Travis Decker Declared Dead as DNA Tests Await Confirmation in Daughters' Killings

Travis Caleb Decker has been declared dead, ending a three‑month manhunt for the Army veteran suspected of killing his three young daughters. In a Tuesday court filing, federal prosecutors said the United States Marshals Service advised that Decker is deceased and requested the dismissal of the case in the Eastern District of Washington. The development comes as authorities seek to close the book on a case that drew national attention to the small mountain town where the family resided and where the incident unfolded.

Investigators located human remains near the Icicle River Drainage in Chelan County on Sept. 18. The remains were found about 1,200 feet in elevation, less than a mile from the site where Decker’s daughters were found June 2 at Rock Island Campground. Federal and local officials described recovering two feet, femurs and vertebrae, along with clothing believed to belong to Decker. Evidence near the remains included Army Ranger shorts, a bracelet he was known to wear, and his preferred brand of chewing tobacco, according to the investigation. The discovery prompted a multiagency operation that relied on ground teams and a helicopter to reach the remote area.

Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said two separate DNA tests would be conducted—one on the bodily remains and one on the clothing—to determine whether the remains belong to Decker. He urged patience as the state crime lab analyzes the evidence, noting that confirming the identity hinges on the laboratory results. "We are optimistic that these results will confirm we’ve located Mr. Decker," Morrison said, adding that investigators were "one step closer" to understanding what happened. The sheriff also stressed the importance of careful verification given the potential for co‑mingle of evidence in a case of this complexity.

The investigation has been anchored by the brutal deaths of Decker’s three daughters, Paityn, 9; Evelyn, 8; and Olivia, 5. The siblings were found June 2 with plastic bags over their heads and zip ties around their wrists after Decker took them for a planned custody visit. Their mother, Whitney Decker, has described a family in crisis, and legal filings reveal that Decker’s mental health deteriorated over the preceding two years. Court records show his custody rights had been reduced to alternate weekends several months before the killings, a factor that authorities have cited in understanding the broader context of the case.

The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, Peter Serrano, and Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin Baunsguard filed documents on Tuesday seeking dismissal of the case, citing the designation that Decker is deceased. The filing does not resolve every factual question, however, because investigators must still verify the identity of the remains through DNA testing. Chelan County officials have said the DNA results could take time, and results from the state crime lab will determine the next official steps in the case. As of now, prosecutors and investigators are preparing for a possible closure of the federal case while continuing to support the ongoing coroner and laboratory processes to confirm the remains’ identity.

Beyond the procedural steps, investigators have underscored the broader tragedy that enveloped a family and a community. Local authorities and federal partners described a lengthy search that culminated near a wooded, remote area along the Icicle River Drainage, where the initial discovery of evidence linked to Decker occurred after the house, the truck, and the custody visit that started the sequence of events on a day that forever altered the lives of Whitney Decker and the girls’ extended family. The case has prompted reflections on mental health, family court dynamics, and the far-reaching impacts of violent crime in rural areas where resource gaps can complicate investigations. In the days ahead, authorities are expected to release official DNA results, finalize the court disposition related to the federal charges, and provide additional updates as information becomes available.