Decker has been the subject of a manhunt since June 2 when his three daughters were found murdered near his abandoned pickup truck in Washington state
NEED TO KNOW
- The nearly two-month long search for murder suspect Travis Decker is being scaled back due to a decrease in leads and tips
- The search efforts have included swift water teams, K-9 teams, air assets, and personnel on foot
- A warrant for Decker’s arrest on charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping was issued after his three daughters, Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, were found dead in a remote campground on June 2 in Chelan County, Wash.
Authorities in Washington state are scaling back the search for Travis Decker, the man suspected of killing his three daughters nearly two months ago.
The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release on Friday, July 25, that they are continuing the search with a “reduced footprint” due to a “decrease in leads and tips” into Decker’s location. They noted that the criminal investigation remains ongoing.
“Law enforcement personnel, along with search and rescue organizations have conducted an exhaustive search for Mr. Decker of the wilderness area surrounding the initial crime scene,” the release states.
Decker, 32, has been the subject of a manhunt since June 2, when his three daughters, Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, were found asphyxiated in a remote area of the Rock Island Campground in Chelan County, Wash., authorities have said. The father’s abandoned pickup truck led investigators to the bodies.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(770x309:772x311):format(webp)/olivia-evelyn-paityn-decker-missing-060225-0962179af84a480aa4e6cab8b35c1343.jpg)
Three days earlier, Decker had picked up the girls for a court-approved visit but failed to return them to their mother, Whitney Decker. Whitney then reported them missing to Wenatchee police, which triggered a massive search for the four.
Amid the search, there were two possible sightings of Decker — one in June and another in July — but authorities have since confirmed they were not him.
Officials have described Decker as a combat veteran who, at the time of his disappearance, had been homeless and living in his vehicle or at campgrounds in the area. They have also said he has been trained to survive in the woods.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
Also, Whitney alleged that her ex-husband had “neglected his parental duties towards a child” and “has a long-term emotional or physical problem that gets in the way of his ability to parent,” in a September 2024 court filing outlining their parenting schedule, PEOPLE previously reported.
A $20,000 reward has been offered by the U.S. Marshals Service for information leading to Decker’s arrest.
