Times Service
Updated on June 4, 2025 | 3:58 PM
Reading Time: 3 minutes

The bodies of Paityn Decker, 9, along with her sisters Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, were found close to a campground in Washington state on Monday. – Wenatchee Police Department via The New York Times
Authorities in Washington state intensified their search on Tuesday for a 32-year-old man from Wenatchee, Washington, who allegedly murdered his three young daughters and left their bodies near a campground in Leavenworth, Washington, where each child was discovered with a plastic bag covering her head.
According to an affidavit from the Wenatchee Police Department, a preliminary investigation suggests that the probable cause of death was suffocation. The records also showed that their wrists had been restrained with zip ties.
The three girls — Olivia Decker, 5, and her siblings Evelyn, 8, and Paityn, 9 — who were reported missing the previous week, were found deceased on Monday near a campground in Chelan County, Washington, prompting a search for their father, Travis Decker, who is now wanted on charges of murder and kidnapping.
The bodies were found after authorities honed in on the search based on information gathered over the weekend regarding the father’s whereabouts.
The girls’ mother, who is divorced from Decker and stated he is homeless, reported them missing around 9:45 p.m. on Friday when they did not return from a visitation with their father. Decker had picked up the children around 5 p.m. on Friday and was supposed to return them by 8 p.m., as per court documents.
Capt. Brian Chance of the Wenatchee Police Department mentioned, “It was late enough that she felt the need to call the police because it was out of the ordinary.”
Authorities searched for Decker’s last known vehicle, a white 2017 GMC Sierra. Decker was reported to be living in his car and occasionally in hotels and motels.
The girls’ mother informed the police that she was worried because Decker was “currently experiencing some mental health issues,” according to the affidavit. She also stated that he had been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and she believed he was not currently taking medication for it.
On Monday, Decker’s vehicle was found empty near the Rock Island campgrounds. A subsequent search led to the discovery of the girls’ bodies about 75 to 100 yards from the truck, according to court documents.
Law enforcement officers from various agencies continued the search for Decker on Tuesday, focusing on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest while following leads and credible tips about his possible location. His last sighting was reported on Friday, driving on a highway.
Decker is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of kidnapping.
Chance mentioned that Decker’s military background makes him dangerous and could aid in his evasion. It is unclear if Decker is armed, and Chance advised against attempting to approach or contact him.
On Friday, the Wenatchee Police Department requested an Amber Alert to help locate the girls. However, the Washington State Patrol declined the request, stating insufficient evidence to justify the alert. Decker had no history of domestic violence and no reports of child abuse. The state patrol explained that issuing an Amber Alert requires evidence indicating imminent danger to the children.
Chris Loftis, a representative for the Washington State Patrol, said, “We just didn’t have that. Everyone wishes we could turn back the clock.”
An endangered missing person alert, less urgent than an Amber Alert, was issued the following day.
Chance expressed frustration, stating, “Were we frustrated? Yes, probably quite a little bit.”
When asked if an Amber Alert would have made a difference, Chance declined to speculate.
In a letter on Tuesday to staff and families of students, Superintendent Kory Kalahar of the Wenatchee School District mentioned that the three deceased girls had attended Lincoln Elementary School.
Kalahar wrote, “Our thoughts are with the family, the entire Lincoln Elementary community, and everyone impacted by this situation.”
This article was originally published in The New York Times.

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