Remains believed to be Travis Decker found in Washington wilderness months after murders of three young daughters

Remains believed to belong to Travis Decker were located Thursday night in a remote wooded area near Leavenworth, Washington, as investigators continued a months-long search for the missing father in the case tied to the deaths of his three daughters. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office said preliminary findings indicate the remains likely belong to Decker, though positive identification is not yet confirmed.

Decker had been missing since early June after police say he suffocated his daughters Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, before a custody exchange with his ex-wife in Leavenworth. By May 30, authorities said he was homeless and living out of his car when he picked up his daughters from their mother's home in Wenatchee, about 100 miles east of Seattle. On June 2, a sheriff's deputy found Decker's truck and the bodies of his three daughters at a campground.

The Chelan County Sheriff's Office said DNA analysis would be conducted to confirm identification, and investigators expect to compare samples with Decker's family once the remains are processed. Sheriff Mike Morrison told NCWLIFE that the remains appeared to be consistent with the clothing Decker was last seen wearing as the investigation moved toward formal identification.

The search involved multiple agencies, including deputies from two sheriff's offices, the U.S. Marshals Service, two police departments and Central Washington University’s anthropology department. Investigators used electronic mapping to document the scope of the search and then extended the perimeter to cover more ground as needed.

Decker, a former Army soldier, joined the service in 2013 and served in Afghanistan before transferring to the Washington National Guard in 2021. The Guard was in the process of a disciplinary discharge due to his absences when the killings occurred. Officials have said Decker was homeless by the time he picked up his daughters from their mother’s home in Wenatchee.

His ex-wife Whitney told police she did not believe Decker was dangerous and that he loved his daughters, with whom he had a reportedly good relationship. He had been suffering from mental health issues at the time and had recently been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. He had been court-mandated to receive mental health treatment and domestic violence anger management counseling but had refused.

Authorities continue to process the scene and await DNA results to establish a definitive match. The case remains under investigation, and officials have emphasized the need to let the process proceed before drawing final conclusions.