One year after Paityn (9), Evelyn (8) and Olivia (5) were found dead following a May 30, 2025, visitation with their father, authorities confirmed in September that remains located south of Leavenworth belonged to Travis Decker. Medical examiners ruled the girls' deaths homicides by suffocation. Decker faced murder and kidnapping charges and vanished after the killings; limited skeletal remains prevented a definitive cause for his death. Family and attorneys have highlighted mental health struggles and systemic gaps that preceded the tragedy.
Three Young Sisters Found Dead After Visitation With Father — Months‑Long Search Ends When Remains Are Identified
Olivia Decker; Travis Decker; Paityn Decker.Credit: Wenatchee Police Department (2); Wenatchee Police Department via AP
One year after Paityn (9), Evelyn (8) and Olivia (5) were discovered dead following a May 30, 2025, scheduled visitation with their father, the case that shook a Washington community officially reached a new milestone when remains found in September were confirmed to be those of Travis Decker.
Overview
The girls were reported missing on the evening of May 30 after they did not return from a planned visit with their father. Their bodies were located three days later, and investigators ultimately charged Decker with multiple counts related to their deaths. After an extensive, months-long search, human remains located in a remote wooded area south of Leavenworth were matched to Decker in late September 2025. Because only limited skeletal material was recovered, authorities say the precise cause of his death may never be known.
Travis Decker.Credit: Wenatchee Police Department
Timeline Of Key Events
May 26, 2025: Court and investigative records indicate Decker ran online searches about moving to Canada.
May 30, 2025: Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia left home around 5 p.m. for a planned visitation with their father. Their mother, Whitney, reported them missing to police at about 9:45 p.m. when they did not return by the agreed 8 p.m. curfew.
Olivia, Paityn and Evelyn Decker.Credit: GoFundMe
May 31, 2025: Wenatchee police issued an endangered missing persons alert stating the girls were believed to be unable to return home on their own; investigators said the case did not meet AMBER Alert criteria at that time.
June 2–3, 2025: Authorities located a vehicle near Rock Island Campground in Chelan County and discovered the children's bodies at approximately 3:45 p.m. Police later charged Travis Decker with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of kidnapping, in addition to earlier custodial interference allegations. Media reports described forensic evidence at the scene, including visible bloody handprints near the vehicle and personal items inside.
Travis Caleb Decker.Credit: Wenatchee Police Department via AP
June 6–9, 2025: An autopsy of the children concluded on June 6, and officials announced on June 9 that the cause of death for each girl was suffocation and that the deaths were homicides. A community GoFundMe for Whitney, their mother, surpassed $1 million to assist with expenses and legal needs.
June–September 2025: Local, state and federal authorities conducted an extensive search for Decker. On Sept. 18, 2025, human remains believed to be his were found in a remote wooded area south of Leavenworth. By Sept. 25, Chelan County officials announced the remains had been positively identified as Decker's.
Travis Decker.Credit: Chelan County Sheriff's Office/Facebook
Investigations, Court Records And Mental Health Context
Court filings from September 2024 show Whitney had sought restrictions on Decker's visitation and recommended he undergo anger-management and psychiatric evaluations. Attorneys and family members said Decker — an Army veteran — struggled with mental health issues, including diagnoses and symptoms described as borderline personality disorder and PTSD. His attorney for the children's mother, Arianna Cozart, told media the family believed systemic gaps in veterans' and mental health care contributed to the tragedy.
An affidavit and court documents also cite traffic incidents and periods when Decker was homeless or living in his vehicle, and investigators said his phone and vehicle records placed him near the campground area before the children were found.
Officials' Statements And The Limits Of What Is Known
"They were the kind of children that everyone rooted for, looked for, looked forward to seeing and held close in their hearts," family friend Amy Edwards said at a June memorial. "They are cherished, not just by the family, but by our entire community."
Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison described the identification of Decker's remains as a step toward closing a painful chapter for the community and the family, and he confirmed there are no other suspects in the case. Chelan County Coroner Wayne E. Harris cautioned that because only limited skeletal remains were recovered — with the torso and cranium not located — an autopsy could not determine an exact cause of Decker's death. He said environmental conditions and animal activity had likely degraded soft tissues that might have provided answers.
Community Response And Resources
The case prompted sustained community support for the Decker family, memorials for the children, and debates about mental health, veterans' services and the systems that manage custody and treatment referrals. Local leaders and family members called for improved access to mental health care for people in crisis.
If you or someone you know needs help: Text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to reach a trained crisis counselor. If someone is considering suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text 741-741, or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
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