Timeline of the Travis Decker Case (Updated 7/1/25)

2022:

• Travis and Whitney Decker divorce: Their marriage ends after seven years, attributed to Travis's mental health struggles, including isolation, paranoia, and Borderline Personality Disorder. Travis was seeking mental health care but was reportedly unable to obtain it.

September 2024:

• Whitney Decker files a parenting plan: Whitney seeks to limit Travis's time with their daughters, citing neglect of parental duties and a long-term emotional/physical problem hindering his parenting ability.

• Court grants limited visitation: Travis is granted three-hour visitations on Fridays and eight hours every other weekend, restricted to Wenatchee Valley.

• Whitney requests evaluations for Travis: The parenting plan requests Travis undergo anger management, domestic violence, and comprehensive psychiatric assessments. Failure to comply would allow Whitney to further limit visitation.

• Court audio reveals Travis fighting for custody: Travis argues in court (September 27, 2024) that his camping trips with his daughters, despite his homelessness, are safe and that his living situation alone shouldn't affect his parenting rights.

May 2025:

• May 4: Travis Decker reportedly leaves the scene of a crash, according to court affidavit.

• May 26: Travis Decker allegedly conducts online searches for "how to move to Canada," "how to relocate to Canada," and "jobs Canada," and visits a Canadian job website.

• May 27: Travis Decker is involved in another car accident, leading to traffic infractions.

• May 30:5:00 PM: Paityn (9), Evelyn (8), and Olivia (5) Decker leave their Washington home for a "planned visitation" with their father, Travis Decker.

• 8:00 PM (approx.): Travis Decker fails to return his daughters to their mother as required by the custody agreement.

• 9:45 PM: The girls' mother, Whitney Decker, reports them missing to the Wenatchee Police Department, expressing concern due to Travis's mental health issues and homelessness.

June 2025:

• May 31:The Wenatchee Police Department releases an endangered missing persons alert for the Decker sisters, stating the investigation does not yet meet Amber Alert criteria.

• June 2:3:45 PM: Washington State Patrol cancels the endangered missing persons alert.

• Authorities locate Travis Decker's unoccupied white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup truck near the Rock Island Campground in Chelan County, Washington, accessed by Icicle Road.

• During an immediate search of the area, the bodies of Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker are discovered. Travis Decker is not at the scene.

• Travis Decker's boss notes his recent mental health concerns and that he failed to show up for work.

• June 3:Police announce that Travis Decker has been charged with three counts of aggravated first-degree murder, three counts of first-degree kidnapping (in addition to prior custodial interference charges).

• A Chelan County Superior Court judge issues a warrant for Travis Decker's arrest with no bail and nationwide extradition authority.

• Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison urges Travis Decker to turn himself in and announces a $20,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.

• June 5: Whitney Decker's lawyer, Arianna Cozart, states to ABC News that Travis showed "no red flags" before his daughters' disappearance and that the "system failed" him by not providing adequate mental health support.

• June 6:A federal arrest warrant is issued for Travis Caleb Decker for Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution, based on the U.S. Marshals Service affidavit citing his Google searches about moving to Canada.

• Friends and community members gather in Wenatchee Valley to honor the young girls.

• Whitney Decker's lawyer tells PEOPLE that Whitney believes Travis likely died by suicide.

• June 8: The Chelan County Sheriff's Office hands over active search efforts for Travis Decker to federal authorities, while continuing to lead the criminal investigation.

• June 9: Autopsy results confirm the cause of death for the three girls was suffocation and the manner of death was homicide. The GoFundMe campaign for Whitney Decker surpasses $1 million.

• June 13: Child safety advocates and state lawmakers gather near Seattle City Hall to demand immediate reforms to Amber Alert protocols and family court practices, citing the Decker sisters' deaths. Rep. Brian Burnett and Rep. Amy Walen speak about the need for legislative reform, including "red flag" systems in custody proceedings. Kathy Sherlock, who lost her daughter seven years prior in a similar incident, shares her story and advocates for "Kayden's Law" in Washington. The Washington State Patrol announces an independent review of their protocols.

• June 17: Court audio from September 27, 2024, is released, showing Travis Decker arguing for continued custody visits despite his homelessness, stating camping with his daughters was something they had always done and was safe.

• June 24: Whitney Decker speaks publicly for the first time at her daughters' memorial service at Rocky Reach Park in Wenatchee, expressing gratitude for the time she had with them and hoping their legacy lives on. Attendees are asked to wear purple, pink, or green.

• June 25: Authorities shift part of the Travis Decker manhunt into a recovery effort, acknowledging the possibility he may have died in the wilderness. U.S. Marshals release new photos highlighting the rugged terrain of the search area. Walla Walla County Sheriff Mark Crider (former FBI agent) discusses the challenges of such a manhunt, comparing it to the Eric Rudolph case. The search is ongoing in the mountains of Central Washington, including Kittitas County and the Teanaway Valley.

• June 30: Law enforcement and security analyst Todd McGhee states his belief that Travis Decker is still alive and on the run, citing the absence of cadaver dog alerts and Decker's military survival skills. He hypothesizes Decker is processing turning himself in but will eventually need to surface for supplies.

Cast of Characters

• Travis Caleb Decker (32): The father of Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker. He is accused of kidnapping and murdering his three daughters during a scheduled custody visit. He is a former military member, described as an "avid outdoorsman" with extensive training in long-distance movement, navigation, and off-the-grid living, including elite 'Ranger' tab and airborne paratrooper qualifications. He had a history of mental health struggles, including Borderline Personality Disorder, feelings of isolation, and paranoia. He was homeless and living out of his vehicle or in motels/campgrounds. He is currently on the run, facing charges of aggravated first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

• Paityn Decker (9): One of Travis Decker's three daughters, found deceased on June 2, 2025.

• Evelyn Decker (8): One of Travis Decker's three daughters, found deceased on June 2, 2025.

• Olivia Decker (5): One of Travis Decker's three daughters, found deceased on June 2, 2025.

• Whitney Decker: The ex-wife of Travis Decker and the mother of Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia. She reported her daughters missing and expressed concerns about Travis's mental state and homelessness. She believes the system failed Travis and that he may have died by suicide. She spoke publicly at her daughters' memorial service.

• Arianna Cozart: Whitney Decker's attorney. She provided insights into Travis and Whitney's relationship, Travis's mental health struggles, and the belief that the "system failed" Travis. She also stated Whitney's desire for Travis to be found "dead or alive" for closure.

• Rep. Brian Burnett: A state lawmaker from Wenatchee. He spoke at the press conference pushing for child safety reforms, emphasizing that Amber Alert criteria must be met and expressing a desire to examine the system without making rash judgments.

• Rep. Amy Walen: A state lawmaker from Bellevue. She advocated for immediate reforms to Amber Alert protocols and family court practices, suggesting a "red flag" system in custody proceedings to identify at-risk children.

• Kathy Sherlock: A child safety advocate from Pennsylvania. She attended the news conference in Seattle, sharing her personal tragedy of losing her daughter, Kayden, seven years prior in a similar incident. She helped pass "Kayden's Law" in Pennsylvania and pushed for similar legislation in Washington.

• Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison: The Sheriff leading the criminal investigation. He issued a public message to Travis Decker to turn himself in and vowed to bring him to justice. His office handed over active search operations to federal agencies while retaining the criminal investigation.

• Capt. Brian Chance: Of the Wenatchee Police Department. He commented on the circumstances of the girls being reported missing, noting it was unusual for Travis not to return them.

• U.S. Marshals Service Deputy Keegan Stanley: The individual who filed the affidavit charging Travis Decker with Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution, citing his Google searches.

• Mark Crider: Walla Walla County Sheriff and a former FBI Special Agent who once hunted Eric Rudolph. He provided advice to investigators on the Travis Decker case, emphasizing vigilance and public awareness in cold trail searches.

• Amy Edwards: A family friend who spoke at the community event honoring the Decker sisters, highlighting how cherished they were by the entire community.

• Todd McGhee: Law enforcement and security analyst and former Massachusetts state trooper. He expressed his belief that Travis Decker is still alive and on the run, based on the absence of cadaver dog alerts and Decker's survival skills.