Key Point Summary – Sisters Suffocated
- Three sisters found suffocated with zip ties and plastic bags
- Father Travis Decker vanished after a short visit
- Mother begged police for Amber Alert but was denied
- Father had PTSD, past outbursts, and custody concerns
- Public demands accountability from law enforcement
- Military background makes fugitive father highly dangerous
- $20,000 reward offered for information on his whereabouts
Mother warned of danger
Whitney Decker knew something was wrong when her daughters Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, didn’t come back Friday. Her ex-husband, Travis Decker, picked them up for a routine visit.
By Monday, the worst was confirmed: the sisters were dead, their bodies found at a campsite 20 miles away. Police said zip ties bound their wrists. Each was suffocated with a plastic bag.
Whitney had warned police. She said she begged them for an Amber Alert. But officials told her the situation didn’t qualify.
Police failed to act
Through her attorney Arianna Cozart, Whitney said this horror could have been avoided. “She believed her daughters were in substantial danger,” Cozart stated.
Despite Decker’s mental health struggles, there was no immediate action. Diagnosed with complex PTSD and borderline personality disorder, Decker had a documented history of instability.
Police admitted he showed signs of declining mental health. Still, they declined to issue an Amber Alert, claiming he posed no overt threat.
Ex-soldier turned fugitive
Decker vanished after the killings. Law enforcement considers him dangerous. A veteran of Afghanistan, he has advanced combat and survival training.
Ring camera footage showed Decker in a light T-shirt and dark shorts before the visitation. He picked up the girls quietly—another red flag Whitney noticed.
He hadn’t missed a pickup before. But this time, he never brought them home.
Campsite horror discovered
Deputies found his truck Monday evening at Rock Island Campground. Nearby, they discovered the girls’ lifeless bodies, about 100 yards from the vehicle.
Court documents revealed two bloody handprints on the truck. Inside, they found blankets, food, and his wallet. A nearby tent showed fresh signs of use, but Decker was gone.
The mother held onto hope. She believed they were camping, not dead.
Warning signs ignored
Whitney had told the courts Decker’s behavior was erratic. He’d sometimes take the girls to armories, trucks, or even tents in cold weather.
She noted his explosive outbursts. In one incident, their daughter Olivia called her, crying. Another daughter came home with welts.
Despite this, Whitney said she never tried to stop him from seeing the girls. “I bent over backwards,” she said. But her pleas were ignored.
Military record raises alarm
Decker joined the Army in 2012. He served a tour in Afghanistan. Later, he transferred to the National Guard, eventually becoming a sergeant.
But he stopped attending drills last year. The Guard had already begun the process of removing him. Now, his skills in the field have become a liability.
Police fear he could survive for weeks in the wilderness. He has the training to disappear.
Community in outrage
Locals are furious. Social media exploded with questions: Why was there no Amber Alert? Why weren’t the mother’s concerns taken seriously?
Law enforcement faces growing scrutiny. The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office said it’s working with multiple agencies. Homeland Security, US Border Patrol, and the US Marshals are all involved.
The Marshals have offered a $20,000 reward for any information leading to Decker’s capture.
Outlook: justice still elusive
Decker is charged with three counts of murder and kidnapping. Yet he’s still at large.
Public pressure continues to mount. Calls for reform in Amber Alert criteria grow louder. People want answers. They want accountability.
This tragedy shook the nation. But for Whitney Decker, it’s a nightmare with no end—until her daughters’ killer is found.
