THE mom of three young girls who were found murdered at a campground revealed details of the last time she saw them with their alleged killer.
Travis Decker, 32, was quieter than usual when he picked up his three daughters from his ex-wife on Friday, she told police.
Hours later, the girls were reported missing when Decker didn’t return Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia Decker, 5, to Whitney Decker after the scheduled visitation.
After a four-day search, the three siblings were found murdered on Monday at a remote campsite about 20 miles northwest of where they lived with their mom in Wenatchee, Washington.
Police believe the girls died from asphyxiation and reported that each girl was found with a plastic bag over her head and with their wrists zip-tied, court documents said.
Decker is still on the loose after cops found his white truck abandoned with bloody handprints on the tailgate about 75 to 100 yards away from where the girls’ bodies were found.
‘UNUSUALLY QUIET’
Before the devastating crime scene was discovered, the girls’ mom told cops that Decker’s mental health had been declining and that he was struggling financially.
Decker was reportedly “quieter than usual” when picking up his daughters for the planned visit on Friday, which she noted was “out of character” for him, court documents said.
The former military member also spoke about getting rid of his dog due to financial struggles caused by child support and a traffic ticket.
Despite the warning signs of his mental instability, Whitney said the handover went over with no issues until he didn’t drop them off hours later.
After the three-hour visit was over, Whitney said Decker didn’t call her to let her know he was running late, which was out of the ordinary for him.
Her calls to his cell phone went straight to voicemail.
She then called the police and reported her daughters missing at around 9:45 pm.
Whitney told detectives that Decker had never done this before and is “currently experiencing some mental health issues.”
When Decker didn’t go to work on Monday, court documents said his boss noted some recent mental health concerns.
UNTREATED MENTAL HEALTH
Decker was homeless at the time and often sleeping at motels and campgrounds, Whitney reported.
Timeline of the missing Decker girls
Paityn Decker, 9, Evelyn Decker, 8, and Olivia Decker, 5, were found dead at a campground after they were last seen on a custody visit to their dad.
Below is a timeline of events:
Thursday, May 29
Cell phone activity shows that the girls’ dad, Travis Decker, drove to the Rock Island Campground and left.
Friday, May 30
5 pm – Travis Decker picks the three girls up from their mom, Whitney Decker.
8 pm – Travis Decker is supposed to return the girls but doesn’t. Whitney Decker calls him and it goes to voicemail.
9:45 pm – Whitney Decker calls the Wenatchee Police Department to report her daughters missing.
Travis Decker’s truck is seen driving westbound on Highway 2.
Washington State Patrol is contacted for an Amber Alert but said the situation didn’t match their criteria.
Saturday, May 31
WPD issues an Endangered Missing Persons Alert.
Monday, June 2
3:45 pm – Travis Decker’s truck is found empty at Rock Island Campground with two bloody handprints and items inside.
5 pm – Cops search the area and find the bodies of the three girls.
Tuesday, June 3
9:30 am – Cops notify the public that they are still searching for Decker.
2 pm – WPD tells the public that the three girls were found dead and that Travis Decker is still on the loose.
Whitney and Decker had been divorced since 2022 after being married for seven years.
In September, they set a parenting plan in place so Decker could see the three girls every other weekend.
Court documents show Whitney claimed Decker was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and didn’t take medication for it, despite treatment being part of the parenting plan.
“Travis has really struggled since he left the military and his mental health can be hard sometimes,” Whitney told Seattle CBS affiliate KIRO on Monday before the girls’ bodies were found.
“I think this is an effect of that, and I don’t personally think that he’s dangerous.”
She added, “I think that he is impulsive and he loves his children very much.”
Whitney told cops that the girls have a “good relationship with Decker and enjoy their time with him,” the affidavit said.
REPORTS OF ‘OUTBURSTS’
In a declaration filed in September, Whitney wrote that her ex-husband’s instability was affecting their daughters, according to the Seattle Times.
“Since our separation, it has become increasingly clear that Travis has been struggling to maintain stability in his life,” Whitney wrote, according to KIRO.
She said Decker was prone to “outbursts” and would come into her home yelling for the girls.
Whitney wrote that the girls would scream or cry when getting dropped off for their visits with him.
The mom said it was in the children’s best interest that they no longer have overnight visits with their dad.
“Travis just keeps getting more and more unstable,” the mom wrote in the filing on September 20, 2024.
“He has made huge sacrifices to serve our country and loves his girls very much but he has got to get better for our girls.”
The girls would sometimes be forced to sleep at the armory while Decker was in the National Guard, despite their mom’s objections.
“There were times that I told him I didn’t feel comfortable with the girls staying in the armory with a bunch of strange men,” she wrote.
“‘He told me he was staying in the RV but then I found out he really was staying at the armory again.”
Whitney recalled one instance where Olivia called her mom crying during a visit and said she couldn’t find her dad.
Evelyn came home with welts between her legs after that visit, the declaration said.
“I do not want to keep Travis from the girls at all. To the contrary I have bent over backwards to facilitate that relationship,” Whitney wrote in the filing.
“But I cannot have our girls staying in what is essentially a homeless shelter, at times unsupervised, with dozens of strange men, or staying in a tent or living in his truck with him both in extreme temperatures and unknown areas for their safety.”
PENDING DISCHARGE & SUSPENSION
Decker joined the Army in 2013, the Washington MIlitary Department told the Associated Press.
He transferred to the Washington National Guard in 2021 and was a full-time member until 2023 or 2024, when he switched to part-time.
The Guard was in the process of a disciplinary discharge for Decker because he stopped attending mandatory monthly drills a little over a year ago, according to the WMD.
Decker was also a member of a carpenters’ union in Washington state, where he was listed as a second-term apprentice carpenter until his membership was suspended earlier this year.
“He was a member of the union and is no longer a member,” the union said on Facebook.
What to do if you see Travis Decker
Police are asking the community for help finding Travis Decker, 32, who is accused of murdering his three daughters.
Decker is 5 feet 8 inches tall.
He has black hair and brown eyes.
He was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts.
He is a former military member with extensive skills. It’s unclear if he’s armed.
Anyone who sees him, or has seen him since Friday, is urged to call 911 immediately and to not approach him.
Tips may be submitted online.
Authorities announced a $20,000 reward for information leading to Decker’s arrest.
Anyone who has seen him since Friday is asked to call 911 immediately.
“Travis, if you’re listening, this is your opportunity to turn yourself in,” Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said at a news conference on Tuesday.
“Do the right thing, do what you need to do, and take accountability for your actions.”
He continued, “We’re not going to go away. We’re not going to rest.
“You will be brought to justice. Those young ladies deserve it.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or chat at thehotline.org.
