Three sisters who vanished during a planned visit with their father were found dead near a campground in Washington, triggering a statewide manhunt. Paityn Decker, 9, Evelyn Decker, 8, and Olivia Decker, 5, were discovered near Rock Island Campground in Chelan County after being reported missing on May 30.
Their father, 32-year-old Travis Decker, had picked them up from their mother’s home in Wenatchee for a court-approved visitation that was supposed to last just three hours. When he failed to return the girls, their mother reported the incident. While an Endangered Missing Person Alert was issued, an AMBER Alert was not activated.
Authorities located Decker’s white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup truck abandoned at the campground. The girls’ bodies were found in the surrounding area during a subsequent search. Decker, a military veteran with a reported history of mental health challenges, is now the subject of a widespread manhunt.
He is wanted on multiple counts of first-degree murder and kidnapping. Officials say he may be hiding out in remote areas, using vehicles or makeshift shelters, and warned the public not to approach him if spotted.
The loss has devastated the local community, especially at Lincoln Elementary School where all three sisters were enrolled. Crisis counselors have been made available to support grieving students and staff. Law enforcement continues to urge anyone with information to come forward immediately.