As the search for Travis Decker is still going on, there are chances of him being spotted Idaho’s Sawtooth National Forest on July 5. A family that was having a picnic in the Bear Creek area, reported that they had seen a man who matched with the description of Travis.
While nothing is confirmed yet, the family told the authorities that the man they spotted was 5’8″ to 5’10” tall and wore a black mesh cap. He also spotted “black gauged earrings, a cream-colored shirt and black shorts” as reported by Fox 13. The publication further reported, “He had a long ponytail, a black watch, an overgrown beard and mustache, and had a black Jansport backpack.”
The U.S. Marshals Service Greater Idaho Task Force has asked anyone with potentially relevant sightings or information about Travis to come forward. Travis has been absconding since his three daughters Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, were found dead at Rock Island Campground in Chelan County on June 2.
Travis was separated from his wife and the mother of his children Whitney Decker, and took his daughters for a scheduled visitation. He is an army veteran and did show signs of mental health issues but according to Whitney, it never seemed to her that he would hurt his own children.
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That is why Whitney never objected to the secluded visits. However, when the kids did not return on time on May 30, Whitney got worried and went to the police. The girls were found after two days, dead with Travis absconding. He is now facing charges of first degree murder and kidnapping.
Given his military background, he can successfully stay hidden and survive in the wild, as authorities have noticed. The news, when it came to light, shocked people who knew the couple because Travis appeared as a doting father and despite not being able to save his marriage, he always took good care of his children.
The US Marshals say Travis Decker may have been spotted in Idaho.
On July 5th, they got a tip from a family in the Bear Creek area of the Sawtooth National Forest that matches the description of Decker.
Decker is accused of killing his daughters on May 30th. pic.twitter.com/IXF4j0NaZ5— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) July 7, 2025
One of the neighbors saw Travis on the last day that he picked up his daughters. The neighbor mentioned that he looked rather different and somewhat strange and also appeared absent minded. However, there was no way of knowing what was going on in his head or the fact that this scheduled visit for which he picked up his girls would end in such a tragedy.
With the search still going on and a potential sighting like the one mentioned earlier happening now, it remains to be seen if the authorities can get hold of him soon and understand what happened that led to such a massacre.
