In the peaceful town of Wenatchee, Washington—famous for its apple orchards and calm pace of life—something utterly devastating unfolded.
What seemed like a typical weekend quickly turned into a nightmare when three young sisters were found dead at a nearby campsite, and their father vanished into the wilderness.
Now, neighbors and loved ones are grappling with the horrifying truth: the person they thought they knew may have done the unthinkable.
A Neighbor’s Final Conversation with a Troubled Father
Binh Nguyen, who lives just steps away from the Decker family’s modest home, says he was one of the last people to see Travis Decker before he disappeared with his three daughters—Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5.
Nguyen recalls that Decker looked noticeably sad when he came to pick up his kids last Friday.
Even stranger, he kept repeating the same questions—asking Nguyen how he was doing, over and over, like he couldn’t remember having just asked.
“He didn’t seem right,” Nguyen said.
“It was like he was there physically, but mentally—somewhere else.”
From Friendly Gestures to Heartbreaking News
Nguyen had grown close with the family over the years.
He’d mow their lawn, and in return, the girls would bring him little gifts—friendship bracelets, handwritten notes, and even a crumpled dollar bill from Paityn, who wanted to buy his son a treat.
“They were sweet, thoughtful kids,” he said, wiping away tears. “I just can’t believe they’re gone.”
When news broke on Monday that the girls’ lifeless bodies were found tied up in the woods near Rock Island Campground, Nguyen was gutted. “I didn’t know what to say,” he admitted.
“I just kept thinking, how could he do this?”
A History of Violence and Warning Signs
Nguyen wasn’t unaware of the Decker family’s issues.
Whitney Decker, the girls’ mother, had told him that her ex-husband had once beaten her.
The abuse, along with his increasingly unstable behavior, had ended their marriage.
“He went crazy,” Whitney reportedly told Nguyen after Travis moved out.
She even mentioned that he was living out of his truck in the mountains.
Still, despite all the red flags, no one could have predicted this outcome.
Text Messages Reveal a Mother’s Growing Fear
In the hours after her daughters went missing, Whitney exchanged a series of texts with Nguyen.
At first, it was a simple request—to move a car blocking her driveway.
But there was an underlying urgency.
“Just not till the girls come home, please,” she wrote after Nguyen offered to tell others never to park there.
Later, Nguyen texted her asking if the voice he heard outside might’ve been Travis.
Her response was chilling: “No 😔.”
The next morning, Whitney delivered the news no parent should ever have to send:
“They found their bodies. They can’t find Travis.”
Nguyen said he broke down immediately.
“I asked her, how did they die? She didn’t know yet. I just couldn’t stop crying.”
The Campsite Scene and What Police Discovered
Authorities discovered Decker’s truck at the Rock Island Campground on Monday. The scene was grim.
Just 75 to 100 yards from the vehicle, police found the bodies of Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia. All had been zip-tied and likely suffocated.
Inside the truck were disturbing clues: bloody handprints on the tailgate, food, blankets, car seats, and a wallet resting on the center console.
A tent and cooler sat nearby, but there was no trace of Decker himself.
A Troubled Mind Ignored by the System
Court documents revealed that Decker had been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.
He was supposed to attend therapy and anger management as part of his custody arrangement, but there was no sign he ever followed through.
Whitney had repeatedly raised concerns during divorce proceedings.
She worried about her daughters’ safety, especially when Travis let them sleep at an armory or camp out in unsafe conditions.
Still, she never imagined he could harm them.
She told authorities he had always returned the girls before and that, despite his issues, he loved them deeply.
A Pattern of Erratic and Dangerous Behavior
In one gut-wrenching moment detailed in court documents, Whitney recalled her youngest daughter Olivia calling her in tears because she couldn’t find her dad.
On another visit, Evelyn returned home with bruises between her legs.
The girls’ grandmother also noted how they would come back from visits upset and emotional.
“They’re happy, smart kids,” she wrote. “Except when they come back from being with Travis.”
A Town in Shock and a Manhunt Underway
As of now, Travis Decker is still missing. The judge has issued a warrant for his arrest and ordered that he be held without bail when caught.
Search crews, helicopters, and local authorities are continuing the manhunt in the rugged terrain of Washington’s wilderness.
But the pain he left behind has already rippled through his community.
Remembering Three Beautiful Lives Cut Short
Back in their neighborhood, Nguyen sits in his kitchen just yards away from the Decker home, looking out at a scene that feels so much emptier now.
“They were beautiful kids. So full of life,” he said softly.
“I just can’t understand why it had to end like this.”