Travis Decker’s Plea for Time Turns to Tragedy: Fugitive Father Accused of Killing His Three Daughters, Leaving Their Bodies at Leavenworth Campground

WENATCHEE, Wash. — The voice of a desperate father, once pleading for more time with his daughters, now echoes with chilling irony in the wake of an unthinkable tragedy that has rocked Central Washington. New audio released this week reveals 34-year-old Travis Decker, the man now at the center of a triple murder investigation, fighting for longer visitation hours in a family court hearing—just months before authorities say he murdered his three young daughters and left their bodies at a remote campground in Leavenworth.

Decker is wanted in the deaths of 5-year-old Olivia, 8-year-old Evelyn, and 9-year-old Paityn. The three sisters were reported missing earlier this month, and their bodies were tragically discovered on Monday, June 2, at the Rock Island Campground. According to investigators, all three girls had been asphyxiated.

The shocking discovery triggered an intense, multi-agency manhunt that has stretched into its second week. As of now, Decker remains at large, believed to be hiding in rugged terrain around Central Washington, including recent possible sightings near Blewett Pass. The Chelan and Kittitas County Sheriff’s Offices are working alongside federal authorities, including the U.S. Marshals Service, which has issued a $20,000 reward for information leading to Decker’s capture.

A Courtroom Plea Before Tragedy

Nine months before the tragic killings, Decker appeared in family court to dispute a revised parenting plan that significantly limited his access to his daughters. The audio, recorded during that hearing, reveals an impassioned Decker pushing back against what he saw as unjust restrictions placed by his ex-wife, Whitney Decker.

“I already only get a day and a half, two days, with my daughters… and through the new parenting plan, it takes away basically all my opportunities to be around the girls when I’m not at work,” Decker told the judge. “If I have the opportunity to be there for my daughters, I feel like I should be able to be there for them.”

Decker, a military veteran who had transitioned to work in the U.S. Carpenter’s Union, argued that his irregular schedule and transient lifestyle—often staying at motels or camping—didn’t pose a danger to his daughters. But Whitney Decker and her attorney strongly disagreed, citing repeated concerns about instability, mental health struggles, and alleged endangerment.

“She just doesn’t want the children living out of a truck or in a tent in somebody’s backyard,” Whitney’s attorney said during the hearing.

At the time, Travis Decker was reportedly living out of his vehicle and rotating between campgrounds and parking lots. Court documents revealed he showed signs of untreated bipolar personality disorder, and had failed to consistently attend anger management counseling or maintain proper housing. A court order further prohibited him from using marijuana inside the vehicle where he was often staying with the girls.

A Pattern of Red Flags

Court filings painted a disturbing picture of Decker’s parenting style and growing instability. In one incident, Whitney discovered that her daughters had been forced to sleep overnight at the Wenatchee armory, prompting the girls to call her in distress.

Despite these alarming patterns, Decker insisted in court that he never endangered his daughters:
“Every time I’ve had the girls, we have been in campsites, in National Forests and paid campsites that have campers. We’ve never done anything that was unsafe or anything I wouldn’t want to put myself in.”

Still, the court ultimately ruled in Whitney’s favor, severely curtailing Travis’s visitation rights. Decker’s frustration became evident toward the end of the hearing:
“Nothing, my signature doesn’t matter anyway, right? So if I don’t sign it, then…”

The Final Visit

In a timeline that now raises haunting questions, Travis Decker was granted visitation time in late May. That visit would turn out to be the last.

On Monday, June 2, search teams discovered the lifeless bodies of the three Decker sisters at Rock Island Campground—an area Travis had been known to frequent. Each girl had reportedly died by asphyxiation. No clear motive has been established publicly, but authorities believe the murders may have stemmed from a combination of personal decline, mental illness, and deepening resentment over custody rulings.

Travis Decker’s vehicle was later found abandoned in the Blewett Pass region. Authorities have since focused search efforts in nearby wilderness areas, including Ingalls Creek and the Teanaway Trail system, areas known for dense forest and difficult terrain.

Ongoing Manhunt

Decker, described as armed and potentially dangerous, has managed to evade capture for over two weeks. He was last seen wearing dark outdoor gear and carrying a backpack. Officials warn residents and hikers in the region to remain alert and to not approach Decker under any circumstances.

The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service, and other agencies have mobilized drone units, tracking dogs, and infrared technology to aid in the manhunt. Helicopters have also been deployed to scan remote areas in hopes of locating the fugitive.

Public Urged to Help

Anyone with information on Travis Decker’s whereabouts is urged to call 911 immediately. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to the U.S. Marshals tip line, and the $20,000 reward remains in place for credible leads that result in an arrest.

As the search for Decker intensifies, the Wenatchee community remains in deep mourning over the loss of Olivia, Evelyn, and Paityn—three innocent lives cut tragically short.

A candlelight vigil is being planned for the girls later this week, with details forthcoming from local organizers.

“This was senseless. These girls had their whole lives ahead of them,” said one neighbor who knew the family. “We just want justice now. We want him found.”