The cause behind the tragedy involving three young sisters who vanished during a scheduled visitation with their father has been revealed—and the details paint a devastating picture of betrayal.
A preliminary report filed with the Chelan County Superior Court revealed that 9-year-old Paityn, 8-year-old Evelyn, and 5-year-old Olivia, the Decker sisters, passed away from asphyxiation—presumably at the hands of their own father, 32-year-old Travis Decker.
Highlights
- The Decker sisters, aged 5 to 9, passed away from asphyxiation, as per preliminary report.
- Their father, Travis Decker, is a US Army veteran and elite paratrooper, and the prime suspect behind the tragedy.
- Decker has been missing since the girls vanished during a court-ordered visitation. A $20,000 reward has been offered for information leading to his arrest.
The girls had been missing since last Friday (May 30), the day they were due to return to their mother following a court-approved visit with Travis.
A statewide manhunt has been launched to locate the suspect, who has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of kidnapping. He remains missing.
Reports reveal that the missing Decker sisters passed away from asphyxiation, with their father being the primary suspect
Image credits: Whitney Decker
The girls' mother, Whitney Decker, is now grappling with every parent’s worst nightmare.
“The pain of this loss is immeasurable,” wrote Amy Edwards, a close friend of the family, on a GoFundMe page set up in Whitney’s name.
“I’ve known Whitney for years; we're both dance moms and theater friends. We originally met through Short Shakespeareans, where I serve as the music director and had the privilege of teaching Whitney’s girls over the past few years,” she added.
Image credits: Whitney Decker
The fundraiser, which has already raised over $500,000 at the time of writing, is helping cover funeral expenses and provide Whitney with time off work to grieve.
“We are heartbroken to share that the girls have since passed,” Edwards wrote. “This should never have happened.”
“Send Whitney all of your prayers, love, and support. Take some time today to tell someone you love them.”
Authorities have launched a manhunt after finding incriminating evidence on Decker’s vehicle
Image credits: Whitney Decker
Travis’ visitation was part of a court-ordered parenting plan. But authorities say Decker “went outside its parameters,” causing immediate concern.
On May 30, the girls were supposed to return to their mother after spending time with their father, who police say was homeless and “living in his vehicle, various motels, or at campgrounds.”
Image credits: Wenatchee Police Department
The next day, the Washington State Patrol issued an endangered missing person alert, listing Decker’s vehicle—a 2017 white GMC Sierra pickup—alongside information to help people identify the three girls.
Last Monday (June 2), police located the vehicle near the Rock Island Campground in Chelan County—alongside disturbing clues.
The vehicle contained blankets, food, car seats, and Decker’s wallet sitting openly on the center console. Not far from the truck, officers discovered a tent and a cooler, suggesting recent activity at the site.
Image credits: harriett polymeros / All Trails (Not the actual photo)
Two bloody handprints were also found close to where the girls’ bodies were eventually located.
“It is unknown whether Decker is currently armed, but he may pose a significant risk if approached,” authorities said, revealing that the suspect has military experience and training.
Decker is a US Army veteran whose mental health has been “deteriorating rapidly” since 2024
Image credits: Whitney Decker
Travis Decker isn’t just a common fugitive; he is believed to have been an elite paratrooper with experience in wilderness evasion and survival tactics, which makes him particularly dangerous.
He also served as an instructor at the US Army’s National Guard Warrior Training Center at Fort Benning, Georgia. Decker then served as a member of the Washington National Guard since 2021 after transferring from the Active Component.
However, according to the girls’ mother, his mental state started to deteriorate rapidly in 2024. This led to her filing for divorce, specifically citing mental instability as the reason, court paperwork shows.
Image credits: Whitney Decker
Towards the end of their marriage, Decker was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).
“Travis also has some emotional/mental health issues that were the primary catalyst to the end of our marriage and have also affected the girls greatly,” the mother wrote in court documents.
“He was in the Army for many years. Upon separation from the Army and transition into the reserves, his borderline personality disorder and narcissism became rampant.”
According to the girls’ mother, Decker became increasingly erratic after their divorce
Image credits: Whitney Decker
Their separation, coupled with the fact that he had been awaiting a disciplinary discharge for not showing up to his monthly drills, only made him more dangerous and impulsive.
“He has had some outbursts where he has burst into my home against my objections and yelled for the girls,” Whitney explained, saying that she didn’t want to keep him from seeing his daughters.
Image credits: Whitney Decker
Despite everything, Whitney remained hopeful that her former husband would find a way back to stability—for the sake of their children.
She would soon be proven fatally wrong.
Image credits: Whitney Decker
“Travis just keeps getting more and more unstable. He has made huge sacrifices to serve our country and loves his girls very much, but he has to get better for our girls,” she wrote.
As the search for Decker continues, law enforcement agencies are urging the public to remain vigilant and report any sightings immediately. A $20,000 reward has been offered for information leading to his arrest.
"Horrific": Netizens have been taken aback by the cruelty of the crime
