Newly released court audio has shed disturbing light on the case of Travis Decker, a 32-year-old Washington man now wanted in connection with the shocking deaths of his three young daughters.
In the audio, dated September 27, 2024, Decker is heard defending his parenting, insisting he had never put his daughters — Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5 — in harm’s way. “We’ve never done anything that was unsafe or anything that I would not want to put myself in,” he says, as he pleads to maintain overnight visitations.
Just months later, on June 2, 2025, the three girls were found dead near their father’s abandoned pickup truck at a remote campground in Chelan County. Authorities have charged Decker with murder and kidnapping and launched an active manhunt. He has not been seen since May 30, the day he picked up the girls for a court-approved visitation — and never returned them.
Their mother, Whitney Decker, promptly reported the girls missing, telling investigators her ex-husband had a history of mental health struggles but had never previously failed to return the children or gone completely off the grid.
In the court audio, Decker acknowledges his unstable living conditions — at times homeless, staying in his vehicle or local motels — but argues his daughters were never subjected to that environment. “I understand that my current position when I’m by myself isn’t ideal,” he says, “but my daughters aren’t a part of that… camping is something that the four of us have done since the three of them were in diapers.”
He adds that the campsites he visited with the girls were “almost completely booked out or sold out,” framing them as safe and well-populated places.
But court filings from Whitney Decker tell a different story. In documents submitted in September 2024, she described Travis as emotionally unstable, accused him of neglecting his parental duties, and requested restrictions on his visitation rights — including anger management, domestic violence evaluations, and a psychiatric assessment. She was granted limited visitation for Travis: three hours on Fridays and eight hours every other weekend, restricted to the Wenatchee Valley area.
Despite these limitations, Decker was able to collect the girls on May 30. Four days later, their bodies were found, prompting national headlines and urgent appeals from law enforcement.
As of June 10, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office reported a possible sighting of Decker in the Blewett Pass area near Highway 97. Authorities urge the public to call 911 immediately with any information. Tips can also be submitted to the CCSO tip line at 509-667-6845 or through their online portal.
The search continues for a man once heard in court claiming he only ever wanted to be a good father.