SIGHTING!  Hot on the heels of killer dad, Travis Decker
It is Wednesday morning, the 11th of June, and the search for wanted killer dad Travis Decker is heating up. Potentially, there has been a sighting — people have had eyes on him.

Listen to the rest of this news report. This is from last night:

Around 9:15 p.m., Chelan County sent out cell phone alerts advising people living nearby to secure their doors and windows. Travis Decker, charged with murdering his three young daughters last month, is on the run and possibly close by.

There has been no further word from authorities, but we have obtained the first photos from deep inside the rugged mountain search zone.

Snohomish County special operations are assisting. Here, you see them armed, hiking up snowy terrain, and deploying a deputy from a helicopter.

This couple, on vacation from Sequim, found themselves in the middle of a manhunt.
May be an image of 2 people, beard and text that says 'YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN'T T HIDE'
“I don’t want to stay outside too long. I don’t know where this guy’s moving around.”

The search area is about 15 miles, as the crow flies, from the campground where Decker is believed to have suffocated his children.

The circles on this FlightAware map show the search centered around Valley High, Engles Creek, and Allen Lane.

By foot, Decker would have to traverse several mountains — but he is a former Army Ranger with extensive tactical training.

Travis Decker hasn’t been seen since at least May 30th — 12 days ago.

The question tonight: are his days truly numbered?

“Kind of unsettling. Plus, you didn’t want to be out here if it was dark. You don’t know what’s going to happen.”

I do find it interesting that they were able to send out an alert to people’s phones for Travis Decker — now he’s missing and wanted, quite rightly — but they weren’t prepared to send out an AMBER Alert when the girls were missing.

For those not following the story — and I’m surprised more people aren’t — Travis Decker, a 32-year-old father of three (and I do use that term loosely), took his three daughters — 9-year-old Payton, 8-year-old Evelyn, and 5-year-old Olivia — for a 3-hour scheduled visitation on Friday, May 30th.

He picked them up around 5 p.m. and was meant to drop them off by 8. He didn’t.

The mother, Whitney, called the cops. They wouldn’t issue an AMBER Alert — even though Decker was known to have mental health problems and wasn’t allowed to have the girls overnight (a judge had ordered that).
May be an image of 2 people, beard and text that says 'YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN'T T HIDE'
They didn’t think the situation met the criteria, because they didn’t believe the girls were in immediate danger.

But they did send out search parties and issued an endangered alert.

Then, Monday afternoon, they found Travis’s truck at the Rock Island Campground in Leavenworth. Nearby were the bodies of Payton, Evelyn, and Olivia — zip-tied, with plastic bags over their heads.

Absolutely horrific.

Since that time, the hunt has been on for Travis Decker.

Statistically speaking, he should be dead — because the majority of people who annihilate their families are on a path to self-annihilation. Around 80% of people who kill their children go on to take their own lives. But seemingly not in this case.

In the video yesterday, I speculated on whether they were tracking Decker’s phone — maybe he was turning it on briefly, then off again to preserve battery. But it seems that’s not the case.

Some people have told me that his phone was found in his truck. I have no reason not to believe that.

And then last night, we got this message from the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office. I’m going to read it in full from their Facebook page:

Update: 10/16:30 hours (4:30 p.m.)
Tracking teams believe they are on Decker’s trail.

Community support and tips are still needed. Law enforcement have tracked a subject believed to be Decker into the Blewett Pass / Highway 97 area.

We are asking the public — especially those who live in or have cabins in the area — to remain highly vigilant and report any suspicious activity.

Here is the map: this is the Rock Island Campground. The girls were found here.

Yesterday, I reported on an update from Chelan County asking people in the Engles Creek area to be vigilant. But now, we’re talking about Blewett Pass, down here — and this is Highway 97.

So he’s seemingly heading south — not toward Canada.

One speculation from police was that, based on his Google searches for jobs and moving to Canada, he might go west, take the Pacific Crest Trail, then head north into Canada. But no — he’s going the opposite direction.

Did he plant those searches as misdirection? Or did he intend to go to Canada and change his mind?

The CCSO post continues:

Our office recently received a tip from a hiking party who stated they spotted a lone hiker in the Enchantments area, appearing ill-prepared for trail and weather conditions.

Interesting. We’ve been speculating whether he had caches of supplies hidden if this was premeditated.

But surely, if he just wanted to disappear — if he wanted to go to Canada or somewhere else — why murder his daughters?

It’s hatred.

What had those three little girls ever done to him?

That hatred and rage, perhaps, was directed at the mother. The thought: If I can’t have them, she can’t either. If I can’t have a family, she’s not going to have one.

Maybe. It has to be on the table — because there is no sane explanation.

No matter how mentally ill you are.

The post continues:

He appeared to be avoiding others. Tracking teams acted immediately and spotted a lone, off-trail hiker from a helicopter near Colchuck Lake, who ran from sight as the helicopter passed.

Shades of Brian Laundrie, right? Remember when they thought they were tracking Laundrie in Florida in 2021 — and it turned out they’d been following some homeless guy in the wrong part of the park?

Still, it is suspicious — someone running from a helicopter.

Additional assets were called to the area while a plan was developed to track the individual.

Teams picked up a trail and deployed canines to the Engles Creek trailhead on Highway 97.

If you’ve been hiking in the Enchantments area recently and saw anything suspicious, contact the tip line.

If you were a solo hiker recently, please also report yourself so investigators can follow up — just to rule people out.

As the search continues, authorities ask that anyone who resides in or owns property in the area lock their doors and vehicles, and monitor their security or trail cameras.

Federal agencies now lead the search. The CCSO remains involved in the murder investigation and evidence processing.

They thanked the community, volunteers, local law enforcement, and Governor Ferguson, who authorized National Guard air support.

The U.S. Marshals Service has taken over operations and is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to Travis Decker’s arrest.

He is considered armed and dangerous.

If you see him, do not approach. Call 911 immediately.

You can also contact the U.S. Marshals tip line at 1-800-336-0102 or submit information at www.usmarshals.gov/tips.

A press conference will be held today, June 11th at 4:00 p.m. (Washington time) at the Chelan County Courthouse.

Sheriff Morrison — who many of you think is easy on the eye — was on NewsNation yesterday. Let’s listen to a bit of that interview:

“We believe he’s still alive. And we won’t think otherwise until we either find his body — though we’d prefer to find him alive and have him stand before a judge, take responsibility, and explain what happened.”

Asked about Decker’s military training, Sheriff Morrison said:

“We recognize he’s a danger. He doesn’t appear to be thinking clearly. Yes, he has training, but so do members of our team. He doesn’t deserve the honor of being called a soldier right now. He’s not acting with nobility or courage. We’re treating him exactly as he is — a criminal.”

Absolutely.

And to all of you good men and women who do serve: sincerely, thank you. But not Travis Decker.

And if you’re not responsible for this — if someone else did it — and you’re just running because you’re scared?

Come forward. Explain what really happened.

Why don’t you do that, Travis?

All right. The hunt continues. Let’s hope that press conference has some good news — that he’s in custody.

Because Sheriff Morrison is right: taking himself out would be a cowardly move — predictable, but cowardly.

He needs to face justice.