Topline: Authorities believe the remains found near Leavenworth, Washington, belong to the father accused of murdering his three daughters.
Published: September 20, 2025 8:00 am ET
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LEAVENWORTH, WA — The hunt for Travis Decker—the sole suspect in the suffocation deaths of his three young daughters—may have come to an end this week.
According to a new statement from the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, human remains believed to be Decker’s were discovered in a remote, wooded area south of Leavenworth, Washington.
The discovery came during an extensive search operation led by the U.S. Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force, with critical support from the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, U.S. Border Patrol, Washington State Patrol, the U.S. Forest Service, and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
The remains were found deep in the rugged terrain not far from the original crime scene, where the bodies of Decker’s daughters—Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5—were recovered in early June.
While the remains have not been definitively identified, law enforcement officials say preliminary evidence strongly suggests they are those of Travis Decker. The site is currently being processed with assistance from the Washington State Patrol’s crime scene response team.
According to the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, DNA testing is now underway to confirm the identity.
Officials have notified the Decker family and are urging continued privacy for them as the investigation moves forward.
The case has transfixed the region—and much of the country—since the girls’ bodies were found near Decker’s abandoned pickup truck on June 2, at Rock Island Campground in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.
As CrimeCod previously reported, Decker, a former military member, vanished following a court-ordered visitation with his daughters on May 30. Investigators later uncovered physical evidence at the scene, including zip ties and plastic bags containing Decker’s DNA.
The girls’ deaths triggered a multi-agency manhunt that expanded across Washington’s vast wilderness. Even as months passed with no sign of Decker, law enforcement insisted the area remained critical to the investigation.
As FBI Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Peter Orth told CBS News, “You can’t be too thorough in a search like this… anybody who walks down one of these trails could walk 10 meters off the trail and no one would ever know they’re there.”
The renewed search, which began again this week, was part of an intensive grid-based sweep that covered difficult terrain.
According to KING 5, around 100 personnel were involved, including SWAT officers, intelligence analysts, and specialists in digital forensics. The Rock Island Campground was again closed to the public as agencies combed through the dense forest.
Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison acknowledged the emotional weight and complexity of the effort. “We don’t get frustrated though, we’re not gonna give up,” Morrison told WTVR. “We understand this could take years.”
Until now, the question of whether Decker was alive or dead remained unanswered. “Currently, we have no evidence that Travis Decker is alive or dead,” Orth stated during the earlier phases of the search. That uncertainty drove investigators to keep combing the forest long after typical leads might have gone cold.
Forensic analysis will now take center stage. If confirmed, the identification of Decker’s remains could mark the final chapter in a case that has devastated a family and stunned a community. Still, Sheriff Morrison has emphasized that closure doesn’t come easily. “This is not going to go away until Travis is located,” he said in earlier statements. “We will find him in one fashion or another.”
Now, it appears they may have done just that. Further details are expected as DNA results come in and the investigation progresses.
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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Search for Travis Decker May Be Over as Human Remains Are Discovered
Authorities believe the remains found near Leavenworth, Washington, belong to the father accused of murdering his three daughters.
By Jacob Charles
Published: September 20, 2025 8:00 am ET
LEAVENWORTH, WA — The hunt for Travis Decker—the sole suspect in the suffocation deaths of his three young daughters—may have come to an end this week.
According to a new statement from the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, human remains believed to be Decker’s were discovered in a remote, wooded area south of Leavenworth, Washington.
The discovery came during an extensive search operation led by the U.S. Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force, with critical support from the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, U.S. Border Patrol, Washington State Patrol, the U.S. Forest Service, and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
The remains were found deep in the rugged terrain not far from the original crime scene, where the bodies of Decker’s daughters—Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5—were recovered in early June.
While the remains have not been definitively identified, law enforcement officials say preliminary evidence strongly suggests they are those of Travis Decker. The site is currently being processed with assistance from the Washington State Patrol’s crime scene response team.
According to the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, DNA testing is now underway to confirm the identity.
Officials have notified the Decker family and are urging continued privacy for them as the investigation moves forward.
The case has transfixed the region—and much of the country—since the girls’ bodies were found near Decker’s abandoned pickup truck on June 2, at Rock Island Campground in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.
As CrimeCod previously reported, Decker, a former military member, vanished following a court-ordered visitation with his daughters on May 30. Investigators later uncovered physical evidence at the scene, including zip ties and plastic bags containing Decker’s DNA.
The girls’ deaths triggered a multi-agency manhunt that expanded across Washington’s vast wilderness. Even as months passed with no sign of Decker, law enforcement insisted the area remained critical to the investigation.
As FBI Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Peter Orth told CBS News, “You can’t be too thorough in a search like this… anybody who walks down one of these trails could walk 10 meters off the trail and no one would ever know they’re there.”
The renewed search, which began again this week, was part of an intensive grid-based sweep that covered difficult terrain.
According to KING 5, around 100 personnel were involved, including SWAT officers, intelligence analysts, and specialists in digital forensics. The Rock Island Campground was again closed to the public as agencies combed through the dense forest.
Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison acknowledged the emotional weight and complexity of the effort. “We don’t get frustrated though, we’re not gonna give up,” Morrison told WTVR. “We understand this could take years.”
Until now, the question of whether Decker was alive or dead remained unanswered. “Currently, we have no evidence that Travis Decker is alive or dead,” Orth stated during the earlier phases of the search. That uncertainty drove investigators to keep combing the forest long after typical leads might have gone cold.
Forensic analysis will now take center stage. If confirmed, the identification of Decker’s remains could mark the final chapter in a case that has devastated a family and stunned a community. Still, Sheriff Morrison has emphasized that closure doesn’t come easily. “This is not going to go away until Travis is located,” he said in earlier statements. “We will find him in one fashion or another.”
Now, it appears they may have done just that. Further details are expected as DNA results come in and the investigation progresses.
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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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Search for Travis Decker May Be Over as Human Remains Are Discovered
Authorities believe the remains found near Leavenworth, Washington, belong to the father accused of murdering his three daughters.
By Jacob Charles
Published: September 20, 2025 8:00 am ET
LEAVENWORTH, WA — The hunt for Travis Decker—the sole suspect in the suffocation deaths of his three young daughters—may have come to an end this week.
According to a new statement from the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, human remains believed to be Decker’s were discovered in a remote, wooded area south of Leavenworth, Washington.
The discovery came during an extensive search operation led by the U.S. Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force, with critical support from the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, U.S. Border Patrol, Washington State Patrol, the U.S. Forest Service, and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
The remains were found deep in the rugged terrain not far from the original crime scene, where the bodies of Decker’s daughters—Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5—were recovered in early June.
While the remains have not been definitively identified, law enforcement officials say preliminary evidence strongly suggests they are those of Travis Decker. The site is currently being processed with assistance from the Washington State Patrol’s crime scene response team.
According to the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, DNA testing is now underway to confirm the identity.
Officials have notified the Decker family and are urging continued privacy for them as the investigation moves forward.
The case has transfixed the region—and much of the country—since the girls’ bodies were found near Decker’s abandoned pickup truck on June 2, at Rock Island Campground in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.
As CrimeCod previously reported, Decker, a former military member, vanished following a court-ordered visitation with his daughters on May 30. Investigators later uncovered physical evidence at the scene, including zip ties and plastic bags containing Decker’s DNA.
The girls’ deaths triggered a multi-agency manhunt that expanded across Washington’s vast wilderness. Even as months passed with no sign of Decker, law enforcement insisted the area remained critical to the investigation.
As FBI Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Peter Orth told CBS News, “You can’t be too thorough in a search like this… anybody who walks down one of these trails could walk 10 meters off the trail and no one would ever know they’re there.”
The renewed search, which began again this week, was part of an intensive grid-based sweep that covered difficult terrain.
According to KING 5, around 100 personnel were involved, including SWAT officers, intelligence analysts, and specialists in digital forensics. The Rock Island Campground was again closed to the public as agencies combed through the dense forest.
Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison acknowledged the emotional weight and complexity of the effort. “We don’t get frustrated though, we’re not gonna give up,” Morrison told WTVR. “We understand this could take years.”
Until now, the question of whether Decker was alive or dead remained unanswered. “Currently, we have no evidence that Travis Decker is alive or dead,” Orth stated during the earlier phases of the search. That uncertainty drove investigators to keep combing the forest long after typical leads might have gone cold.
Forensic analysis will now take center stage. If confirmed, the identification of Decker’s remains could mark the final chapter in a case that has devastated a family and stunned a community. Still, Sheriff Morrison has emphasized that closure doesn’t come easily. “This is not going to go away until Travis is located,” he said in earlier statements. “We will find him in one fashion or another.”
Now, it appears they may have done just that. Further details are expected as DNA results come in and the investigation progresses.
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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