The U.S. Marshals Service has officially declared Travis Decker deceased in a federal court filing Wednesday, moving to dismiss criminal charges against the man suspected of killing his three young daughters near Leavenworth earlier this year.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin Baunsgard filed the motion in the Eastern District of Washington to close Decker’s criminal case and cancel his arrest warrant, writing that “The United States Marshals Service has advised the Defendant TRAVIS CALEB DECKER is deceased.”
The declaration follows the discovery of human remains in a remote wooded area south of Leavenworth during a multi-agency search last week. The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office continues awaiting DNA confirmation to positively identify the remains.
“While positive identification has not yet been confirmed, preliminary findings suggest the remains belong to Travis Decker,” the sheriff’s office stated September 18.
Decker became the subject of an intensive manhunt after failing to return his three daughters, 5-year-old Olivia, 8-year-old Evelyn, and 9-year-old Paityn, following a scheduled visitation on May 30. The girls’ mother contacted Wenatchee Police that evening when Decker failed to return them as required by their parenting plan.
Police activated an Endangered Missing Person Alert May 31, seeking public assistance in locating the father and three children. The search expanded June 2 when information led Chelan County deputies to the Icicle Road area near Leavenworth.
Investigators discovered Decker’s abandoned truck near Rock Island Campground, approximately 17 miles west of Leavenworth. A search of surrounding areas resulted in the tragic discovery of the three girls’ bodies.
The Chelan County medical examiner determined the children died from suffocation, ruling their deaths homicides. Evidence at the scene suggested the girls had been restrained and killed before Decker disappeared into the wilderness.
The case prompted one of Washington’s most extensive manhunts in recent years, involving multiple law enforcement agencies, specialized search teams, and federal resources. Decker’s apparent death in the remote forest ends a months-long search that captured statewide attention.
The federal court filing effectively closes the criminal case against Decker, though the investigation into the children’s murders technically remains open pending final identification of the discovered remains.
The tragic case highlighted challenges in family court custody arrangements and domestic violence prevention, as well as the extensive resources required for manhunts in Washington’s vast wilderness areas.
The three young victims would have been starting new school years this fall, making their loss particularly poignant for the Leavenworth community and extended family members who had hoped for their safe return.
