The look for a father-of-three accused of killing his daughters has actually narrowed in on a remote mountain path in Washington State after hikers tipped off authorities.

Travis Decker, 32, is implicated of eliminating his children, Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia Decker, 5, whose bodies were discovered at a campsite in Leavenworth, after he failed to return them to their mother in Wenatchee following a scheduled three-hour visit.

A from hikers has offered police brand-new hope on discovering Decker alive after witnesses reported a lone individual who seemed ill-prepared for the conditions.

The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office stated Tuesday that tracking teams reacted immediately, and a helicopter team identified an off-trail hiker on their own near Colchuck Lake, in a popular Cascade Range backpacking area called The Enchantments.

As authorities look for Decker, who is believed to be mentally unstable, residents have been cautioned that he might be harmful due to his military background.

Late Monday night an alert was issued to residents in the Ingalls Creek and the Valleyhi neighborhood to lock homes and vehicles and to be on the lookout for Decker.

‘Residents and visitors are prompted to secure homes and vehicles, stay watchful, and report any suspicious activity to 911,’ an alert stated.

‘An increased police presence will continue as a preventive step.’

Travis Decker, 32, is accused of killing his daughters, Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia Decker, 5, after he stopped working to return them back to their mother following a scheduled three-hour go to in Washington on Friday

Chelan County Sheriff’s Office deputies discovered the girls’ bodies about 75 to 100 lawns from Decker’s truck at a campsite. Police believe the ladies passed away from asphyxiation and reported that their wrists were zip-tied, court documents stated

The huge land surrounding Colchuck Lake is now an area of interest to authorities

Decker joined the Army in 2013. He served in Afghanistan before transferring to the Washington National Guard in 2021, Karina Shagren, communications director for the Washington Military Department, validated to the Daily Mail.

He was a full-time member of the Guard until 2023 or 2024, when he changed to part-time.

Decker stopped attending compulsory regular monthly drills a little over a year ago, and the Guard was in the procedure of a disciplinary discharge.

He likely has advanced combat training and was an air-borne paratrooper who earned the elite rank of ‘Ranger,’ showing he would have outstanding wilderness and survival skills, Fox 13 Seattle reported, mentioning social networks posts.

It is unidentified if the veteran is currently equipped, however local law enforcement cautioned individuals from approaching him.

Authorities swarmed the Rock Island Campground on Monday night after finding Decker’s truck.

Chelan County Sheriff’s Office deputies discovered the ladies’ bodies about 75 to 100 yards from the truck. Police think the ladies passed away from asphyxiation and reported that their wrists were zip-tied, court documents said.

Decker’s truck likewise had 2 bloody handprints on the tailgate, and inside were personal items including blankets, food, car seats, and a wallet on the center console.

The camping site also revealed signs of recent activity, with a camping tent and a cooler situated a brief range away, however Decker was nowhere to be found.

Decker tried to fix the damaged marriage with his ex-wife Whitney (pictured with daughters) simply a week before he allegedly suffocated and eliminated their three young children in Washington State

The sis’ lifeless bodies were found at a campground in Leavenworth last week, about 20 miles from their home

The girls’ mom, Whitney Decker, who is separated from the veteran, told cops that he had actually picked the girls up around 5pm but had not returned them by 8pm, and his phone went directly to voicemail, court documents stated.

Detectives said she ‘revealed issue since Decker apparently has actually never done this before and … is presently experiencing some mental health problems.’

She also informed police officials that Decker was identified with borderline character disorder and believes he did not take medication for the condition, according to court documents.

The father-of-three was expected to look for mental health treatment and anger management therapy as part of a parenting strategy, but there was no sign he had followed through with the plan - which he declined to sign, the court files reveal.

Still, Whitney informed police she did not believe her ex threatened and said he liked his daughters.

She said the women had a ‘great relationship with Decker and enjoy their time with him,’ and noted that he had actually never failed to return the girls before, according to an authorities affidavit.

Whitney added that when Decker went to get the girls for the check out on Friday, he was ‘quieter than usual’ which was ‘out of character’ for him.

He had actually also apparently been discussing eliminating his pet dog due to housing and financial battles.

When Decker stopped working to return with the girls that night, Whitney reported them missing.

‘What prompted her to call us was that … he was late returning the ladies and had not interacted to her that he was going to be late, which was his typical style therefore this was out of the normal,’ Captain Brian Chance stated.

A helicopter crew found a rogue hiker off-trail near Colchuck Lake (pictured) in the popular Cascade Range backpacking location called The Enchantments

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Special Operations, in coordination with the Snohomish County Region 1 SWAT team and Air Support Unit, have actually come together in a unified effort to support the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office

Her attorney, Arianna Cozart, stated in a declaration on her behalf to the Seattle Times that ‘something broke inside’ her children’ father.

‘He plainly had some sort of break and whatever that he had actually been living with, whatever that had been repressed inside of him for so long as far as trauma, simply triumphed,’ the statement checked out.

The statement included that Whitney thought an Amber Alert need to’ve been provided after the women disappeared due to Decker’s complicated PTSD and borderline character disorder.

Chilling warnings everyone missed out on before ‘killer’ dad Travis Decker ‘killed his three daughters’

Washington State Patrol was gotten in touch with to ask for an Amber Alert, however it did not meet the needed requirements, Wenatchee Police stated.

The lacking criteria were suspected abduction and imminent peril of death or severe injury, said Chris Loftis, director of public affairs for the state patrol.

‘In this case, it was a moms and dad with custodial advantages, and the children had not been returned home on time. But that’s a rather common incident and not something where you simply instantly presume kidnapping,’ he said.

He included that there was no sign Decker would damage them.

‘We’re people too, you understand, so the loss of a child, the loss of 2 kids, the loss of three kids is … ravaging,’ Loftis said. ‘Everybody always seeks to how we can improve.’

Wenatchee detectives contacted the patrol with extra information that resulted in the issuance of an Endangered Missing Person Alert (EMPA).

State authorities later on dropped the EMPA without launching a public factor. The following day, the Wenatchee Police Department announced the ladies’ deaths.

Whitney likewise specified in September divorce proceedings that he had actually been ‘having a hard time to keep stability’ given that they separated and it was beginning to impact their daughters.

The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office warned that Decker could be armed and not to approach him

The look for 32-year-old Decker intensified this week, as more than 100 Chelan County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) officers searched numerous square miles of the Rock Island Campground in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Park in the Cascade Mountains

She stated that sometimes he would have the ladies sleep at an armory while he remained in the National Guard, regardless of her objections, according to the Seattle Times.

She also stated Decker was prone to ‘outbursts’ and would enter her house screaming for the women, whom he would sometimes fail to pick up after guaranteeing to do so.

In one instance, Whitney wrote that her youngest daughter, Olivia, called her weeping throughout a see with Decker and stated she could not discover her father - before Evelyn came home with welts between her legs.

‘I do not desire to keep Travis from the ladies at all,’ Whitney wrote in the court filing. ‘To the contrary, I have bent over in reverse to facilitate that relationship.

‘But I can not have our women remaining in what is essentially a homeless shelter, at times not being watched, with lots of unusual males or remaining in a tent or living in his truck with him, both in severe temperature levels and unknown areas for their security.’

The girls’ maternal grandmother likewise composed that Decker would drop off the ladies at irregular times, and they would often be upset or crying when they returned home.

‘They are all pleased, clever, well-adjusted women with the exception of when Travis brings them back to me after his visitations,’ she wrote, according to the Seattle Times.

On Tuesday recently, a judge provided a warrant for Decker’s arrest and ordered that he be held without bail.

Decker faces 3 counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping in connection with his child’s deaths

A GoFundMe was introduced for Whitney as she faces the tragic deaths of her children

Decker is explained as 5-foot-8 and 190 pounds, with black hair worn in a ponytail and brown eyes.

He is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping.

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe established for Whitney had raised over $1 million as of Tuesday evening.
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‘These girls were real light in this world and it is a darker location without them. I will miss out on seeing their sweet little faces,’ a note on the fundraising page read.

‘Send Whitney all of your prayers, love and assistance. Take a while to today to tell someone you like them.’