Travis Decker confirmed dead in Washington state after killing three daughters

The largest manhunt in Washington's Chelan County history is officially over. DNA evidence has confirmed that human remains found on Grindstone Mountain earlier this month belong to 32-year-old Travis Decker, the father accused of murdering his three daughters in June, Sheriff Mike Morrison announced Thursday.

According to KOMO News, the US Marshals declared Decker deceased in court filings on Wednesday, but Morrison held off until receiving conclusive DNA results from the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab. Those results, paired with personal items and clothing recovered near the body, left no doubt.

“Those remains do come back as a positive match for Travis Decker,” Morrison said. “We can finally bring a close to this dark chapter in Chelan County.”

Decker’s remains were located Sept. 19 at roughly 4,000 feet elevation on Grindstone Mountain, surrounded by his belongings. The Chelan County Coroner’s Office has not yet determined a cause, manner, or time of death. Morrison said Decker “succumbed to his injuries, whatever those were.”

The sheriff emphasized he pressed investigators to go further than usual before confirming the findings. “I requested more than they’re used to. I did not want to take any chances,” he said. “We also want to make sure we shut down any conspiracy theories. These were Travis Decker’s remains. He did not take anyone else up there with him.”

The search for Decker began June 2, when deputies responding to a welfare check discovered the bodies of his daughters, Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, near the Rock Island Campground along Icicle Creek. Each had a plastic bag over her head and wrists zip-tied.

The Chelan County Medical Examiner ruled the deaths homicides caused by suffocation. In August, DNA testing reaffirmed Decker as the sole suspect. Morrison said Thursday that officials have communicated the latest findings to the girls’ mother, Whitney Decker, and continue to respect her privacy.

On motive, Morrison was blunt: “I don’t think we’ll ever have a true reason. He committed murder. It’s inexcusable.”

The Decker case sparked an unprecedented manhunt in Chelan County, drawing in US Marshals, local deputies, and federal partners who scoured mountains, rivers, and remote campgrounds for months. Tips came in from across Washington as investigators traced Decker’s last known movements.

Residents remained on edge for weeks, with Morrison’s office issuing repeated safety advisories while ruling out other suspects. “We wanted this wrapped up within the first couple days. We knew it took months. You sat on edge, as we were also stressed out about this situation,” Morrison said Thursday. “But again, you never wavered from your support for us; we’re grateful for that.”

For many in the community, the discovery provides closure, but little comfort. Now, with Decker confirmed dead, Morrison said the sheriff’s office will move to formally close the criminal case.

“To his family, my condolences to you,” Morrison added. “And to our community, we hope you can also rest easy at night knowing that Mr. Decker is accounted for. Unfortunately, he’s deceased.”