Topline: The hiker bore a striking resemblance to Decker but cooperated fully when questioned.
Published: July 10, 2025 8:30 am ET
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In a twist that brought a five-day manhunt in Idaho’s rugged Sawtooth National Forest to a sudden halt, law enforcement officials confirmed Wednesday that a man believed to be triple-murder suspect Travis Decker was in fact an innocent hiker who bore an unfortunate resemblance to the fugitive.
According to both the U.S. Marshals Service and local authorities, members of the Greater Idaho Fugitive Task Force located the individual near the Bear Creek area, where several campers had reported seeing a man over the Fourth of July weekend who matched Decker’s description.
The hiker, who remains unnamed, shared Decker’s height, build, dark features, a beard, and distinctive tattoos on his arm and calf—features that led to the mistaken identity, as reported by KIRO.
He was described as cooperative during questioning and confirmed to have been in the area hiking over the weekend.
Michael Leigh, Supervisory Deputy with the U.S. Marshals Service in Coeur d’Alene, told reporters the resemblance was close enough to prompt a rapid and expansive response, Fox 13 Seattle reported.
“The hiker who is the same height and roughly the same weight as Decker, also has dark features, a beard and tattoos on his arm and calf,” Leigh said. After verifying his identity, law enforcement began dismantling the extensive multi-agency search operation that had covered miles of remote wilderness since early Monday.
The search effort had initially kicked into high gear after a tipster described encountering a man on an ATV trail exhibiting unusual behavior. The trail, seldom used by hikers, and the specificity of the physical description led officials to treat the sighting as credible. But with the mistaken identity confirmed, the Marshals Service announced the end of their operations in the region.
U.S. Marshal Brent Bunn expressed appreciation for the public’s involvement. “We’re grateful for the tips and for the effort of everyone who responded,” he said, while noting that the investigation remains active and the search for Decker continues elsewhere.
The man at the center of this massive effort, 32-year-old Travis Decker, has been on the run since early June, when authorities in Chelan County, Washington, discovered the bodies of his three young daughters—Paityn, 9; Evelyn, 8; and Olivia, 5—at a remote campground near Rock Island. The girls, found zip-tied with plastic bags over their heads, had been reported missing days earlier by their mother. Decker, who was supposed to return the children that week, has since been charged with three counts of first-degree murder.
Despite more than a month of searching involving local, state, and federal partners—including specialized wilderness trackers and K9 units—officials say there is still no certain evidence that Decker remains alive or in the area. The Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed they continue to investigate tips and patrol backcountry areas like the Teanaway Valley and Blewett Pass, but are now also preparing for the possibility that Decker may have died in the wilderness.
“Seemingly strong early leads gave way to less convincing proofs,” read a Monday news release from the KCSO, which added that search efforts had consumed thousands of hours. “Still, we can’t and won’t quit this search; Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker deserve justice.”
Authorities continue to describe Decker as armed, dangerous, and possibly capable of surviving for extended periods outdoors. His mental health history, as outlined in court records reported by NBC News, includes refusing mandated treatment and counseling. Investigators say he had declined to cooperate with a court-imposed parenting plan in the months leading up to the killings.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Lookalike Hiker Mistaken for Travis Decker, Idaho Manhunt Called Off
The hiker bore a striking resemblance to Decker but cooperated fully when questioned.
By Jacob Charles
Published: July 10, 2025 8:30 am ET
In a twist that brought a five-day manhunt in Idaho’s rugged Sawtooth National Forest to a sudden halt, law enforcement officials confirmed Wednesday that a man believed to be triple-murder suspect Travis Decker was in fact an innocent hiker who bore an unfortunate resemblance to the fugitive.
According to both the U.S. Marshals Service and local authorities, members of the Greater Idaho Fugitive Task Force located the individual near the Bear Creek area, where several campers had reported seeing a man over the Fourth of July weekend who matched Decker’s description.
The hiker, who remains unnamed, shared Decker’s height, build, dark features, a beard, and distinctive tattoos on his arm and calf—features that led to the mistaken identity, as reported by KIRO.
He was described as cooperative during questioning and confirmed to have been in the area hiking over the weekend.
Michael Leigh, Supervisory Deputy with the U.S. Marshals Service in Coeur d’Alene, told reporters the resemblance was close enough to prompt a rapid and expansive response, Fox 13 Seattle reported.
“The hiker who is the same height and roughly the same weight as Decker, also has dark features, a beard and tattoos on his arm and calf,” Leigh said. After verifying his identity, law enforcement began dismantling the extensive multi-agency search operation that had covered miles of remote wilderness since early Monday.
The search effort had initially kicked into high gear after a tipster described encountering a man on an ATV trail exhibiting unusual behavior. The trail, seldom used by hikers, and the specificity of the physical description led officials to treat the sighting as credible. But with the mistaken identity confirmed, the Marshals Service announced the end of their operations in the region.
U.S. Marshal Brent Bunn expressed appreciation for the public’s involvement. “We’re grateful for the tips and for the effort of everyone who responded,” he said, while noting that the investigation remains active and the search for Decker continues elsewhere.
The man at the center of this massive effort, 32-year-old Travis Decker, has been on the run since early June, when authorities in Chelan County, Washington, discovered the bodies of his three young daughters—Paityn, 9; Evelyn, 8; and Olivia, 5—at a remote campground near Rock Island. The girls, found zip-tied with plastic bags over their heads, had been reported missing days earlier by their mother. Decker, who was supposed to return the children that week, has since been charged with three counts of first-degree murder.
Despite more than a month of searching involving local, state, and federal partners—including specialized wilderness trackers and K9 units—officials say there is still no certain evidence that Decker remains alive or in the area. The Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed they continue to investigate tips and patrol backcountry areas like the Teanaway Valley and Blewett Pass, but are now also preparing for the possibility that Decker may have died in the wilderness.
“Seemingly strong early leads gave way to less convincing proofs,” read a Monday news release from the KCSO, which added that search efforts had consumed thousands of hours. “Still, we can’t and won’t quit this search; Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker deserve justice.”
Authorities continue to describe Decker as armed, dangerous, and possibly capable of surviving for extended periods outdoors. His mental health history, as outlined in court records reported by NBC News, includes refusing mandated treatment and counseling. Investigators say he had declined to cooperate with a court-imposed parenting plan in the months leading up to the killings.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Lookalike Hiker Mistaken for Travis Decker, Idaho Manhunt Called Off
The hiker bore a striking resemblance to Decker but cooperated fully when questioned.
By Jacob Charles
Published: July 10, 2025 8:30 am ET
In a twist that brought a five-day manhunt in Idaho’s rugged Sawtooth National Forest to a sudden halt, law enforcement officials confirmed Wednesday that a man believed to be triple-murder suspect Travis Decker was in fact an innocent hiker who bore an unfortunate resemblance to the fugitive.
According to both the U.S. Marshals Service and local authorities, members of the Greater Idaho Fugitive Task Force located the individual near the Bear Creek area, where several campers had reported seeing a man over the Fourth of July weekend who matched Decker’s description.
The hiker, who remains unnamed, shared Decker’s height, build, dark features, a beard, and distinctive tattoos on his arm and calf—features that led to the mistaken identity, as reported by KIRO.
He was described as cooperative during questioning and confirmed to have been in the area hiking over the weekend.
Michael Leigh, Supervisory Deputy with the U.S. Marshals Service in Coeur d’Alene, told reporters the resemblance was close enough to prompt a rapid and expansive response, Fox 13 Seattle reported.
“The hiker who is the same height and roughly the same weight as Decker, also has dark features, a beard and tattoos on his arm and calf,” Leigh said. After verifying his identity, law enforcement began dismantling the extensive multi-agency search operation that had covered miles of remote wilderness since early Monday.
The search effort had initially kicked into high gear after a tipster described encountering a man on an ATV trail exhibiting unusual behavior. The trail, seldom used by hikers, and the specificity of the physical description led officials to treat the sighting as credible. But with the mistaken identity confirmed, the Marshals Service announced the end of their operations in the region.
U.S. Marshal Brent Bunn expressed appreciation for the public’s involvement. “We’re grateful for the tips and for the effort of everyone who responded,” he said, while noting that the investigation remains active and the search for Decker continues elsewhere.
The man at the center of this massive effort, 32-year-old Travis Decker, has been on the run since early June, when authorities in Chelan County, Washington, discovered the bodies of his three young daughters—Paityn, 9; Evelyn, 8; and Olivia, 5—at a remote campground near Rock Island. The girls, found zip-tied with plastic bags over their heads, had been reported missing days earlier by their mother. Decker, who was supposed to return the children that week, has since been charged with three counts of first-degree murder.
Despite more than a month of searching involving local, state, and federal partners—including specialized wilderness trackers and K9 units—officials say there is still no certain evidence that Decker remains alive or in the area. The Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed they continue to investigate tips and patrol backcountry areas like the Teanaway Valley and Blewett Pass, but are now also preparing for the possibility that Decker may have died in the wilderness.
“Seemingly strong early leads gave way to less convincing proofs,” read a Monday news release from the KCSO, which added that search efforts had consumed thousands of hours. “Still, we can’t and won’t quit this search; Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker deserve justice.”
Authorities continue to describe Decker as armed, dangerous, and possibly capable of surviving for extended periods outdoors. His mental health history, as outlined in court records reported by NBC News, includes refusing mandated treatment and counseling. Investigators say he had declined to cooperate with a court-imposed parenting plan in the months leading up to the killings.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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