The FBI has intensified the search effort to locate ‘killer dad’ Travis Decker, who has been missing since June 2, when his three daughters were found dead. Paityn Decker (9), Evelyn Decker (8), and Olivia Decker (5) were no longer alive when they were located near Decker’s abandoned pickup truck at the remote Rock Island Campground three days after the mother of the victims raised an alarm about their disappearance.
Nearly three months after the manhunt, the federal agency stated that there is no evidence whether Decker is dead or alive. While some experts have previously claimed that he might not have survived for this long in the difficult and isolated terrains, other experts have cited that he has been using his military survival tactics and must be in hiding. It is also believed that since his body hasn’t been found, it indicates that he’s still alive.
Therefore, the law enforcement agencies have been following every lead to track down the accused. The FBI recently announced that it will be bringing in nearly 100 new federal agents and other law enforcement officials to help in the manhunt for Travis Decker.
Campgrounds and trails closed as the FBI and partners, 100 in totals, conduct a massive grid search for Travis Decker, accused of killing his 3 little girls back in May.
That was the announcement at the presser.
They don’t know if Decker is dead or alive. #Washington… pic.twitter.com/Wlx8x3oPjW
— Jennifer Coffindaffer (@CoffindafferFBI) August 25, 2025
“The areas being searched are extremely challenging with steep hillsides, dense brush, minimal cell service, and unpredictable conditions,” Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison told reporters. He added that in the past three months, the investigative teams have pursued every single lead and have searched vast, remote areas to nab the killer.
According to The Sun, FBI agent Peter Orth stated that the federal agency’s grid operation will now take place over the next two days. It will focus on multiple sites just four miles away from the Rock Island Campground in Chelan County, Washington. Several campgrounds will be closed during the FBI’s search for Decker. This includes Chatter Creek Campground, Black Pine Horse Campground, and many other trails around the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.
FBI launched intense two day search for suspect Travis Decker near Leavenworth in and around Rock Island Campground where Decker sisters were found murdered in June – the search will revisit area to be abundantly thorough/no new evidence NEXT on @komonews 6p photos: FBI Seattle pic.twitter.com/kLc4VkTWXU
— Michelle Esteban (@MichelleKOMO) August 26, 2025
Chelan County officials have informed that visitors will not be allowed to roam around the campgrounds while FBI agents and other law enforcement officials conduct an extensive search operation.
Highlighting the efforts of the agents and officials, Orth said, “It’s taken us over rough terrain, difficult areas, multiple states, remote locations that are inaccessible. The residents and visitors of Chelan County know very well these areas are covered by vast dirt roads that stretch for miles, no cell phone service, and many other challenges.”
“That effort gets more difficult as time goes on,” he added.
As of now, Travis Decker is the only suspect in the murder case. He picked up the girls for his scheduled visitation on May 29. But when he failed to return the girls to his ex-wife the same day, she informed the authorities. Three days later, the young girls were found suffocated to death near his truck at a remote campground.
The victims had plastic bags around their heads, and at least one of them was tied with zip ties. Decker was matched to the DNA found on plastic bags and zip ties, and no other DNA was found.
Travis Decker is a military veteran and was living out of his truck. His ex-wife, Whitney Decker, revealed that he was struggling with some mental health issues.
