Authorities say they may have spotted Travis Decker, an ex-soldier wanted in connection with the deaths of his three daughters, near a secluded alpine lake in Washington state. The possible sighting came after hikers reported seeing a lone person who appeared unprepared for the harsh terrain and weather.
The Chelan County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook update Tuesday that tracking teams were deployed immediately after the sighting. A helicopter crew then spotted a hiker near Colchuk Lake, located in The Enchantments—a well-known backpacking region in the Cascade Range. The person, who was off the main trail, fled from view as the helicopter flew overhead, the sheriff's office said.
So Near, Yet so Far
Ground teams later found a trail, and K-9 units tracked the person to the area of the Ingalls Creek Trailhead, just south of Leavenworth. Officials did not specify the exact time the subject was spotted, but late Monday night, they issued a warning to residents in the Ingalls Creek and Valleyhi areas.
Locals were asked to lock their homes and vehicles and remain vigilant for any signs of Decker.
Decker, 32, has been the focus of an extensive manhunt since June 2, when a sheriff's deputy found his truck along with the bodies of his three daughters—9-year-old Paityn, 8-year-old Evelyn, and 5-year-old Olivia—at a campsite near Leavenworth.
Decker had failed to return the girls to their mother's home in Wenatchee, located roughly 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of Seattle, after a scheduled visit that had taken place three days earlier.
Authorities noted that Decker was an infantryman in the U.S. Army from March 2013 to July 2021, including a four-month deployment to Afghanistan in 2014.
He is skilled in navigation, survival, and other tactical abilities, and reportedly once spent over two months living off the grid in the wilderness.
Closing in on the Killer Father
Authorities from various state and federal agencies have scoured hundreds of square miles—much of it rugged and isolated terrain—using ground teams, boats, and aircraft in their search efforts.
The U.S. Marshals Service has announced a reward of up to $20,000 for any information that leads to Decker's arrest.
In a petition filed last September to change their custody agreement, Decker's ex-wife, Whitney Decker, expressed concerns that his mental health had deteriorated significantly and that he was becoming more unstable, frequently living out of his truck.
She requested that he be denied overnight visits with their daughters until he found housing.
According to the sheriff's office, autopsy results released on Friday revealed that the girls died from suffocation. They had been restrained with zip ties and had plastic bags placed over their heads.
