Authorities have reported a possible sighting of Travis Decker, a former soldier wanted in connection with the deaths of his three daughters, near a remote alpine lake in Washington state. Hikers provided a tip after spotting a lone individual who appeared ill-prepared for the conditions in the area.
The Chelan County Sheriff’s office revealed that tracking teams immediately responded to the tip and a helicopter crew located a hiker near Colchuk Lake, situated in a popular backpacking region known as The Enchantments in the Cascade Range. The unidentified hiker fled upon seeing the helicopter, leading teams to discover a trail. K-9 units were deployed to track the person to the Ingalls Creek Trailhead, located south of Leavenworth.
It was not specified when the subject was spotted, but a late-night alert was issued for residents in the Ingalls Creek and Valleyhi community to secure their homes and vehicles and be vigilant for any signs of Decker.
Travis Decker, aged 32, has been the subject of an extensive manhunt since June 2 when his truck and the bodies of his three daughters—Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia—were discovered at a campground near Leavenworth. Following a scheduled visit, Decker failed to return the girls to their mother’s residence in Wenatchee, located approximately 100 miles east of Seattle.
As a former infantryman in the US Army from 2013 to 2021, Decker deployed to Afghanistan for a four-month stint in 2014, acquiring training in navigation, survival, and other essential skills. Authorities revealed that he once lived off the grid for over two months in the wilderness.
State and federal agencies, including the US Marshals Service, have conducted an extensive search spanning hundreds of square miles, including challenging mountainous and remote terrains, using various methods such as land, water, and air searches. A reward of up to $20,000 is being offered for information leading to Decker’s arrest.
In a petition filed last September to modify their parenting plan, Decker’s ex-wife, Whitney Decker, expressed concerns about his deteriorating mental health and instability, advocating for restrictions on his overnight visits with their daughters until he secured stable housing.
Following an autopsy that determined the cause of death as suffocation, officials disclosed that the girls were bound with zip ties and had plastic bags placed over their heads. The tragic incident has sparked a widespread manhunt to bring Travis Decker to justice.
