Travis Decker confirmed dead as DNA matches remains found last week in Washington state: officials

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Tragic news has emerged from Washington state, where human remains discovered last week have been identified as belonging to Travis Decker. This confirmation comes after a prolonged three-month search for the father who became the prime suspect in the murder of his three daughters.

During a press conference on Thursday night, Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison announced, “He is deceased, our DNA results confirm that, and that brings a close to this case.” Sheriff Morrison expressed relief at having concluded a deeply distressing chapter for the community.

The remains were unearthed on September 18 in the Icicle River drainage area of Chelan County, located less than a mile from where the tragic events unfolded. According to the Chelan County Sheriff’s office, the body was found in a secluded forested area to the south of Leavenworth.

Initially, investigators believed the remains belonged to Decker, primarily based on matching clothing with what he was last seen wearing.





Utilizing AI-enabled drones, law enforcement was able to survey the surrounding terrain effectively. They detected an anomaly which led them to inspect the area further, ultimately uncovering clothing and human remains, including two feet, which they suspected belonged to Decker.

“Processing the decomposition found with the clothing proved challenging for the State Patrol’s Crime Lab, but they successfully extracted DNA from the sample,” Morrison reported during a news briefing.

Authorities noted that the rugged and complex landscape significantly contributed to the difficulty in locating Decker’s remains, despite their proximity to the sites where his daughters were discovered.

Decker stands accused of the murders of his daughters—Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5—whose bodies were tragically found with plastic bags over their heads and zip ties around their wrists near his truck at the Rock Island Campground on June 2.

At 33 years old, Decker had limited custody of the girls and had taken them from their Wenatchee home just days prior for what was intended to be a planned visit.

Following his divorce from wife Whitney, Decker's mental health had visibly deteriorated, prompting a judge to restrict his visitation rights to every other weekend, as shared by Whitney’s attorney, Arianna Cozart.





The lawyer emphasized that Decker had not received adequate support after leaving active duty in the U.S. Army Rangers, particularly regarding mental health services for veterans.

“Whitney believes that the girls would still be alive today if our veteran assistance system provided sufficient funding for mental health resources,” Cozart commented. “There is no evidence to suggest that Travis did not love those girls or that he was not a caring, involved father.”





Witnesses reported that during the final visit, Decker appeared quieter than usual, which was atypical behavior for him, as noted in KOIN's report citing the affidavits presented to detectives.

Authorities revealed that Decker had shown interest in relocating to Canada and working there. Notably, the girls' remains were discovered just 11 miles from the Pacific Crest Trail, a route leading toward the Canadian border, according to a sworn statement by Deputy U.S. Marshal Keegan Stanley.





It is believed that Decker may have been living off the grid in the Washington wilderness, employing survival skills acquired during his military service.

Following these tragic events, Whitney Decker has called for reassessment of Washington State’s Amber Alert system, highlighting that no alert was issued during the crucial hours after she reported her children missing.

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