Found Deceased WA - Olivia 5, Evelyn 8 & Paityn Decker 9, found dead, manhunt on for father, Travis Decker 32, wh 2017 GMC Sierra PU, Wenatchee, 30 May 2025 #2

[RedHaus]

A good read... some back story on TD and veterans' mental health support needs.

As Travis Decker manhunt stalls, Wenatchee veterans call for more mental health services

A military veteran, Travis Decker, is wanted for allegedly killing his three young daughters outside Wenatchee, raising questions about whether he had adequate mental health care for his diagnosed borderline personality disorder, and for what some speculate could also have been PTSD.

www.kuow.org

 

[girlhasnoname]

Wow. Never considered he would have a motorcycle stashed. Seems LE also did not consider this since they spent their time in the woods. Obviously, if he did that, he's long gone from the area.

I mentioned motorcycle, bike, ATV early on. He could have easily stashed it before that Friday he picked up the girls, or even had it in the back. It was a campsite he was known to frequent.

 

[girlhasnoname]

I just watched a show on the ID channel just the other day where a man, Robert Fisher, was former Navy, an avid outdoorsman, and hunter who killed his wife and 2 children then staged a house fire and went on the run. It was a troubled marriage and he had even gotten pastoral counseling too.

They believe he went off grid and assumed a new identity. He was the only suspect ever considered and was charged with 3 counts of first degree murder and was on the FBI's most wanted list for 20 years.

The Toyota 4Runner he was driving was located abandoned in Tonto National Forest near Young and Payson, one hundred miles north of Scottsdale along with his dog.

Sounds eerily familiar doesn't it?

Still missing: Inside the Robert Fisher fugitive case 20 years later

 

[Sundog]

A good read... some back story on TD and veterans' mental health support needs.

As Travis Decker manhunt stalls, Wenatchee veterans call for more mental health services

A military veteran, Travis Decker, is wanted for allegedly killing his three young daughters outside Wenatchee, raising questions about whether he had adequate mental health care for his diagnosed borderline personality disorder, and for what some speculate could also have been PTSD.

www.kuow.org

From Whitney's attorney -

“If we would have [had] the resources that Travis deserved, earned, needed, that could have saved these girls,” Cozart said. “This really could have been prevented. It really could have, and that is part of what is so devastating.”

 

[girlhasnoname]

From Whitney's attorney -

“If we would have [had] the resources that Travis deserved, earned, needed, that could have saved these girls,” Cozart said. “This really could have been prevented. It really could have, and that is part of what is so devastating.”

I agree there is a dire need for more mental health providers throughout the VA system (even in private practices), but I can't say that it could have prevented this tragedy or not.

TD refused mental health assessments and anger management classes ordered by the Court when they went to Court to change Parental Visitation. When Court mandated, especially in indigent circumstances, they are appointed CPS workers who will come to you to set up a parenting plan to get things back on track.

A person needs to identify and accept that they need help, nobody can force them to participate. It's a Catch 22 situation IMO. I do know that the VA was tremendous in helping my BIL when he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. He had over $!M in numerous surgeries, chemo, hospice, etc that his family did not have to pay one penny of.

Sadly, I guess what I'm trying to say is that even TD getting all the mental health help in the world may not have changed the outcome of this tragedy one bit. He may have done this in anger towards WD. We will probably never know, but his 3 beautiful daughters suffered the brutal consequences and TD's either dead somewhere or alluding LE for almost two months.

Where are you Travis????

JMO

 

[RedHaus]

TD refused mental health assessments and anger management classes ordered by the Court when they went to Court to change Parental Visitation.

RSBM

Well, I'm not sure this is totally accurate. From that article I posted, ^, here is new info:

"Cozart [WD's attorney] said Travis Decker was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder as he was leaving the military, but she thinks he likely also had PTSD. The judge in the custody case ordered him to get a psychiatric evaluation, an anger management evaluation, and twice-monthly therapy. Court records state factors of neglect, and physical and emotional problems as the reasons."

"“Travis did contact me after the hearing and say, ‘How do I get these evaluations? What do I need to do?’” Cozart said. “And I directed him to the VA, because I thought that they would help him. I know that he called the VA and said that he needed to get a psychiatric evaluation, and that they told him they couldn’t do that. I know that that is incorrect — that they do them all the time, including locally....”"

"..."So he was trying to engage services,” Bates [Rob Bates, mental health counselor for veterans] said. “We just didn't have the services that he needed. I think most of what I have is anger at the system, because the system failed him. We — we failed him. We failed Whitney, and mostly we failed those children.”"

ETA: 'not' to first sentence

 

[imstilla.grandma]

“Everybody was rolling. Everybody was going and all of a sudden I hit him,” Decker told officer Timothy Jeffris. “I wasn’t on the accelerator. I was just getting my foot off the brake."

In response to a public records request filed by the KING 5 Investigators June 2, the Wenatchee Police Department released dash cam video of the car crash response July 15. KING 5 aired the story that day. Now, Wenatchee released Jeffris’ body worn camera footage as part of the same request.

Listen to Travis Decker talk to police days before he disappeared with his daughters

Wenatchee police release body cam footage of Travis Decker, showing him at a crash scene days before he allegedly murdered his daughters.

www.king5.com

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[Gemmie]

View attachment 603387
“Everybody was rolling. Everybody was going and all of a sudden I hit him,” Decker told officer Timothy Jeffris. “I wasn’t on the accelerator. I was just getting my foot off the brake."

In response to a public records request filed by the KING 5 Investigators June 2, the Wenatchee Police Department released dash cam video of the car crash response July 15. KING 5 aired the story that day. Now, Wenatchee released Jeffris’ body worn camera footage as part of the same request.

Listen to Travis Decker talk to police days before he disappeared with his daughters

Wenatchee police release body cam footage of Travis Decker, showing him at a crash scene days before he allegedly murdered his daughters.

www.king5.com

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For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Interesting comment he made in parting to the officer who had said "Have a better day". To which he replied... "They're all great days. Be safe out there."

 

[UsernameRequired]

Here is the full 9 minute body cam interaction without the news edits.

Interesting because the other man driving stated it was his son's car and he didn't want his son's insurance premium to go up. Then he and Travis shake hands and he says,"We'll work this out." I wonder if the man was in contact with Travis later on to try and settle the damage costs outside of getting the insurance involved.

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[sasha17]

Here is the full 9 minute body cam interaction without the news edits.

Interesting because the other man driving stated it was his son's car and he didn't want his son's insurance premium to go up. Then he and Travis shake hands and he says,"We'll work this out." I wonder if the man was in contact with Travis later on to try and settle the damage costs outside of getting the insurance involved.

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I found it strange that Travis was questioning the officer so much about what happens if someone has a suspended license. Would they go to jail? What would happen? What would it depend on? Clearly Travis had a valid license. I wonder why he was so curious about that in particular.

 

[Lalalacasbah]

I found it strange that Travis was questioning the officer so much about what happens if someone has a suspended license. Would they go to jail? What would happen? What would it depend on? Clearly Travis had a valid license. I wonder why he was so curious about that in particular.

Good catch. Maybe after so many traffic infractions they can suspend it in that state or charge huge fines and if you don't pay they suspend?

 

[Gemmie]

I found it strange that Travis was questioning the officer so much about what happens if someone has a suspended license. Would they go to jail? What would happen? What would it depend on? Clearly Travis had a valid license. I wonder why he was so curious about that in particular.

I too wondered about that. It sounded to me like someone data gathering. I know because I'm a data gatherer. Trying to find out how things worked from the person who had the answers. With that said, that questioning to find answers for something that could/might happen in the future didn't quite jive with what ended up happening. IOW... you don't plan for the future if your immediate plan is to kill your daughters and yourself (speculation).

So, since he did that, and then turned around and killed his daughters... it makes me think he was spiraling downward (from the data we have about his accident, and how he acted), and then snapped.

JMO

 

[Seattle1]

I found it strange that Travis was questioning the officer so much about what happens if someone has a suspended license. Would they go to jail? What would happen? What would it depend on? Clearly Travis had a valid license. I wonder why he was so curious about that in particular.

Insurance is mandatory in Washington State. If you're caught driving without insurance, in addition to fines, your license may be suspended until you provide proof of insurance and potentially pay reinstatement fees. I recall TD was involved in a hit/run accident either days before or after the recorded incident. It's very much possible his license would have been suspended by the Court once he appeared to answer to the traffic incident.

Mandatory insurance | Washington State Department of Licensing

dol.wa.gov

 

[sunspun]

It didn't sound to anyone else that he WANTED to go to jail that night? That was kind of how I heard it.

 

[RedHaus]

It didn't sound to anyone else that he WANTED to go to jail that night? That was kind of how I heard it.

OK, your note prompted me to watch the full 9min video ^. I was curious why you thought this... and honestly, I still am.

I agree, it is a bit odd, the questions TD asked the officer. I am puzzled why he was so curious what driver's license infractions would put you in jail.

TD's only infraction that evening was not having car insurance. So why the questions about driver's license status? He had a valid driver's license on him.

I'd think if he wanted to go to jail that evening he could have done many other things, like be intoxicated when he tapped the guy in front of him at the light.

To me it honestly seems like a benign, routine process for the situation. Except for some observations of variance, IMO.

1. TD having his infraction sent to WD

Why not have it sent to the Armory where all his mail was going? Did he expect WD to pay for it? Had she in the past? Or did he simply not want the Armory to see a letter addressed to him from the police?

2. The incessant license questions by TD.

Was he asking for someone he knew that was driving around with a 'bad' status? Was he preparing to leave his license behind in his truck and drive without one?

3. TD's "Every Day is Great" statement.

Is that something he always says when someone says 'have a great day'? Was he being facetious - every day is a struggle?

4. Other driver asked if TD would be OK.

I think the long handshake and this seemingly caring statement make me think they had a 'deepish' conversation before the officer arrived. The handshake to me, meant they bonded somehow- were they both veterans? And clearly the other driver was worried for TD, but why?

Overall, this video made me wonder where is the spiraling TD? The man seemed composed and civil. Was he on his medication? Was he self medicating with other substances but coherent?

IMO.

 

[Seattle1]

OK, your note prompted me to watch the full 9min video ^. I was curious why you thought this... and honestly, I still am.

I agree, it is a bit odd, the questions TD asked the officer. I am puzzled why he was so curious what driver's license infractions would put you in jail.

TD's only infraction that evening was not having car insurance. So why the questions about driver's license status? He had a valid driver's license on him.

I'd think if he wanted to go to jail that evening he could have done many other things, like be intoxicated when he tapped the guy in front of him at the light.

To me it honestly seems like a benign, routine process for the situation. Except for some observations of variance, IMO.

1. TD having his infraction sent to WD

Why not have it sent to the Armory where all his mail was going? Did he expect WD to pay for it? Had she in the past? Or did he simply not want the Armory to see a letter addressed to him from the police?

2. The incessant license questions by TD.

Was he asking for someone he knew that was driving around with a 'bad' status? Was he preparing to leave his license behind in his truck and drive without one?

3. TD's "Every Day is Great" statement.

Is that something he always says when someone says 'have a great day'? Was he being facetious - every day is a struggle?

4. Other driver asked if TD would be OK.

I think the long handshake and this seemingly caring statement make me think they had a 'deepish' conversation before the officer arrived. The handshake to me, meant they bonded somehow- were they both veterans? And clearly the other driver was worried for TD, but why?

Overall, this video made me wonder where is the spiraling TD? The man seemed composed and civil. Was he on his medication? Was he self medicating with other substances but coherent?

IMO.

I dunno what TD was doing here....

If TD had an upcoming hearing for the first traffic incident that resulted in his DL being suspended, and if he continued to drive on a suspended license and was pulled over for whatever reason, only then could he go to jail. Perhaps that was the scenario going on in his head that he was trying to answer.

The realization that he was not going to be able to meet insurance compliance, pay the fine, and continue driving legally.... And homeless.... TD must have seen his world in total collapse.

 

[no greed]

I found it strange that Travis was questioning the officer so much about what happens if someone has a suspended license. Would they go to jail? What would happen? What would it depend on? Clearly Travis had a valid license. I wonder why he was so curious about that in particular.

TD’s inquiries were very curious. Just when I was getting comfortable with thinking he jumped into a stream of cold, fast moving water. That little inquiry with the police officer sure sounded like someone gathering info for a future scenario. Now the idea of him having another vehicle stashed at the camp begins to look more likely. If you just wanted to go start a new life Travis; why did you need to destroy your daughters?

 

[Charlot123]

I dunno what TD was doing here....

If TD had an upcoming hearing for the first traffic incident that resulted in his DL being suspended, and if he continued to drive on a suspended license and was pulled over for whatever reason, only then could he go to jail. Perhaps that was the scenario going on in his head that he was trying to answer.

The realization that he was not going to be able to meet insurance compliance, pay the fine, and continue driving legally.... And homeless.... TD must have seen his world in total collapse.

Even driving on suspended license would not be the reason to go to jail in modern-day WA, IMHO. Where i live, we would actively protest incarcerating a disabled army vet for the mere infraction of driving on a suspended license. Realistically, the most he would be looking at would be inability to ever continue service getting due to severe mental issues.

But this was not his reality. Travis had stopped his meds and was likely insanely paranoid. His way of thinking is incomprehensible to us. Who knows what he even remembers now? Can he be alive? Yes, like a vagabond with all the symptoms from.psychiatric textbooks.

 

[FromGermany1]

1. TD having his infraction sent to WD

Why not have it sent to the Armory where all his mail was going? Did he expect WD to pay for it? Had she in the past? Or did he simply not want the Armory to see a letter addressed to him from the police?

Did he think, he would be living at that address with his reunited wife WD and his daughters?

 

[RedHaus]

Did he think, he would be living at that address with his reunited wife WD and his daughters?

Yes! That idea has some legs!

TD also said to the officer he 'was in transition'. Could he have been delusional about reconciling with WD, and between the minor accident and when he picked his girls, reality hit hard?

Was that the trigger for his possible psychotic break, which I still susoect?

IMO